Supernova Combi Tri

[Pete735]

I've bought one!

I bought one of these 2 weeks ago as I liked the idea of a combined unit and thought it was a competitive price. I had it on test in the garage for 48 hours (actually 24 hours on each setup) and it was fine. I went into Nasa as I was on my way down the A1M anyway, and bought one "over the counter" - I did phone first though.

I spoke to one of the guys at Nasa (an engineer) and he told me that the tricolour had been modified to take care of voltage spikes caused by battery chargers (they thought from a couple of failures), plus something to make it less susceptible to lightening strikes. They also burn in all units I was told.

I'm just finishing a new electric panel so the reverse polarity switch is incorporated into my new panel. Only one small niggle, I wish there was a small bezel to go on the switch to indicate masthead/tricolour - anchorlight.

No connection with company just a happy user of Nasa kit and as someone has already said, they are British and for me that counts.

 

[Richardo]

"I'm just finishing a new electric panel so the reverse polarity switch is incorporated into my new panel. Only one small niggle, I wish there was a small bezel to go on the switch to indicate masthead/tricolour - anchorlight. "

Pete, I dont think the switch supplied includes a circuit breaker or fuse, unlike the standard yachtie panel push switch. You might need to fit something.

That bezel is another small niggle: no anchor/tricolour switch label supplied.

My polarity reversing toggle switch of choice is Maplin part NoN25KA with optional toggle cover (JR79L) cos its IP67 rated (ie waterproof). Having soldered on the wiring, I've 'potted' the connectors with epoxy. Fiddly.

Richard

 

[Highndry]

Does that switch have an 'all off' position in the middle?

 

[noelex]

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.

Let's hope so, there has been a lot of failures of their tricolour.

 

[rogerthebodger]

On mine most of the red and green LED's failed open circuit. I replaced them and it seems OK now.

They must have had a bad batch of led's.

 

[wotayottie]

Surely the real question is why buy one at all. The reason we use tricolour masthead lights was that in doing so we could use just one 25w bulb rather than the three that are needed for sidelights and stern light. But now we have LED lights with little leccy consumption, why not just use the deck level nav lights all the time.

Any big ship master you talk to will tell you thats far preferable to masthead lights which can be lost in shoreline light clutter

 

[Bru]

Surely the real question is why buy one at all. The reason we use tricolour masthead lights was that in doing so we could use just one 25w bulb rather than the three that are needed for sidelights and stern light. But now we have LED lights with little leccy consumption, why not just use the deck level nav lights all the time.

Because firstly that would mean buying three separate LED lights which is more expensive and secondly it would place total reliance on technology which is not necessarily easily repaired at sea

The good old fashioned deck level lights can, assuming spare bulbs are available, be fixed or at worst bodged with the most basic of tools.

Since they would normally be used in conjunction with the engine the current consumption isn't an issue

Any big ship master you talk to will tell you thats far preferable to masthead lights which can be lost in shoreline light clutter

I'm far from convinced this is the case on a boat the size of ours. The deck level lights are barely a metre above the waterline whereas the masthead will always be visible above the waves etc.

 

[wotayottie]

Doesnt work like that Brigantia. I've just taken my boat round Lands End to Falmouth. It was a 28 hour trip and when it became dark I found that my masthead tricolour did not work. No practical option but to go round in the dark and without lights - no way would I risk motoring through all those pots when I could not see them and I could not power 75 watts of lights as well as everything else for that length of time with the engine off.. Had I got led bulbs in the deck level lights, I could have used them instead.

The technology argument is a reversal of reality - filiament bulbs fail with regularity whereas leds have on average a way longer life. Its easy to carry a spare of led as filiament and just as easy to replace in the deck level light fittings. Even the cost argument doesnt apply - a filiament staggered pin 25w bulb is £7 and the equivalent led from ultra leds is just pennies more.

As for the argument about the height of the tricolour making them merge with shoreside clutter, I am quoting what the master of a cross channel ferry said to me personally. I believe he knows more about what he can / cannot see from his bridge than you do.

 

[Bru]

I disagree so lets agree to disagree on this one ?

Edit ..

I might add by the way that the new masthead tricolour is significantly brighter than the 10W deck level lights and I do mean significantly

I am absolutely satisfied that the combi masthead LED in conjunction with standard filament deck level lights is the right setup. So there!

Edit 2 ... £47.95 (LED drop in replacement for standard 25w bulb) is rather more than pennies more than £6.95 (standard 25w bulb) and you'd properly have to carry THREE spares (red, green and white)

 

[wotayottie]

Edit 2 ... £47.95 (LED drop in replacement for standard 25w bulb) is rather more than pennies more than £6.95 (standard 25w bulb) and you'd properly have to carry THREE spares (red, green and white)

White bulbs, coloured lenses but £15 - poor memory.

