samwise
Well-Known Member
Anyone with experience of Mega Lights as seen in the current Mailspeed catalogue? The anchor light with low current draw bulb and photocell off and on looks good. Said to be visible from two miles. Any views?
Mega Lights
- Thread starter samwise
- Start date
pvb
Well-Known Member
Smoke and mirrors...
No experience of them, but they sound like a classic marketing con. As far as I'm aware, the bulb is just an ordinary incandescent type, with a rating of about 1watt. Consequently it will use hardly any current - but equally it will emit hardly any light! I wouldn't sleep soundly with it dangling in my rigging.
If you're very concerned about power draw, there are some good second-generation LED lights coming along which offer a little more genuine light output at very low currents. Check out manufacturers such as Perko for more info.
No experience of them, but they sound like a classic marketing con. As far as I'm aware, the bulb is just an ordinary incandescent type, with a rating of about 1watt. Consequently it will use hardly any current - but equally it will emit hardly any light! I wouldn't sleep soundly with it dangling in my rigging.
If you're very concerned about power draw, there are some good second-generation LED lights coming along which offer a little more genuine light output at very low currents. Check out manufacturers such as Perko for more info.
snowleopard
Well-Known Member
yes, it works
i have one (fixed to the goalpost) and have used it continuously for months while cruising in the caribbean. it's a lot more effective than a masthead light, draws next to nothing (a lot less than an amp) and can be left on continuously as the photocell switch is effective.
compared to 90% of boats out there who don't bother with lights at all it's great. the only time it's not effective is where there are lots of shore lights to drown it out.
b****y expensive for a simple piece of kit though.
i have one (fixed to the goalpost) and have used it continuously for months while cruising in the caribbean. it's a lot more effective than a masthead light, draws next to nothing (a lot less than an amp) and can be left on continuously as the photocell switch is effective.
compared to 90% of boats out there who don't bother with lights at all it's great. the only time it's not effective is where there are lots of shore lights to drown it out.
b****y expensive for a simple piece of kit though.
towlerg
Member
I do see the point pvb was making "smoke and mirrors" but I'm not sure he's right. The manufactures freely admit that it's just a standard bulb (and supplies an even lower power one as a spare), the range of the light is more a function of the lens, it's in a very effective waterproof enclosure and the built-in light sensor all make it well worth the £20 I paid for it. It also acts as a handy cockpit light. Oh dear, it sounds like I work for Davis - I don't, honest.
George
George
pvb
Well-Known Member
I just thought that the Mega Light has been unnecessarily hyped by the marketing people, and that it's a lot of money for an old-technology low wattage bulb, even though it does have an auto switch. If it achieved its low current draw by using modern technology, I'd view it differently.
For an anchor light, the prime requirement should surely be to emit enough light to make other vessels aware of your presence, not to save power by using a tiny bulb.
For an anchor light, the prime requirement should surely be to emit enough light to make other vessels aware of your presence, not to save power by using a tiny bulb.
samwise
Well-Known Member
George Thanks for your response re Mega Lights. They looked like a good alternative solution to rigging an anchor light on our boat which would involve replacing the existing tricolour masthead with a combined unit ( around £100) plus the wiring and the fiddling. One appeal of the Mega Light was that it does not have to be permanently rigged, so you could raise in on a flag halliard or similar and plug it into the cigar lighter socket. Set against the expense and hassle of the masthead light replacement scenario it seems like a good deal.
