Supernova Combi Tri

[gregcope]

Nasa are doing a combined Masthead/Anchor light;

http://www.nasamarine.com/proddetail.php?prod=SupernovaCombi

No connection.

Anyone used/got one?

 

[Martin_J]

It looks like their website is unreachable at the moment (or it is unreachable for me)..

Is it like the one I made by joining two singles?

Greg - There have been posts in the past about reliability... I did have a failure (but used to test masthead lights whilst on shorepower).. The current ones have been at the masthead for at least a year and are still working

 

[VicS]

Website working again now

As you would expect both lights enclosed in one case rather than two cases stuck together

Powered by just a single pair of wires with reversed polarity to switch between the lights. Switch supplied.

No approvals though

 

[Martin_J]

Nasamarina website down again now.. and one day I'll find time for Photobucket

 

[VicS]

Nasamarina website down again now.. and one day I'll find time for Photobucket

Be my guest

 

[Martin_J]

You're too quick!

 

[Martin_J]

Having said that... I did have a combined NASA Supernova light a year before Nasamarina produced one

 

[VicS]

Having said that... I did have a combined NASA Supernova light a year before Nasamarina produced one

You're too quick

 

[gregcope]

Martin,

Yes seen the posts. Although there seems to be a trend around using them when on shore power or certain chargers.

Also seen posts with people doing AZABs without issue and people having problems with certain other (more) expensive ones.

So overall not sure of any.... (there lite the touchpaper, got your popcorn?).

 

[Boo2]

Nasa are doing a combined Masthead/Anchor light;

http://www.nasamarine.com/proddetail.php?prod=SupernovaCombi

Why doesn't someone make one of these where the rear 135 degrees sector is operated by a separate wire so it can be used as a combi tricolour/masthead/anchor light ?

Yes, I know "because they don't", but why don't they ?

Boo2

 

[VicS]

Why doesn't someone make one of these where the rear 135 degrees sector is operated by a separate wire so it can be used as a combi tricolour/masthead/anchor light ?

Yes, I know "because they don't", but why don't they ?

Boo2

But surely this one does those things ... like all other tri/whites

Its a tricolour for sailing

its a combined masthead and stern light if under power

its an anchor light when at anchor.

 

[Bosun Higgs]

It looks like their website is unreachable at the moment (or it is unreachable for me)..

Is it like the one I made by joining two singles?

Greg - There have been posts in the past about reliability... I did have a failure (but used to test masthead lights whilst on shorepower).. The current ones have been at the masthead for at least a year and are still working

I suppose someone has to ask. Why the photo of the half opened locker lid?

 

[Boo2]

its a combined masthead and stern light if under power

True, but it's not a stern light you can use with individual sidelights or a combined pulpit light when steaming, and it could very easily be made into one as I suggested ?

Boo2

 

[Graham_Wright]

True, but it's not a stern light you can use with individual sidelights or a combined pulpit light when steaming, and it could very easily be made into one as I suggested ?

Boo2

I saw these at Excel and they looked slick. They also seemed to have a better cutoff pattern than the competition.

I spent some time talking to the guy at the counter who seemed more engineer than salesman. He explained that the inpu volts were boosted to 50 internally to improve the efficiency. He also added they had redressed the failures problem.

I commented that, introducing a few more reds would allow an all round red (to be used in conjunction with an all round green (1 metre) below) to satisfy the gadget freaks like me).

Nasa is receptive to comments and they could well be interested in the stern light idea.

We should also remember that Nasa is British and we should be nationalistic if we have the choice.

 

[VicS]

True, but it's not a stern light you can use with individual sidelights or a combined pulpit light when steaming, and it could very easily be made into one as I suggested ?

Boo2

Sorry I am not following your line of thought at all.

Surely if you have a bicolour, or individual P & S sidelights, then the allround white then gives you the steaming and stern lights that you require under power.
legal for boats < 12m... which this light is advertised as suitable for .. and in compliance with Rule 23 :

(d) (i) A power-driven vessel of less than 12 metres in length may in lieu of the lights prescribed
in paragraph (a) of this Rule exhibit an all-round white light and sidelights;​

 

[Martin_J]

I suppose someone has to ask. Why the photo of the half opened locker lid?

At least I know the whole folder is available... That picture was in response to questions from a few other s38 owners who were getting water in their bilges..

Turns out the water drains from the backs of the cockpit seats... passes through the underseat drainpipes as it should... but if that teapot spout shaped lip has been rounded off - instead of running into the cockpit, the water runs back along the underside of the drain pipe, drips into the cockpit locker, passes through pipes under the engine and magically ends up in the main bilge!


Back to the NasaSupernova tricolour... If anyone wants to see one lit at the masthead in Southsea.. just PM me.. You do get strange twinkles of the red/green colours as the light passes behind others' shrouds but it does seem bright and clear when compared with an old tricolour with crazed lenses..

 

[Boo2]

Sorry I am not following your line of thought at all.

Surely if you have a bicolour, or individual P & S sidelights, then the allround white then gives you the steaming and stern lights that you require under power.
legal for boats < 12m... which this light is advertised as suitable for

I'm not saying you can't do it like that but from other threads I'm give to understand that lights lower down are more easily visible to other traffic.

The only light I need to be as high as masthead of my boat when I'm motorsailing would be the masthead light so really I'd prefer a setup as I described. For now I'm probably going to make do with just taking the bulb out of the stern light but it seems a bit backwards somehow, particularly if the Nasa light could be made to fit the bill just by a removable link and an extra wire.

Boo2

 

[VicS]

For now I'm probably going to make do with just taking the bulb out of the stern light but it seems a bit backwards somehow, particularly if the Nasa light could be made to fit the bill just by a removable link and an extra wire.

Dont take the bulb out. Make it switchable, then you can use it with your side lights/bicolour when sailing if it would better to do so than use the tricolour.

I now see what you mean about making the stern light sector of the all-round white switchable. perhaps the likes of Nasa had not thought of that. Maybe you should suggest it to them.
It will make the installation and wiring more complex. Some people have enogh difficulty with just two wires

Personally I dont have an all-round white but if I did I would retain the separate steaming light to use with the stern light ( and side lights) when more appropriate,

 

[Boo2]

I now see what you mean about making the stern light sector of the all-round white switchable. perhaps the likes of Nasa had not thought of that. Maybe you should suggest it to them.

I have mentioned it to them but not had a reply yet. I'll post here when I get an answer.

Boo2

 

[Richardo]

Having said that... I did have a combined NASA Supernova light a year before Nasamarina produced one

And you didn’t have to alter your switch panel to provide a reversible supply to the light.

As previously mentioned, NASA's combined light only has a two wire cable. To change from anchor to tricolour you reverse the polarity. This means you can’t just connect the new light to your existing masthead cable. You need to alter your switch panel. Keep the anchor light switch and re-label it 'masthead light'. Remove the 'tricolour' switch and substitute your polarity reversing switch. I wouldn’t recommend the one supplied by Nasa as its a sort of flimsy circuit board mounted affair. I doubt it would fit in the space. Label this 'anchor-tricolour' in such a way that its obvious you switch on the masthead light, then set the anchor/tricolour switch.

Martin, think of all the trouble you've saved yourself!

Ps be very sure that the negative supply wire from the masthead light isnt commoned up to any other negatives.

Pps You can make a polarity reversing switch using a double pole double throw (DPDT) toggle switch. Happy wiring.

Richard