LED Navigation Lights

[Robin]

I know this has all come up before and been shot down on grounds of range of light or cost or whatever, but this comes from this months Yachting World 'Whats New' page. See http://www.irisoft-yacht.com/led-en/index-en.htm.

Will the resident LED experts please have a look and tell us if these are a goer or not, they look affordable and seem to be accepted by IMO.



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[steve28]

I made mine three years ago, leds 5600 ccd , used six per light as the angle of spread is less the higher the ccd. Bought from a company called lumier.
the lights get lots of comments in marinas and pontoons mainly because of the intensity and colour being so good.
I also use a set of four in my anchor light which remain on all year every year.
Life is around 11 years at the correct voltage assuming they are always on.
As for being seen at sea i have tested them alongside a boat with lights of the same size with filament bulbs at a distance of 1 3/4 miles and the led lights are far more visible in their colours.

I look forward to everyones comments.

steve


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[paulrossall]

I am interested to know what you did. What significance is the 5600 ccd? Is this a technical spec? How much did each light cost you and how did you make them. Did you fit the diodes in an existing light, ie. just replace the bulb. You say less angle of spread. Do you have to arrange the diodes in a circle and if so what diameter. Are they wired in paralel or series? Do you have contact details for Lumier?
Sorry there are so many questions but what you have achieved sound interesting.
Paul

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[qsiv]

Well, aside from a truly gruesome website, they look very good, and they appear to have ticked the relevant boxes in respect of the legislation.

Consumption is markedly lower than the <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.deepcreekdesign.com/tristarpage.html>Deepcreek</A> ones I had found, and the price is an order of maginitude lower. Providing they have equivalent protection against over voltage (when the engine is running and charging the batteries), they should be fine. If they dont, and the LED's blow (which is very easy to do), then they are less good!

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[Robin]

Well it seems the regulations are written about the lights and not specifically about the bulbs, so if a replacement 'bulb' is fitted in an approved light AND the range requirements are met then it complies with IMO.

I have to say the idea of running a tricolour (or even Port/Stbd/Stern) on one of these and saving +/-20ah per night is very appealing.

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[Robin]

I have to say I struggled understanding the technical data as they present it on the website, which is why I'm hoping for some more informed comment from the gang.

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[qsiv]

Thats so, except that the cutoff angle between sectors must be less than 5 degrees - if the light source is 'thick', then the cutoff will not be as acute (but I dont hear of prosecutions), which is why nav bulbs have vertical filaments AND keyed bayonets, to ensure precise alignment of the source with the shutter.

Historically, the cut off was effected by the wooden structure around the oil lamp, and the distance from light source to shutter was much greater. The French LED's look to have a very wide light source which will I suspect give large cutoff angles so seeing both red and green at the same time is likely.

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[Robin]

Good Point NM

nm

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[david_bagshaw]

They are only 12 volt !

<hr width=100% size=1>David
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.euroboating.net>http://www.euroboating.net</A>

 

[Robin]

If you have more you probably don't need to save amps?

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[david_bagshaw]

Rather like the idea for an anchor light though, & self extinguishing would be v good

<hr width=100% size=1>David
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.euroboating.net>http://www.euroboating.net</A>

 

[rich]

Re: new prop

Did you look at there new prop, I want one!

<hr width=100% size=1>rich ) <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.jersey-harbours.com>http://www.jersey-harbours.com</A>

 

[Robin]

We already have a very low consumption anchor light the Davies (USA) one, also has flashing red or yellow or even alternating, plus they do one which switches on/off with light level. That said, most of the time at anchor we use a brass paraffin lantern!

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[Johnjo]

Always use to use a paraffin lamp whilst at anchor, trouble was when-ever the wind blew in the night, you was never sure if the lamp was still lit !

So I bought one of those " Anchor Utility 12 volt lamps ", supposed to use only three quarters of a amp over a twelve hour period, and have to say im very pleased with it on the whole.

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[trevor_loveday]

Deep Creek Bulbs

I have a Deep Creek LED anchor light. Although not cheap, the quality is very good so I expect it will outlast me. It also employs twelve LED's where as the IRIsoft version has nine, and has an automatic daylight sensing switch.

I mounted mine in the steaming light on top of the mast and find it very easy to identify my boat in a marina or on a mooring when returning at night because of the blue-white light. Highly recommended.

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[rich]

Re: Deep Creek Bulbs

Whats the point of a light at the top of the mast. I am not looking up at the sky when I enter an anchorage!!!!

<hr width=100% size=1>rich ) <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.jersey-harbours.com>http://www.jersey-harbours.com</A>

 

[trevor_loveday]

Re: Deep Creek Bulbs

Rich, that's a perfectly reasonable point.

The boat was a trailer-sailer and I put it there as an experiment to see if the light output was satisfactory. I sold the boat within three months so never progressed the design. I'll be mounting it in something I can hang from the rigging for the next one (it didn't go with the boat!).

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[spark]

I like the fact that they've specifically manufactured for the marine market but they seem to be expensive and lacking in luminosity compared to these guys - www.superbrightleds.com - from whom I bought a red and three white 19-led bulbs for port, starboard, stern and anchor.

The superbright website doesn't give luminosity figures for the 19-led bulbs but it does for the 12-led ones, which come in around 78,000 mcd, which would make the 19-led ones over 123,000 mcd - much more than the 9-leds offered by irisoft (82,800).

There is also a big difference in price. The 19-leds are only $9.99 each.

The snag is the 15mm bayonet fitting that fits a nav light (e.g. Hella) is the 1157-W19 (from superbrightleds), which is a designed for a tail/brake application i.e. it has two +ve connections on the base, each of which light up half the leds, and the -ve comes off the body of the fitting. The Hella bulbs, on the other hand, have +ve and -ve on the base. This means that when you install the led you have to couple the base connections together (to light up both halves of the led cluster) and make a connection to the metal bulb holder for the -ve. Not difficult but an extra fiddle to contend with.

There may be a fundemental difference in the luminous properties of the leds supplied by the two companies (not all leds are created equal) but if we can make a straight comparison of $ per mcd then the frenchman is beaten by the american on this occasion.


<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.qei.co.uk/spark.html>http://www.qei.co.uk/spark.html</A>

 

[Robin]

Re: Deep Creek Bulbs

Thats why I like a flickering paraffin light. We tie ours between aft goalposts and sprayhood (yes I know its supposed to be up front), it's light is enough to illuminate the decks as well as the cockpit, and the hood stops it blowing out if it gets too windy. Much more visible to someone coming into a crowded anchorage than a mast top light.

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[MainlySteam]

Re: Deep Creek Bulbs

<<<I know its supposed to be up front>>>

Just so you don't go around feeling guilty, as long as you are under 50m it has, I believe, to be placed "where it is best seen". Which may, or may not, be up front.

John

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