 

[maxi]

There have been a worryingly large number of "re-worked" NASA led masthead lights on ebay, and quite a few postings of dissatisfaction due to very early failures.

I normally quite like NASA gear (except their masthead wind sensor), but it does seem that there may be some weaknesses in the original units, and with two conjoined, would that mean double the likelyhood of failure?

 

[rogerthebodger]

There have been a worryingly large number of "re-worked" NASA led masthead lights on ebay, and quite a few postings of dissatisfaction due to very early failures.

I normally quite like NASA gear (except their masthead wind sensor), but it does seem that there may be some weaknesses in the original units, and with two conjoined, would that mean double the likelyhood of failure?

I had my tri colour fail and due to my location and the non response of NASA I opened (it was out of guarantee) and found that most of the green and red LED's had either gone open circuit or short circuit. The driver circuit was OK but due to the LED's being in 3 banks of series LED's if one LED failed the complete bank stopped working. I obtained replacement 5 mm high intensity LED's from a local supplier and replaced the faulty LED's .It now works OK.

My lights were separate units and I have had no problem with the anchor light which is of cause all white LED's.

The fault could in my case could not be due to over voltage as during any charging all my nav lights are isolated from the 12 V supply so I put it down to a bad batch of LED's.

 

[yachtorion]

Yes I've got one

Obviously not had it long - they haven't been out long. Bought it in Jan. So far works great. Really bright - seems brighter than the crazed/worn old standard Aquasignal it replaced. Cut offs seem reasonable.

It draws nearly nothing - battery monitor seems to show 0.1 amps. I run it from a rotary switch rigged through some relays and built into the electrical panel. The one switch drives all the nav lights.

So far battery and wind chargers haven't fried it.

 

[Bru]

White bulbs, coloured lenses but £15 - poor memory.

Interesting - first supplier I've seen doing replacement festoon bulbs suitable for 10W small boat nav lights

Those I might have been tempted by although I'd not be overly confident about their reliability in the leaky cheap existing nav lights!

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

I really like the idea of this light, but the wiring arrangement makes it a real PITA!

You can't use existing switches without a ton of hassle.

 

[SvenglishTommy]

I really like the idea of this light, but the wiring arrangement makes it a real PITA!

You can't use existing switches without a ton of hassle.

Yes indeed. I didn't realise the polarity switching system until I opened it and saw only two wires. It's all well and good to use their toggle switch if you're making a new panel, but if you have an existing custom made panel with a boat diagram on it, things get very complicated.

I cant think of any way to set it up other than to use two SPDT relays, coils triggered by the original switchs. That's also an additional 30mA to run the relays

Seeing as the majority of these lights will be retro fitted to traditionally wired systems, you would think they might have thought of this.

 

[SvenglishTommy]

P.S. Just in case anyone reading this is thinking about using two switches, the diagram below uses 2-way SPDT switches, and will function as if they were just independent lights. If you accidentally switch both on nothing will happen.

The diagram Nasa suggest uses 3-way SPDT switches which involves juggling them around to get each light working and has the risk of shorting out if you get it wrong.

 

[nimbusgb]

Easier to wire the 12v supply to the 'navlights' panel switch and use a DPST switch.

Turn on 'nav lights' at panel and use the DPST to select 'anchor' or 'Tricolour'

If like me you have deck level nav and stern lights you can have a second DPDT switch to select masthead / deck level. - still only 2 switches.

Or get simpler still and have a rotary switch with positions for / deck nav / Motoring / tricolour / anchor / auto anchor.

 

[SvenglishTommy]

...and if you really need to keep the old switches (e.g. the nav light already uses a SPDT switch to switch between tri-colour and deck lights) this is the only way I could think of to set it up.

I'm going for micro automotive relays for ease of replacement if they fail. I've had to order loads of them to meet minimum order requirements so if anyone else is thinking of doing this just drop me a PM and I'll send you a couple. They still draw 120mA, but much better than the larger automotive ones, and much easier to set up than PCB mounted.

 

[SvenglishTommy]

Easier to wire the 12v supply to the 'navlights' panel switch and use a DPST switch.

Turn on 'nav lights' at panel and use the DPST to select 'anchor' or 'Tricolour'

If like me you have deck level nav and stern lights you can have a second DPDT switch to select masthead / deck level. - still only 2 switches.

Or get simpler still and have a rotary switch with positions for / deck nav / Motoring / tricolour / anchor / auto anchor.

Yes there are other ways to do it, but I'm basing this on the fact that some people will want to keep their panal as it is, and not have to rename or replace switches. If I were making a new panel I'd just use the rotary switch they provide. In fact in my setup I could use a SPDT switch for the anchor light, but I want them all to match and cant find a replacement of the same type. It's all just vanity