DavidofMersea
Well-Known Member
I need a riding light, but my power supply is limited. Someone suggested one of those garden centre solar lamps - has anybody else tried one?
Help please - A riding light
- Thread starter DavidofMersea
- Start date
Twister_Ken
Well-Known Member
We have some of the PV ones in the garden. Pathetic.
I suspect you'd be better off with an oil lamp.
I suspect you'd be better off with an oil lamp.
Tisme
Well-Known Member
I've seen the garden lights used a few times. They are better than nothing but only just.
They are probably OK in dark, secluded locations where there are no other lights to distract, but they are not much use if there are other lights around. They are certainly not legal in the strict sense.
At only a few quid they are probably worth having. Just decide whether it is appropriate to use them in whichever anchoarage you find yourself in.
They are probably OK in dark, secluded locations where there are no other lights to distract, but they are not much use if there are other lights around. They are certainly not legal in the strict sense.
At only a few quid they are probably worth having. Just decide whether it is appropriate to use them in whichever anchoarage you find yourself in.
VicS
Well-Known Member
I am looking at the possibility of using a LED camping lantern...See the thread I started recently http://www.ybw.com/forums/showflat.php?C...rue#Post1062136
But I am now thinking about a lantern on offer from Maplin at £9.99 Rated at 0.5 watts and said to have an output of 20 lumens. http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?C=Newsletter&U=06P6-5outdoor&ModuleNo=48806&T=494268
I am trying to relate that light output to a luminous intensity of 0.9 candelas for a 1 mile visibility or 4.3 candelas for 2 miles visibility which are the figures in the annex to the Colregs.
But I am now thinking about a lantern on offer from Maplin at £9.99 Rated at 0.5 watts and said to have an output of 20 lumens. http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?C=Newsletter&U=06P6-5outdoor&ModuleNo=48806&T=494268
I am trying to relate that light output to a luminous intensity of 0.9 candelas for a 1 mile visibility or 4.3 candelas for 2 miles visibility which are the figures in the annex to the Colregs.
sighmoon
Well-Known Member
My sister's partner, a plumber who goes through a lot of torch batteries, was showing me a wind up torch which seemed pretty bright to me. If you wind it for 30 seconds, it shines for 6 hours (or was it wind it for 6 hours and it shines for 30 seconds...)
Being a torch, it's not ideal as the beam is one way, but what would be good is a wind up garden light. Anyone?
Being a torch, it's not ideal as the beam is one way, but what would be good is a wind up garden light. Anyone?
AliM
Well-Known Member
Yes, we use one when in out of the way anchorages. I'd use something a bit more beefy if close to a channel or when close to lots of shore lights, but it's quite as bright as most of the other boats' anchor lights. It keeps going all night on a day's charge. You could always wire a few together. They are so cheap that an experiment with a soldering iron isn't going to break the bank.
CliveSmith
Well-Known Member
I rigged one up to a small 12v motorcycle battery for the Wayfarer. Lasted well, and as the battery was small and light it was no hassle to take it home and charge it.
Robin
Well-Known Member
We use mainly a small brass Dietz 'hurricane' lamp which runs on paraffin, cost about £30 or £10 in cheapo Chinese tin copy.
We also carry a Davis 'Mega Light' very low current anchor light which is a glass fresnel lens type, cost about £40. These come in various guises, one with photoelectric on/off and the one we have which has 2 bulbs + LEDs. One bulb of the latter is brighter for say a cockpit light and the other the VERY low power one for anchoring. The LEDs are red and yellow and can be 'on' alone, flashing alone, or flashing red/yellow if that trips your trigger (and doesn't make you look like the AA or a Port buoy). Maybe useful as a 'This is my boat' identifier in a busy anchorage after the pubs shut?
My preference is for the paraffin lamp, the other one comes out for really bad nights or if we run out of paraffin. Garden lamps IMO are dim, ugly and as out of place on a boat as a garden gnome. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
We also carry a Davis 'Mega Light' very low current anchor light which is a glass fresnel lens type, cost about £40. These come in various guises, one with photoelectric on/off and the one we have which has 2 bulbs + LEDs. One bulb of the latter is brighter for say a cockpit light and the other the VERY low power one for anchoring. The LEDs are red and yellow and can be 'on' alone, flashing alone, or flashing red/yellow if that trips your trigger (and doesn't make you look like the AA or a Port buoy). Maybe useful as a 'This is my boat' identifier in a busy anchorage after the pubs shut?
My preference is for the paraffin lamp, the other one comes out for really bad nights or if we run out of paraffin. Garden lamps IMO are dim, ugly and as out of place on a boat as a garden gnome. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
oldharry
Well-Known Member
I use an automatic anchor light by (I think - its out on the boat) Davies. This has a 2 watt bulb (optionally larger) with a 'proper' lensing system moulding, and a photocell which switches it off as soon as daylight arrives - saves several hours burning at this time of year! At 2 watts the current draw is negligible anyway but the light is quite adequately bright for normal use. The only problem was that someone put it away without unplugging it. Lockers are of course dark.
The problem with using LEDs is that they are directional, like a torch. This is why 'solar garden lights' are so feeble, that to get the all round effect they have reflectors - well the better ones do, which disperses the light .
I leave one rigged on the boat on the mooring. Being the first boat in the trot I guess mine is the most vulnerable to being rammed! It doesnt do very much, but at least if there was a claim, I can say that it had a light...
The problem with using LEDs is that they are directional, like a torch. This is why 'solar garden lights' are so feeble, that to get the all round effect they have reflectors - well the better ones do, which disperses the light .
I leave one rigged on the boat on the mooring. Being the first boat in the trot I guess mine is the most vulnerable to being rammed! It doesnt do very much, but at least if there was a claim, I can say that it had a light...
rogerthebodger
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
am trying to relate that light output to a luminous intensity of 0.9 candelas for a 1 mile visibility or 4.3 candelas for 2 miles visibility which are the figures in the annex to the Colregs.
[/ QUOTE ]
Vic do you have any more details on this as there has been discussion on fitting LED's to existing Nav lights.
Measuring the luminous intensity could be a way to determin if the replacement LED's like supplied by "Unileds" will comply with Colregs when fitted to existing nav lights
am trying to relate that light output to a luminous intensity of 0.9 candelas for a 1 mile visibility or 4.3 candelas for 2 miles visibility which are the figures in the annex to the Colregs.
[/ QUOTE ]
Vic do you have any more details on this as there has been discussion on fitting LED's to existing Nav lights.
Measuring the luminous intensity could be a way to determin if the replacement LED's like supplied by "Unileds" will comply with Colregs when fitted to existing nav lights
totopalm
Well-Known Member
The Police tried to charge me once:
for "Riding a light without a bike"
for "Riding a light without a bike"
