Automatic photo sensitive anchor lights

[lyralicious]

Just heard about these.. they plug in with a cigarette lighter attachment, draw 0.3 amp and are photo sensitive. As our anchor light is brighter than the moon and practically drains the batteries in a few hours this sounded quite interesting.

Anyone have any experience/recommendations? Brand names, where can I buy one?

We're back in UK for a couple of weeks on Monday, so could pick one up, or buy one on-line while we're there...

Cheers

 

[purplerobbie]

I have one sitting on my desk i brought off my last boat when i sold it. I'm going to take it to my new one i just havent got around to it yet.
I had one of the clipper battery monitors on the last boat and when i pluged this in i couldnt see and difference in power usage.
Now the bad points.. it's a bit like me
Not very bright

But you cant have everything
Rob

 

[purplerobbie]

It be this one....

http://www.davisnet.com/Marine/products/marine_product.asp?pnum=03300

Rob

 

[damo]

The one I use is Lalizas I think. Not especially bright and advertised as a low power consumption bulb, which is probably why it isn't very bright.

I fixed mine to a folding anchor symbol, with a long trailed lead to the 12v socket.

It works fine and I only have to hang one item in the air! Having the photocell is very handy, because I can set up the light and go ashore knowing it will come on later

 

[KellysEye]

We use one but can't remember the brand. There are two types available that I know of, one "made in America" (expensive) and one "made in Taiwan" (cheaper). They are exactly the same product. Both of them let water in so you need to use self amalgamating tape at wire to lens holder and lens to lens holder. We only use it in areas where there are lots of boats parked nearby (not a 2 mile light).

 

[Amari]

We've used one this season (can't remember make) in Turkey and very pleased with it. Not very bright but quite adequate when anchored in a bay. Switches on and off at dusk and dawn reliably

 

[michael_w]

I used one of the Davis ones to light my boat for a month, virtually unattended. She was on my friend's mooring at the bottom of their garden in Maine. Battery kept brimming with a solar panel.

 

[Martin_J]

I have one of the ones that Evening_Star mentioned.
I bought it at SeaTeach in Emsworth - works well and uses very little power.

 

[charles_reed]

It might be too down-market for many

but I've used a cheap (£9 for 4) solar-powered garden light, as available in the "sheds" garden departments, for the last 3 years.

Just replace the inadequate 2 NiCd cells with NiH and they'll do about 11 consecutive summer nights of use.

 

[samwise]

Bought ours from Seamark Nunn ( best internet price we could find) Works fine. I am told that some folk fit detachable shades and use them as cockpit lights.

 

[mandlmaunder]

having spent many hours and money more than once on photosensing anchor lites from various manufacturers I spent money again on an LED cluster bulb that fitted one of the plug in lites bypassed the failed sensor and leave it plugged in permanantly when at anchor as it draws so little power it makes no odds to my charging system -160 watts solar and large windgen-but even a small battery system can cope with that amount draw0.3amphr with enough luminosity to meet colregs.
must go, time for Presidente cerveza