Cleaning Nav Light Lens

bobgarrett

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The steaming light on my boat is no longer clear - its an AquaSignal type 41. I was going to replace the clear lens part but then wondered whether it can be cleaned up or polished - or whether like perspex hatches the damage is not just on the surface. Has anyone successfully cleaned such plastic lenses before and how?
 

jac

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Previous boat had Aquasignal stern light that was on it's way out. I tried several things and whilst i got it cleaner it was never satisfactory. I just ended up buying the same model from the local swindlery and only using the lens and it's housing ( basically the bit you remove to change the bulb!)
 

Refueler

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You would be amazed what you can do with a clear plastic Coke bottle ......

I have temp replaced a steaming light 'glass' from a cut out of Coke bottle plastic.

My anchor light on top of mast - had an 'antique' bronze framed real glass .. which got broken one year. No chance to get another real glass ... so a 300ml clear coke bottle cut and fitted .... been there years and still shines out like a shaft of .... (Oscar Wilde ??).

 

RunAgroundHard

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They can be polished up if lightly faded. A polishing soap, or Solvol Autosol on a drill mop will work. A lot of effort for minimum effect. Replace if deeply scraped. However, it does work to a degree.

My experience is from polishing plastic windows on shot blasting cabinets. Eventually the window would dull up with shot blasting drift and this would polish out on a mop with fine polish soap.
 

alan_d

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They can be polished up if lightly faded. A polishing soap, or Solvol Autosol on a drill mop will work. A lot of effort for minimum effect. Replace if deeply scraped. However, it does work to a degree.

My experience is from polishing plastic windows on shot blasting cabinets. Eventually the window would dull up with shot blasting drift and this would polish out on a mop with fine polish soap.
I discovered that I could buy a replacement lens for my badly crazed stern light. Then I discovered that I could buy an identical replacement stern light more cheaply than just the lens.
 

Stemar

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The lights on Jazzcat were crazed and grotty. They got replaced with cheap and cheerful LED lights. OK, I'll have to throw the whole thing away when the LEDs fail, but they're bright and seem to have the right cutoffs. Being LEDs, of course, they use a fraction of the power of the old bulbs. I'd take the opportunity to modernise.
 

Refueler

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The lights on Jazzcat were crazed and grotty. They got replaced with cheap and cheerful LED lights. OK, I'll have to throw the whole thing away when the LEDs fail, but they're bright and seem to have the right cutoffs. Being LEDs, of course, they use a fraction of the power of the old bulbs. I'd take the opportunity to modernise.

I fitted a motorcycle LED driving lamp ... about 3" diameter as a 'spotlight' on front of my Soviet Speedboat - to light up my channel entrance when returning at night. WOW ... for very little power - I have a light that puts out enough to highlight entrance from far off !!
The dual Port / Stbd light is LED as well ... and that is also BRIGHT !!

Spotlight :

4LED Motorcycle Headlight Spot Light DRL Driving Fog Lamp Waterproof 12-85HF BII | eBay

Nav Light :

12V Marine Boat Yacht Pontoon Port Side Starboard LED Navigation Light Red/Green | eBay

I am in process of changing ALL lights to LED ... cabin / cockpit / nav ... all ..
 

Sandy

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The steaming light on my boat is no longer clear - its an AquaSignal type 41. I was going to replace the clear lens part but then wondered whether it can be cleaned up or polished - or whether like perspex hatches the damage is not just on the surface. Has anyone successfully cleaned such plastic lenses before and how?
I hear toothpaste will sort out a car headlamp cover. Might be worth a go and see if it works.
 

Refueler

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It has been a few decades since I used a CD. Oddly, my daughter has a vinyl collection! All those horrid scratches crackles and hisses.

I tried to resurrect my record players ..... but years of neglect took their toll. Then Lidl had a sale of a very good turntable with adjustable speed control ....

Yes - the records are not so 'clean' sound as CD's and MP3 ..... but its fast coming back into fashion.

My Son is lead guitar of a band ... they were recently advised to cut records as well as CD's .....
 
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