LED anchor light or masthead light replacement

Angele

Angele

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I think I know the answer to this, but just checking.

I want to replace the conventional bulb in my anchor light (which, incidentally, has just blown) with an LED replacement bulb - keep the fitting, just replace the bulb. I'll get it from Boatlamps as they seem to know what they are doing.

There is a warning on their website as follows:

Try to mount AIS and other sensitive antenna remote from all LED lamps, as far is practicable. Some sensitive receivers can be affected by the low level of EMI emitted from LED lamps.
Click to expand...

Now, my AIS uses the same antenna as the VHF (thanks to a splitter) which is, not surprisingly, located next to the anchor light and I'm not about to move it. But, since this is only the anchor light I am talking about and I have no need of either the VHF or AIS when I'm at anchor, I'm assuming this is not a problem. I take it there is no way an LED bulb can interfere with AIS or VHF if there is no power going to it.

I don't have a tricolour, so there is no other light at the top of the mast that could interfere with AIS/VHF. For those who do, has anyone noticed any reduced AIS effectiveness as a result of the interference from an LED bulb?
 
DJE said:
Do you use your AIS receiver much at anchor?
Click to expand...

Nope, and I said as much in the OP.

Although I did leave it on last weekend for a few hours whilst at anchor to help another forumite find me in Studland amid another hundred or so other boats. (But that was during daylight, so again not relevant).
 
Angele said:
Although I did leave it on last weekend for a few hours whilst at anchor to help another forumite find me in Studland amid another hundred or so other boats. (But that was during daylight, so again not relevant).
Click to expand...

Like Tesco carpark on Christmas Eve ...coincidentally, I met DJE just inside the harbour entrance on my way back!

Re the new LED: BAY15D (offset pins) lamps seem to fit most anchor light fixtures. Mine, however, takes a BA15S (one contact level pins), whereas others use BA15D (2 contacts level Pins). Most lamp vendors will adapt a BAY15D for a price, after which the lamp becomes non-returnable, so it's worth getting it right.

The BAY15D is used for almost all nav lights and a white one would be fine at the masthead -- more powerful than standard anchor light but who cares! I have a spare incandescent BA15S so we can almost certainly sort it out in Chbg if you like as the chandelry is right there?

Before the beers, mind ;);)
 
Angele said:
I think I know the answer to this, but just checking.

I want to replace the conventional bulb in my anchor light (which, incidentally, has just blown) with an LED replacement bulb - keep the fitting, just replace the bulb. I'll get it from Boatlamps as they seem to know what they are doing.

There is a warning on their website as follows:



Now, my AIS uses the same antenna as the VHF (thanks to a splitter) which is, not surprisingly, located next to the anchor light and I'm not about to move it. But, since this is only the anchor light I am talking about and I have no need of either the VHF or AIS when I'm at anchor, I'm assuming this is not a problem. I take it there is no way an LED bulb can interfere with AIS or VHF if there is no power going to it.

I don't have a tricolour, so there is no other light at the top of the mast that could interfere with AIS/VHF. For those who do, has anyone noticed any reduced AIS effectiveness as a result of the interference from an LED bulb?
Click to expand...

I have had to remove an LED tricolour replacement because of VHF interference. It was from Ultraleds. On my 'new' boat I intend to fit a Boatlamps LED

https://boatlamps.co.uk/products/bay15d-tri-colour-36-smd-2835-lamp-for-boats-up-to-20m-65ft

BAY15D-Tri-Colour-36-SMD-LED-Lamp-for-Boats-up-to-20M-DSC_0775-v2.jpg


Our lamp is designed to minimise EMI, unlike other similar looking lamps sold for non marine use. We utilise specially designed PCB layouts which avoid tracks acting as antenna that radiate EMI (electromagnetic interference). Our on-board PWM, Buck-Boost, electronic control circuit allows the lamp to operate over a wide voltage range (10-30V DC) and can cope with higher voltages present when smart battery chargers are used.
Click to expand...

I would like to test for interference BEFORE I put the mast up, but can;t think of any way to do so - suggestions welcome. I can put the light on with a 12V battery connected directly at the foot of the mast, but I can see no way of connecting the fixed VHF set as the mast is lying on trestles beside the boat. Although . . . maybe the emergency VHF antenna would reach the masthead . . .

- W
 
dom said:
Like Tesco carpark on Christmas Eve ...coincidentally, I met DJE just inside the harbour entrance on my way back!

Re the new LED: BAY15D (offset pins) lamps seem to fit most anchor light fixtures. Mine, however, takes a BA15S (one contact level pins), whereas others use BA15D (2 contacts level Pins). Most lamp vendors will adapt a BAY15D for a price, after which the lamp becomes non-returnable, so it's worth getting it right.

The BAY15D is used for almost all nav lights and a white one would be fine at the masthead -- more powerful than standard anchor light but who cares! I have a spare incandescent BA15S so we can almost certainly sort it out in Chbg if you like as the chandelry is right there?

Before the beers, mind ;);)
Click to expand...

I think I heard DJE calling you up on the VHF. Bet you had it turned off, so as to not get bothered by the plague of radio checks. Am I right?

I have exchanged emails with someone who used to work for the Dufour agents on the south coast when I bought Angele. He thinks the all-round light is an Aqua Signal series 40. According to the Boatlamps website (https://boatlamps.co.uk/pages/aquasignalnavigation-lights-led-replacement-bulb-information) that does indeed take the BAY15D.

So, I'm going to order three and replace anchor light, steaming and stern lights. (I replaced the entire port and starboard light units earlier this year with sealed LED ones, because the original ones let too much water in and I got fed up of having to scrape off the corrosion from the contacts on a regular basis....)

Hopefully, I'll get them fitted before Cherbourg. But thanks for the kind offer. Definitely before the beers, though, if I haven't got round to it by then!
 
webcraft said:
I would like to test for interference BEFORE I put the mast up, but can;t think of any way to do so - suggestions welcome.
Click to expand...

For a few quid you can get a RTL TV dongle which is a half decent software defined radio. Then any old antenna and check for increased noise at 162Mhz near the lamp when turning it on and off.

https://www.rtl-sdr.com/

Loads on youtube and google, sdr sharp software works pretty well.
 
Angele said:
I think I heard DJE calling you up on the VHF. Bet you had it turned off, so as to not get bothered by the plague of radio checks. Am I right?
Click to expand...
Called him off Cowes and got no reply. Had to just about ram him amidships off Haslar Creek to get his attention.

Of course you should be hanging your anchor light in the rigging and not using the masthead - but that's another thread!
 
DJE said:
Called him off Cowes and got no reply. Had to just about ram him amidships off Haslar Creek to get his attention.

Of course you should be hanging your anchor light in the rigging and not using the masthead - but that's another thread!
Click to expand...

I nearly replied to your call, as I was pretty sure Dom wouldn't be listening, but I thought twice about clogging up ch16 with even more chatter!

At Studland I was indeed hanging my anchor light from the rigging - a low wattage one with a light sensor so it goes off at dawn. But, sitting on the back of Dom's floating (wine) palace, Dom, Mrs Dom and my crew were all berating me for it being too dim to be seen. (To be fair, it did start flickering and even went off at one stage, because I hurriedly rammed it in the cigarette lighter socket without checking a good contact had been made because I was desperate to get to the beach for the BBQ).
 
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