Staircase / Laundry Project 56MY

[Pascal]

When possible i prefer DC lights but if it s just in front of the laundry, it doesn’t matter as you re not going to do laundry without AC power anyway. So I d use whatever is the easiest to power.

For stairs, I like mahogany. It s a nice hardwood, much cheaper than teak and I like its reddish color better

The biggest improvement I ve done is to enlarge the hole around the stairs. It s a bit of work but on the 53 I was able to gain 4 or 5” vertically and about the same horizontally.

[Chasemmc]

I agree with you regards DC vs AC, and a DC line is already run to the spot from the old light. I guess what confuses me is AC LED lights can run on DC lines. I don't know about dimming and such, but was thinking as I replace the overhead lights they all should be the same except where the task warrants a different approach.

I searched though the threads but didn't really find one that addressed the problem. Can anyone think of of 3" LED DC dimmable down lights. If not the specific light, then a direction regards suppliers that would aid in the project.

Pascal, I also like the look of mahogany. It's drawbacks are it is soft and my dogs will tear it up. Brazilian Cherry is a similar look, but much harder and way more red. Since this staircase is the only place the PO didn't paint (uurgh), I will use mahogany and match with stain. Same for the stair skirting and associated moldings. To overcome the scratch issue, I am recessing an anti skid carpet, perhaps 1/8" nap wool, as it wears like iron. It will be mounted on a 1/4" backer board so I can remove and replace as it gets used up.

The replacement washer & dryer are too tall for the existing opening so that door and frame had to be removed anyway. Going to use a full height door with storage above the machines. I wanted to use a mahogany shutter door, but the boss doesn't want to clean the slats, therefor I'll most likely fabricate a raised or flat panel door.

Just marshaling the materials now, so hopefully will have more to share shortly. Really could use the help sourcing the lights.

[Pascal]

Mahogany is fairly hard. I used to have two 110lbs American Bulldogs and they never scratched any mahogany steps, even the one I made for boarding stairs

I m not sure I understand your question about wiring for AC lights. Typically The wiring for AC lights can be the same as DC as voltage is higher. And now with LEDs using a fraction of the power, wire size is no longer a concern

The difficulty with DC LEDs will be finding 32V LED bulb. I ve redone all the wiring thruout the boat and switched to 24v. I have a number of fixture that used halogen G4 bi pins in which I use LEDs. But 12-30v AC/DC ... won’t work on 32v which can go up to 38v while charging

[Chasemmc]

Let me see if i understand. Since the ac vs dc fixture is the same, u can run led's in ac fixtures as long as the voltage is rated for that lamp. A step down transformer taking the volts to the range the lamp can handle. Yes? So if a led rated up to a 40v can be put on the 32v circuit. A 12v or 24v should be stepped down on the 32v circuit. Yes?

[Pascal]

Afaik 120v G4 fixtures are pretty rare. You usually have a transformer before the lights converting to 12VDC

Any fixture with a G4 socket will work with an LED bulb assuming of course the fixture doesn’t have a built in transformer which I ve never seen

[Chasemmc]

Any recommendations on a vendor?

[CaptFrank]

Yikes, I thought I was doing a lot of updating.... impressive. I'm using Beard Brothers is Ohio for custom hardwood.... ordered cherry beadboard to replace my mirrored wall. $80 setup for custom molding in various hardwoods and shipping to CT was $45 so the checkbook isn't hit too hard and you get what you want/need.
Good Luck.

[Chasemmc]

Here is the progress to date:

First Pix: Framed in a new header under the existing salon sole.
Hung the top riser off the header and blocked in the void created by removal of sole.
Placed temporary top tread (so I don't step in the hole and kill myself.)

The blue 12awg 2 conductor is the power feed from the 3 way switch to the step lights. It is fastened behind the hole with 2 wire ties which I was able to clip going into it from laundry access.

The wires laying across the lower step is the three way switch leads for the engine room passage way overhead lights. These will get spliced and rerouted through the genie room up into the panel next to the galley refer. I'll replace the single switch box with a double and thereby move this overhead light switch to same space as the galley overhead light switches. Going to cut a hole in the laundry side shelves for a work box to hold the splices. Don't like burying connections behind walls.

The gray wire is the control head wire for the Outback 3500 previously installed.

I will cut an access panel in the back of the side shelving unit to allow access into the back of the stairs if for some unknown reason it is later required.

Second Pix: shows the second step with temp riser and the three existing steps installed over the relocated stair jacks. Looking at the missing original finish you can see this was assembled and then finished. Also you can see the difference in step height as you move up the stair case.

Most of the unfinished wood will be covered by a new skirt board & trim. Got in the mahogany veneer and the 3/8" ply which will bend into the curve. Trim will have to wait until I build a steam bender for the top trim.

The new curved treads will be widened from the original 14" to 15~16". The two top steps get widened from 9" to 11-1/2" which will make going down the stair case a little less risky.

Next steps are to tidy up the wiring, glue up and fabricate the mahogany treads and prep for under step lighting. Then the cover piece in the laundry area get placed. Need to find some place that sells 1-1/2 x 1/4 mahogany corner trim. I really don't want to have to make that. Anyone know of a good supplier?

I did finally track down the 1-1/2 pvc tube running behind the washer/dryer. It terminates in the gennie room and is stuffed with wires.