Lights in the engine compartment

[cmedsailor]

I would like to install a light in the engine compartment. Nothing special, just a simple light (with switch) probably directly linked to a battery. However I am reluctant installing a plastic one (mostly found in shops) due to the high temperatures in there. Any ideas?

 

[lenseman]

I would like to install a light in the engine compartment. . . . . I am reluctant installing a plastic on . . . . due to the high temperatures in there. Any ideas?

Plastic melts or starts to melt somewhere about 130°C - 180°C. If your engine compartment reaches these sort of temperatures, you have a serious heating problem.

If you think you have an issue, hang various pieces of plastic in the engine compartment before you commit to buy and if the melt or start to deform . . . . ?

 

[pvb]

I fitted a couple of "cheap" fluorescents from a caravan shop. They give a decent spread of light.

 

[rickym]

I have something similar to this in my engine compartment.

http://www.force4.co.uk/938/Force-4-Brass-surface-mounted-LIGHTS-Lens-Diam-105mm--O-D-170mm.html

 

[cmedsailor]

Plastic melts or starts to melt somewhere about 130°C - 180°C. If your engine compartment reaches these sort of temperatures, you have a serious heating problem.
:

Hmm, I guess I never though of it this way. Yes you are right. There are definately some plastic fuse boxes in there and a plastic vetus air vent that never melted so why should the light.

 

[lenseman]

Hmm, I guess I never though of it this way. Yes you are right. There are definately some plastic fuse boxes in there and a plastic vetus air vent that never melted so why should the light.

 

[Talulah]

I have one of these flourescent lights.
http://www.force4.co.uk/928/Force-4-Tri-Lite-KL8-Fluorescent-Light.html
I found the single round lights not bright enough.

One thing I would caution about is the use of flourecent lights with moving machinery.
Due to the flicker it's possible not to see the machinery moving. (I've not had this problem but I have seen this warning on other sites.)

 

[prv]

One thing I would caution about is the use of flourecent lights with moving machinery. Due to the flicker it's possible not to see the machinery moving.

Does that still happen with DC?

Pete

 

[pvb]

There's no problem with the fluorescents in my engine compartment - easy to see rotating parts.

 

[penfold]

I have one of these flourescent lights.
http://www.force4.co.uk/928/Force-4-Tri-Lite-KL8-Fluorescent-Light.html
I found the single round lights not bright enough.

One thing I would caution about is the use of flourecent lights with moving machinery.
Due to the flicker it's possible not to see the machinery moving. (I've not had this problem but I have seen this warning on other sites.)

Unless you are profoundly deaf, not noticing that the engine's running is unlikely to be a problem!

Does that still happen with DC?

Pete

It can; it depends on the quality of the phosphor in the flourescent tube. The more modern types stay lit longer, so you don't get the flicker that occurred in the good old days. Also units running off DC often generate much higher frequencys than mains power, so there is less time between flashes and less time for the phosphor to dim. Also on a typical small boat engine you have several pulleys of different sizes spinning at different speeds, so it's practically impossible for them all to be simultaneously 'frozen' by the strobe effect.

 

[Talulah]

Bit like when you watched the old westerns and the wagon wheels appeared as if they were going backwards.
I really don't know if this is still a problem these days. I wonder if any people with small workshops on here have been given H&S advice against them.

 

[Roberto]

re the flicker,

a real PBO-style rpm-metre

if you plug a fluorescent tube into 220/240 50Hz, then put three equally spaced pieces of white tape around the flywheel, one every 120°, and light them with the tube, the first resonant point (when the tapes appear stationary) is at 2000rpm

(if I remember correctly)

 

[pvb]

The flicker is a feature of mains-powered fluorescents, operating at 50Hz. Battery-powered fluorescents operate at a much higher frequency - typically 30-40kHz - so there's no visible flicker.

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

I would like to install a light in the engine compartment. Nothing special, just a simple light (with switch) probably directly linked to a battery. However I am reluctant installing a plastic one (mostly found in shops) due to the high temperatures in there. Any ideas?

.... see other thread http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=287886&page=2
my post....
Just fitted a 30x LED warm white solid strip from ultraleds @ £20 into the top back end of my engine bay. Gives off 500+lumins =approx same as 60w bulb. Very good spread of light eliminating much of the usual shadow. see http://www.ultraleds.co.uk/marine-boats-lights-c-99.html?osCsid=fuq1q8nn0diqbnp7pumhoq55v0
It lights up the fuel tanks, propshaft and gland plus the cable connections for the gearbox and some other pieces of kit back there. Very pleased.
(addendum - fixed in using cable mounts with a thin cable tie)

I've also substituted some standard small bayonet cap 20w bulbs(in spots) for some LEd's which give a very similar light to the corner reading lamps in the saloon.
I'm going to fit some more of the same 30x LEDS strips as uplighters in the main saloon but I'm looking for some decent rocker switches that don't look as if they came off a series one mini! ???