Illuminated Pot Buoy ?

[electrosys]

In an attempt to fill the freezer, I'm thinking of laying some tackle on the seabed, each marked by a Dhan Buoy with leaded line. The stuff will be located on shoal ground so hopefully no-one will be running over the marker - but it's always possible.
To help prevent this, and to help me find each buoy at night, I'm mulling over the idea of putting a light on 'em - nothing grand, just one of those el cheapo 1 x led garden lights with a built-in solar cell. Should be just visible from 200 yards or so on a clear night.

Good idea, or Bad idea ?

 

[VicS]

You might want to do a bit of research into suitable lights.

I had one from Lidl that was very bright. With a modified reflector ( to reflect the light out sideways instead of up onto the underside side of the top) I reckon it could well have been visible for a mile or more. Given a bright day to charge it it stayed on until dawn through most of the summer. The winter weather got under the photocell and put an end to it

A 3 led one I have now is pretty bright in front of the LEDs but not so bright between them. It only stays alight for 2-3 hours after a sunny day. Barely lights at all after a dull day

I have seen some that are barely bright enough to be visible at 20 yards!

 

[Seajet]

I really hope you're a troll; bad idea as invisible until way too late, but you haven't said where or described the place so a better answer is impossible.

 

[prv]

I really hope you're a troll; bad idea as invisible until way too late

Still better than the normal fishermen's unlit ones, surely? Not to mention the cowboy blue can brigade. Can't see the problem here. At least from a yottie point of view - perhaps Defra would have something to say about it?

Pete

 

[electrosys]

I really hope you're a troll; bad idea as invisible until way too late [...]

Ok - so no light - and then it's 100% invisible, like all the rest.

No troll - just a yottie having a go at fishing, and having run over a few pot markers in my time, am trying to avoid being yet another contributor to this menace.

The reason I wasn't planning to employ a brighter light, was for fear of being criticised for showing an ambiguous light away from the main channel, which might be misinterpreted as being an anchor light in an unsafe position which could cause some concerned well-meaning person to call out the lifeboat.

 

[electrosys]

With a modified reflector ( to reflect the light out sideways instead of up onto the underside side of the top) I reckon it could well have been visible for a mile or more. Given a bright day to charge it it stayed on until dawn through most of the summer. The winter weather got under the photocell and put an end to it

Some good thoughts there - thanks. Yes, I can see that a few frosts would easily lift and knacker the solar cell. A case for sealing well, methinks.