Faded nav lights

[bigwow]

Just noticed my nav lights seem to have faded to off white, anybody any experience of how to restore them to their former red and green glory. I was thinking of trying glass paint even though they are plastic, any suggestions as I do not want to fork out for new ones.
Thanks
John

 

[VicS]

If they are polycarbonate lenses any solvent based paint could lead to then cracking and disintegrating.
Even if satisfactory any coating is bound to cut down on the light transmittance and it may be difficult to match the colours.

The usual problem with plastic lenses is that they craze over time ... something highlighted by the MAIB investigation into the loss of the OUZO and three lives a few years ago.

I have replaced all my lights due to crazing. I found cheaper alternatives to the Aquasignal 25 for the side, stern and masthead lights but forked out the full whack for a new Aquasignal tricolour.

Rather shell out a few squids than be run down by a big ship!

 

[bigwow]

They havn't crazed, just faded and only the deck level ones not the tri. All are aqua signal and having just forked out £25 for a new deck light sealed beam, I was hoping to save on this one?

 

[highandry]

If you can find a shop that sells "Disco" or " Clubbing" (I suppose it is now) equipment, they sell very flexible sheets of coloured film, plasticky type stuff that is used in front of lights in order to throw coloured light on the dance floor. It withstands high output spotlights so should be ok cut up and fitted inside your lamp lenses.

 

[RAI]

Have you checked with Aquasignal for spares. I got replacement lenses for my Peters and Bey lights from them directly.

 

[ditchcrawler]

I had the same problem and tried plastic window renovator and brasso amongst other things.Nothing worked so I replaced with the same new Aquasignal lights.I priced out the replacement lenses and it was not economical.The lenses were more than I paid for new lights by shopping around on the web.My wife is now making me some covers to be kept on the new lights during the daytime.

 

[Fantasie 19]

Red & green permanent marker...??? You could try it on a small corner to see if it works... used to use OHP pens in the old days (just make sure not water soluble )

 

[VicS]

FWIW the lenses in the cheap lamps I bought (about half the price of new Aquasignal 25s ) are identical to and interchangeable with the Aquasignal lenses.

I bought them from Sea Teach in Emsworth but all the details must be still on the boat.

 

[vyv_cox]

This seems to be a common problem in sunny places. We went through the Khalkis bridge in the middle of the night last year in company with around 10 other yachts, almost every one was showing white nav lights. I had replaced mine for that reason the previous year. We now keep them covered during daylight.

 

[Cliveshep]

Nothing to do with boats but the same problem on new rear lamps on a van in the Philippines which faded inside a few months. It appears that cheap, presumably Chinese, coloured plastic is not UV stable.

Perhaps the disco film would be a cheaper alternative to replacing the lenses and if so posting results here might save others some money.

 

[FistralG]

lighting gels

I'm with highandry coloured lighting gels inside the existing lenses should do the trick and if you can't get the right colours here...

 

[bigwow]

Result!!
Lighting gels are the way to go. I've sorted mine but had to buy a roll of each, it's wasn't cheap, anybody want to buy enough to sort their faded lights, I'm your man!

 

[saltwater_gypsy]

Wasn't there a request some time ago from somebody who was making a study of this problem and wanted people to send him faded nav.lights?