Battery or Solar Charged LED Lantern as Anchor Light?

I use a standard anchor lamp which I've an LED lamp to reduce battery consumption. Then plugged into a 12v socket and hung up in the bows. Works well.
 
I use a cheap garden solar light and the spike fits nicely into the flagpole holder on the stern - also provides illumination when boarding from the tender at night.
 
One charge lasts for 20 hours so it should be OK for 2 nights, possibly 3 nights in the height of summer. The trouble is you'll have to get up to switch it off to get the best duration; I would prefer something that works automatically.

FWIW I've got a similar light made by Coleman. I can select different light levels and I'm sure that one or more of those settings would be fine for use as an anchor light. TBH I won the thing in a raffle, it's OK but I wouldn't have spent real money on it.
 
CaptainBob said:
Any recommendations for anchor lights which can be hung up when needed, and which don't draw from the main battery bank?

Something like this looks good but would likely need re-charging every day:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vango-Rechargeable-Lantern-control-Camping/dp/B004S3PBAO

Perhaps it needn't be that bright.
Click to expand...

I have something similar although not rechargeable. Quite a bit of light but diffuse rather than intense like some of the LED lights you see abou.t No idea of its visible range.

IMO the solar garden lights in the main make pretty poor anchor light although some are better than others. No all by any means will stay alight all night except in the height of summer and are next to useless after a very dull day. I had one that was not too bad and with a different design of reflector gave a pretty good light. Unfortunately the winter weather wrecked the little solar panel ( came from Lidl IIRC)

I have looked at and tried several battery small camping lanterns. One from Maplin, but NLA, gave a,good bright light but its power consumption was so high it would have need new batteries every night ( Or to be run on rechargeables)

I reckon the best of the bunch as far as battery power lanterns go could well be the Draper one

100116.jpg
... http://www.force4.co.uk/4368/Draper-LED-Lantern.html

Shopping around will find it cheaper. IIRC the specified light output is 18 lumens which if concentrated correctly by the reflector should give a visible range well in excess of 1 mile.
 
I recommend strongly that if you are serious about being seen at night at anchor you do not select a garden light. Anyone who thinks the illumination given is adequate is deluding themselves. They are virtually invisible from more than about 20 metres.

We have a solar powered anchor light that is superb. Unfortunately it was bought from a chandler in Poros, we have never seen another supplier and I don't know its make.

We also have one of the nine LED ones previously supplied by Triton Marine, unfortunately now not in production. That has to be the best anchor light around, visible from two miles.
 
CaptainBob said:
Any recommendations for anchor lights which can be hung up when needed, and which don't draw from the main battery bank?

Something like this looks good but would likely need re-charging every day:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vango-Rechargeable-Lantern-control-Camping/dp/B004S3PBAO

Perhaps it needn't be that bright.
Click to expand...

You can get similar much cheaper on ebay. I have one of these and it works well.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/9-Watt-Rechargeable-Lantern-with-Remote-Control-for-Camping-Boating-Fishing-/230809692536?pt=UK_SportsLeisure_Camping_LightsLanternsTorches&hash=item35bd546978

And if you also purchased one of these..

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-10W-12v-Energy-Solar-Battery-Charger-TUV-ISO-Polycrystalline-2Kg-/261419298705?pt=UK_Gadgets&hash=item3cddcdef91

And connected it to the cigar lighter adapter that comes with the lantern you wouldn't need to worry about charging as it'll do itself during the day?
 
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