Aqua Signal Tri-Colour masthead light - Can I change bulbs to LED?

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Nickm72

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Hi, the mast on my Superseal 26 has just come down for re-rigging and I thought about changing the bulbs in this tri-colour light to LED but i can get into it to get to the bulbs and am now wondering if it's a sealed unit.

The main driver is reduce the power consumption as all other lights on the boat are LED now.

Can anyone help please?

best regards,

Nick.
 

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The purist will say no, because you won't get as sharp a cutoff between the colours. And, of course, they're right.

However, I have an LED lamp. It's more reliable and won't run the battery down, so it's more likely to work when I need it. It's a slightly controversial opinion but, on a small boat, I'd rather have someone see me, even if they can't work out my course for a moment because they're in the few degrees where the colours merge than not see me.

Having said that, for my Solent pottering, I can't remember the last time I used my masthead light. If you're a serious user, get a proper LED one
 
I changed mine to an LED ....... Tri colour only not a tri white and possibly not exactly the same version of the Aquasignal

I fitted the type with three coloured sectors shown in the attached picture. It came with a replacement holder which had to be fitted in order to get the coloured sectors aligned with the lens.

A little bit of a fiddle because the coloured sectors were not identifiable and it was not marked . First job was therefore to power it up and mark direction in which it had to face.

Hopefully if you go to Boatlamps as suggested ( rather than a chandler) you will get a unit which will fit the lantern without the fiddle of changing the holder. What I bought must have been a universal fit-all kit

Tri LED reduced.jpg
 
It's unlikely to be a sealed unit, I would imagine the tricolour 'twists' off the anchor light for changing bulb purposes. Mine is tricolour only and like others, I got a tricolour bulb from Boatlamps - works great.
 
To get at the bulbs, unscrew the ribbed/knurled ring at the bottom of the clear lens and both lenses will then lift off the stacked lamp holders.

tCeWQ6b.png


I have precisely the same light. I have a Boatlamps warm white bulb in the tricolour system and a cool white in the clear bit. It works fine.
 
I also fitted an LED for the tricolour a couple of years ago when the mast was down. I fitted plastic dividers to line up with the colour segments in the lens, araldited in position. Aquasignal tricolour lamp.
 
Nickm72 said:
Hi, the mast on my Superseal 26 has just come down for re-rigging and I thought about changing the bulbs in this tri-colour light to LED but i can get into it to get to the bulbs and am now wondering if it's a sealed unit.

The main driver is reduce the power consumption as all other lights on the boat are LED now.

Can anyone help please?

best regards,

Nick.
Click to expand...
Converted mine 8 years ago. Use warm white LEDs to get good colours. No need for the three-colour LED cluster.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 
Nickm72 said:
Thanks, I saw your post just after i bought the three-colour LED cluster and thinking about it it does make sense two single white lamps were there before.
Click to expand...
Nickm72 said:
Thanks everyone.

I bought these recommended from Boatlamps for anyone interested.

BAY15D Tri-Colour 36 SMD 2835 High Output LED Lamp for Boats up to 20m (65ft)

BAY15D 24 SMD 2835 High Output Compact LED Navigation Light Bulb
Click to expand...
As I understand it the three colour LED is marginally better than a warm white because the white sector is a cool white.
.
 
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