LEDs and filters for aqua signal 25

[whipper_snapper]

I am wondering about LED replacement for the festoon bulbs in our aqua signal 25 lower nav lights.

I see that ultra led sell a variety, including white, red and green. For side lights, it seems crazy to put a white LED behind a red or green lense when there is a red or green LED available. It would be similarly crazy to put a coloured LED behind a coloured lense. The brightest solution would presumably be a red or green LED behind a clear lense.

Does that make sense ? If so, does anyone know if white lenses are available for the sidelights ? It looks like they may be the same moulding as the stern or steaming lights but with different masks. However, I cannot get to the boat to try swapping them around.

Thanks

 

[Wunja]

Based on what I was taught for O level physics a long time ago, having a red bulb behind a red filter is fine as it is only other colours that get filtered out. The advantage is that all of the n watts of power used, goes to making the required light, unlike a white light where 2 thirds of the light created is lost in the filter.
My assumption here is that the red plastic top to the LED isn't a filter in itself.
I imagine you would find it very difficult to find clear lenses for side lights as there is no demand for them (except you, of course /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif )
Someone else will probably be along soon who knows what they are talking about!

 

[whipper_snapper]

Yes, I presume however that the red LED puts out a very narrow range of wavelengths. I thought it was possible that by chance (and sod's law) a piece of red plastic might transmit very poorly at that particular wavelength, but still give a red light when white is shone through. Thus, I thought, a white lense cannot be worse than red and should be better.

 

[VicS]

Yes the lenses are interchangeable in the Aquasignal series 25 but you have to put the correct shielding pieces back to give the correct angle of visibility. But note there are two types, the newer "Standard" one has only one screw to hold the lens assembly on the older "Classic" ones have two. I am not sure if the lenses are the same or not. (check the part numbers on the website)

I have seen the lenses but don't count on being able to get them easily or at a sensible price.

I found some similar lights that were much cheaper that would fit exactly in place of the Aquasignal 25s. The lenses were interchangeable with the Aquasignal lenses too. (bought one of those because the steaming light lens was so badly crazed and actually just swapped the lenses over)

Sorry I dont know the make but I found them in Seateach in Emsworth.

If you buy led replacements bulbs from Ultraleds or elsewhere use as they intend because LEDs do not emit a continuous spectrum like an incandescent filament bulb. The wrong bulb or the wrong lens may produce an incorrect colour or a very low light level.
Also remember that if you go for coloured LEDs you'll need three spares, one of each colour!

Also note that there have been some very poor reports of the life of some of these LED replacement units.

Me, I'm sticking to filament bulbs for the time being.

Bu%%er Aquasignal have changed their website since I last looked at it. There used to be section on spares but they seem to be included them in the down-loadable catalogue now. Down load it from http://www.aquasignal.info/ecat/htdocs/index.php?category_id=1&language=en

 

[lumphammer]

I am very happy with my tricolour led it has red/green and white sectors that match up with the red green and white sectors on the nav light. They seem to be very bright and fairly well differentiated between colours.

A white led behind coloured lenses tends to change the colour of the green to blue, which is why a coloured led seems to be better.

Mine came from marine super store in Port Solent.

 

[Stork_III]

White lens is available and will fit, but costly. Recently saw white lens for 40 series @ about 75% of cost of new whole lamp.

 

[VicS]

I think the lamp I bought from Seateach was only about half the price of an Aquasignal one. Whatever I reckoned it would be cheaper than an Aquasignal lens and it was on the shelf!