Plastimo dan buoy - check the bulb!

[dulcibella]

During a storm while moored in a marina in Madeira three years ago, a weld broke on the stainless bracket of my Plastimo offshore danbuoy (the very tall one with three telescopic sections and a light on top). Inspecting the damage in the morning, I found that the magnetic clip that activates the light when removed had operated, so the bulb had lit - and then burnt out. The bulb turned out to be 6V whereas the kit takes a 9V battery, so no surprise there (though a sobering discovery in a piece of potentially life-saving equipment). I'd owned it from new for 6 months and had not changed the bulb, so it has to be down to gross carelessness by the manufacturer (unless some maniac is haunting Marine Super Store replacing 9V bulbs with 6V).
So - if you have a Plastimo danbuoy, please check it as soon as possible for your own sake.

 

[ithet]

Correct bulb is 6.5v

The Plastimo spare part for the bulb is "20614 Bulb for 27046-27029 (6.5V-0.1A)" and I have one on my desk to be replaced. I had assumed that the lower voltage bulb is over-run in order to achieve maximum average brightness over the continuous period when the bulb might be required (and battery voltage will decay). The life of the bulb when lit only needs to exceed the battery life.

 

[jordanbasset]

During a storm while moored in a marina in Madeira three years ago, a weld broke on the stainless bracket of my Plastimo offshore danbuoy (the very tall one with three telescopic sections and a light on top). Inspecting the damage in the morning, I found that the magnetic clip that activates the light when removed had operated, so the bulb had lit - and then burnt out. The bulb turned out to be 6V whereas the kit takes a 9V battery, so no surprise there (though a sobering discovery in a piece of potentially life-saving equipment). I'd owned it from new for 6 months and had not changed the bulb, so it has to be down to gross carelessness by the manufacturer (unless some maniac is haunting Marine Super Store replacing 9V bulbs with 6V).
So - if you have a Plastimo danbuoy, please check it as soon as possible for your own sake.

Okay I am intrigued, understand the importance of this from a safety perspective but why did you wait three years to tell us.

 

[dulcibella]

Thanks for comments. The over-voltage to improve brightess suggestion makes sense of a sort. The delay between the event and posting a message is due to a high level of sailing activity and forum inertia resulting from the decline in genuinely witty threads.

 

[Alfie168]

Thanks for comments. The over-voltage to improve brightess suggestion makes sense of a sort. The delay between the event and posting a message is due to a high level of sailing activity and forum inertia resulting from the decline in genuinely witty threads.

Ha ha ha ha ha

Tim