Making white lens red.

[ccscott49]

OK, help here guys and guyesses!

I have some white, semi opaque lenses on my LED courtesy lights on the steps of my boat, they are plastic lenses, I want to make them red, what can I use to do this, I have been told poster paint, nail varnish, red paint etc, what is best and not so as to obliterate the light? thanks for any help.

 

[Colvic Watson]

Red nail varnish works a treat, it's waterproof and if you put too much on it can be removed and reapplied. Stinks for a bit when it gets hot and then fine. Used it on bulbs at home in childrens' bedrooms as well.

 

[sarabande]

if breathing carcinogenic fumes turns you on, then nail varnish is fine.

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=...Q6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=acetone pyrolysis&f=false

It is a myth, well documented on the forum , that red light should be used to preserve night vision. Use dim white light, and forget all the fairy stories about carrots and red light.

 

[bigwow]

Line the inside of the lens with lighting gel, as used in stage lighting, worked a treat for me on my faded nav light lenses.

 

[awol]

Change the LEDs to red and leave the lenses alone?

 

[CharlesSwallow]

You soddin ole skinflint you!

Ah well, - You can buy pure red filter gel from theatrical lighting shops and cut to shape. I have a disc of it cut to fit behind the rubber seal on my halogen bulbed head torch. It will of course reduce the light output and if the red content in the spectrum of your LED light is minimal then like any filter it will only let that through giving poor results. Nail varnish being nothing more than expensive cellulose paint will damage your plastic lenses permanently and could over a period result in their shattering or distorting and falling out. Replace 'em mate! Remember that blue is just as good as red when it comes to maintaining night vision.

Merry Christmas to you and Belinda and have a great Hogmanay.

Chas & Sheila - The Cronins also send theirs!

 

[stuey_two]

Filament lamps (and some othe types of light source)emit a wide range of frequencies.
Colour filters work by absorbing the unwanted frequencies emitted, letting through only the frequencies (colours) that are wanted.
Filters do not work with LEDs, which emit a very narrow frequency band - near the blue end of the spectrum for a white LED.
To get red light from LEDs you wiould have to use red LEDs.

 

[GrahamHR]

if breathing carcinogenic fumes turns you on, then nail varnish is fine.

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=...Q6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=acetone pyrolysis&f=false

.

Why is this reference to the pyrolysis of acetone at all relevant? When the nail varnish is dry, there is no more acetone there surely?

 

[noelex]

It is a myth, well documented on the forum , that red light should be used to preserve night vision. Use dim white light, and forget all the fairy stories about carrots and red light.

Yes it has been debated before, but not with such a definitive conclusion.
Red is the best and only color that will allow you to use your Photopic visual system without destroying the night vision in your scotopic system.
No myth its just simple visual physiology.

 

[flipper]

Red nail varnish works a treat, it's waterproof and if you put too much on it can be removed and reapplied. Stinks for a bit when it gets hot and then fine. Used it on bulbs at home in childrens' bedrooms as well.

Hah, did the same. Got a strange look from the checkout girl when only purchasing a bottle of 'hooker red' nail varnish in the Asda by Eastbourne marina.

I found it quite a turn on

 

[Kilter]

Red nail varnish works a treat,

+1 I have used it to good effect

 

[electrosys]

Why is this reference to the pyrolysis of acetone at all relevant? When the nail varnish is dry, there is no more acetone there surely?

Spoil-sport ...
I do wish people wouldn't let facts get in the way of a perfectly good scare-story.

 

[rob2]

My first passage on a yacht was to the Channel Isles on a Westerly Berwick. Things were simpler and often more fun, then - like holding the skippers belt so he could swing around the cabin to get a DF fix... We lost the compass light, so I ran all round Alderney until a garage proprietor gave me a whole box of pea bulbs as they were no longer used on cars. The car accessory shop loaned me a can of orange paint and I sprayed all the bulbs in the street, returning the can to the shop. Can't do that with an LED, though.

I'm afraid they're right if you use a filter on an LED light, you'll lose most of its output. Maybe you can replace with red or blue versions and use the old ones for low level lighting in the cabin.

Rob.

 

[Alyssa]

if breathing carcinogenic fumes turns you on, then nail varnish is fine.

By the time things are hot enough to cause health problems with the pyrolysis products of acetone you will have other far more important things to be worrying about!!!

 

[GrahamM376]

Red is the best and only color that will allow you to use your Photopic visual system without destroying the night vision in your scotopic system. No myth its just simple visual physiology.

Although in military tests red has been proven best to preserve night vision, civilian charts have not been coloured (unlike some military versions) for use in red light so detail is hard to see. Some tests indicate dim green/blue light can be a good compromise.

 

[noelex]

Although in military tests red has been proven best to preserve night vision, civilian charts have not been coloured (unlike some military versions) for use in red light so detail is hard to see. Some tests indicate dim green/blue light can be a good compromise.

Dim red light is very unpleasant to use when trying to see detail and some information is lost

Sometimes its worth sacrificing some night vision to be able to do tasks that require color perception or better acuity.
As long as you recognize the compromise you are doing better than most sailors.
If you use dim green, white , blue or any color other than red to read a chart you have bleached out all your Rod vision in that eye. It will take 10-15mins to regain this final part of your dark adaptation.
Using one eye is often a good trick,

The most important message is don’t throw away your dark adaptation for no reason At least try and preserve your night vision when making a cup of coffee etc

 

[lustyd]

It's lucky none of us have huge glowing screens on our boats which would make the debate about night vision moot...oh wait...

 

[Searush]

It's lucky none of us have huge glowing screens on our boats which would make the debate about night vision moot...oh wait...

Can you not set your chart plotter/ radar / whatever to "Night view". My kit is pretty old & basic, but I can set Tsunamis for night use.

 

[Quandary]

Why would the OP want to read charts by the courtesy lights on his steps?

 

[ccscott49]

if breathing carcinogenic fumes turns you on, then nail varnish is fine.

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=...Q6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=acetone pyrolysis&f=false

It is a myth, well documented on the forum , that red light should be used to preserve night vision. Use dim white light, and forget all the fairy stories about carrots and red light.

What!!?? Carrots dont work? Bugger!
The LED lights are cold, so no hot lenses.