Solar Anchor light

M

MacMan

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sailtoanywhere.blogspot.com
Like many I have scene have played around with B&Q style Garden lights as Anchor lights - but they are clearly not really up to the job. So I went to find something more substantial and found.

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All looks great and clearly sounds like it would be up to it BUT one slight draw back. When I emailed for the cost including VAT and delivery I was quoted £260 !

Hardly a credit crunch solution !

I desire automatic on off with light conditions and self contained solar panel/re-charging battery.

As anyone found a middle way solution - better than a B&Q job but cheaper than £260 ?
 
Can this superlight be set to constant, as an anchor light or is it only a set pattern of flashes that is available? perhaps the solar panel cannot drive a steady light?
 
I have a 3 quid Solar garden light as marker light. It has auto on / off and AA NiMH battery that can be replaced easily.
Originally I bought to try as Anchor Light - but it's too weak a light for that. But it's excellent marker light to clip to pulpit / pushpit for boarding point.
I also intend to buy more to create a leading light system for entry to my private mooring area ... SWMBO can never find entrance to our mooring channel at back of our house at night ...
 
A Triton Marine LED light is excellent. Doesn't have an automatic switch but consumes so little electricity that it doesn't matter. In a crowded anchorage in Italy last year our light was markedly brighter than any other. Very reasonably priced, Unfortunately their website seems to be having some problems at the moment so I won't post a link. Strongly recommended.
 
Thanks for the recommendations for the Triton Light.

Just to keep all informed, we are developing a bigger and better light, which passes all of the European standards.

The old light is out of production, though we could do another batch if there is interest.

On the subject of a indepandent powered light, there are small 7 a/h batteries from Maplins and others. This could be charged from a solar panel, and a light switch put into the circuit. But remember that the circuitry also uses power and unless the electronics are slick, use as much power as leaving the ligth on. I am not a electrical man I have to add!!

Hope no one is offended by a 'business' post!
 
I have successfully used a 2-LED solar cell light for some years now. Sold for garden use this all-stainless-steel unit has performed flawlessly - perhaps because I sail the Adriatic with plenty of sunshine to keep it well charged. It lasts all night after turning on automatically at dusk - a switch on the side can inhibit that for night sailing. The cost was approximately eur 30.

I have it mounted on an aft mast that also supports a wind generator and AIS antenna.

Anchorlight.jpg


During the hours of darkness most anchored yachts turn on a white, masthead light that I find confusing when arriving in a darkened, crowded anchorage. Getting closer to the fleet it can be difficult to relate (or sometimes even see) the hull of a yacht with its light so high above it, if identified as such amongst the brighter stars.
 
I very much agree with you that a masthead anchor light, while OK at a distance, is worse than useless when close up in an anchorage, which is probably when it is needed most. The light is much better at a lower level, and then it gives an idea of where the boat actually is.
 
You can make your own LED light using off the shelf LEDs.
I can get a 5000mcd white LED with claimed 30 degree viewing angle 3.4v 20ma for 1.5 squid. ($A2.95 Dick Smith) so arranging these in a circle would take 12 LEDs. Connecting 3 in series with a 90 ohm resistor for each of 4 sets of 3 LEDs would pull 80 milliamps at 12v.
Note this is fine for 12v input but if you start the motor and it goes to 14v you will melt the LEDs. A better arrangement then is 6 circuits of 2 LEDs in series with 360 ohm resistors in each circuit. (20ma at 14v and 14.5ma at 12v per circuit or X 4 for total )
Or you could fit a 12v zener with a small dropping resistor to stabilise input voltage.

This might seem like a hassle to build your own anchor light but it would be exceeding easy to build it in 2 halves one for bow and one for stern to keep the light low but visible from all directions. Obviously with 12 LEDs it will be very bright.

I do think you would be better off with solar charge to the main ships battery and run the anchor light off the ships battery. A light operated circuit is fairly easy to make and does not have to consume much power in daytime. PM me for discussion if anyone is interested. I am trying to make a stern light of LEDs currently olewill.
 
Just a mention that anchor light for a boat of our size is a single light ... not two ... unless your boat has grown considerably in size ? /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Given that in reality - we usually anchor in waters that bigger vessels would normally avoid - an "unofficial" lower power jobbie is often good enough. I have a 5w grain of wheat bulb that looks like an overgrown LED ... used in the garden lights run of power packs and in 'strings'. Surprising how bright that is hung of a line fwd of mast.
 
[ QUOTE ]
an "unofficial" lower power jobbie is often good enough. Surprising how bright that is hung of a line fwd of mast.

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..Or aft of it /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
This is very true. And ColRegs obviate the positioning necessity for smaller vessels.

"RULE 30
Anchored Vessels and Vessels Aground

(a) A vessel at anchor shall exhibit where it can best be seen:
(i) in the fore part, an all-round white light or one ball;
(ii) at or near the stern and at a lower level than the light prescribed in subparagraph (i), an all-round white light.
(b) A vessel of less than 50 meters in length may exhibit an all-round white light where it can best be seen instead of the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) of this Rule."

My own 2-LED garden light is as bright as any yacht's battery-powered anchor light that I normally see. This is partly due to the clear, all-round lens that has multiple, diamond-shaped, internal sections in the moulding that seem to act similarly to a Fresnel lens, bouncing the light around and amplifying it.
 
The PDF in the link says one of the options is a fixed light. Admittedly the range is slightly less though. If the Solar Panel and battery is big enough I see no reason why this couldn't be produced in theory. And it removes all the hassle of replacing batteries/attaching wires. Just stick it in the rigging and it works !
 
Hello Nigel you are right of course. I have never felt the urge to have an anchor light and truth be told have not overnighted on my boat away from mooring for many years. My immediate concern is for a stern nav light. I will probably buy one but like to dream about self build. regards olewill
 
I really cant recommend the lights from Bebi electronics (see my earlier post for link) highly enough.
I have a very low budget for my boating, just above zero most of the time, but after trying a few cheapo LED lights I took the plunge and bought a "proper" anchor light.
The price is even low enough for me /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif brightness is amazing! Lifetime gaurantee is something you dont see too often....
Site seems a bit amature, but take a look at the design and testing pages.
So impressed, I've since bought bulbs to fit my nav lights.
I've no connection other than as a very satisfied customer.
 
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