Tri-Colour Bulb Wattage

gandy

gandy

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Hi,

We have a tri-colour nav lamp on the masthead, with a 25W bulb. That's the standard fitting from the manufacturer, and the lamp is certified for <20m. It is a combined unit with anchor and tri-colour on top of each other.

Since our boat is smaller, and the other lamps are all the <12m spec, I wondered if it would be OK to use a smaller bulb, say 10W, in the tri-colour.

Alternatively, since our lamp is damaged anyway, does anyone know where I could get a <12m spec combined tri + anchor?

Or another alternative, what's the view on the retro-fit LEDs available from Ultraleds, how legal would these be?

http://www.ultraleds.co.uk/product_info....1c432b306a80a5b

Thanks, Tony S
 
Strictly speaking any bulb in the tricolour (or any other nav light) that is not supplied by the manufacturer is illegal. That is because they are the only ones to have passed the IMO test.

Sucks to that

Therefore the ultraled is probably as good as any other replacement bulb - with one proviso, I dont know what the viewing angle of the LED on their bulb is, I suspect that this might be its weak area - fine for a mobo (or cat or even a cat-mobo), and if you have a conventional half boat, I would make sure of that aspect before purchase.
 
I have an Aqua Signal tricolour. It is fitted with a 10watt bulb and as I do not have a 25watt one lying around I must have bought it with the 10 watt one.

10 watts is legal for vessels <12m but for it to be legal it must be the correct ype of bulb, which mine is. I think it is the same bulb as is fitted in the series 40 stern and anchor lights. The coloured lights have 25 watts for vessels between 12 and 20 m while the white lights only have 10 w. (Not so sure about the masthead, steaming light though) Once below 12 m the 10 w ones are OK for the coloured lights as well.

Your chandler should therefore have the correct type of bulb. They are very different in design to a car type bulb and of course much more expensive but you should not be buying many of them!

These people were posted a while back as a source of nav. light bulbs (and practically every other type as well):
http://www.alampco.co.uk/

I dont think you will find a <12m spec tri/white you have to do has I have done fit smaller bulbs in the <20m light. Worth looking around though and try looking at the aqua signal website (Google for it). Its not the easiest website to use though IMHO
 
I went throught this thought process last year and did some research. Logic says that as 10W is OK for deck level bulbs, then it should be OK for the tricolour...but my research indicated otherwise (to do with the type approval tests perhaps). Do you have an authoritative source for your statement? Many of would be interested. Thanks.
 
Oh dear - here we go .... Hocus Pocus ....

Yes it is true that a bulb has a factor of aligned element for nav-lights to ensure correct angle / spread of light.

It is true that a lamp to get CE or other Type approval has a certain bulb fitted.

It is true that technically we should all use that specific bulb to power our nav-lights.

that is where my agreement ends ...

Consider that a yacht bounces, rolls, pitches and generally is not the most exact platform to fit a light to. Consider that 99.9% of yachts will not match 22.5 degrees abaft the beam criteria on their side lights etc. etc.
Why then is it so bad to use a car festoon or suitable fitting bulb.

I rest my case m'lud ......

I buy bulbs from Les Smiths, Halfords, Esso Petrol Station etc. etc. - wherever I find them .... practical vs technical.
 
About Aqua-Signal bulbs

In practice it's impossible to fit another bulb 'cos the Aqua-signal has offset bayonets.

They do produce a tri-colour/riding combined masthead light and have a range of lights with 5/10 watt halogen bulbs which are COLREG compliant for boats of less than 12m. However they're only in conventional single or bi-colour, mainly for power vessels.
In terms of lumens they're marginally brighter than the conventional tungsten-bulb with 10/25 watt.

I'd be wary of fitting LEDs to any lights which are likely to be exposed to the charging voltage of an alternator - life is dramatically reduced by overvoltage apart from the light emission positioning.
 
Re: About Aqua-Signal bulbs

Not arguing ... honest - but the lights I've had from AS, Hellamarine and Lazilas are festoon type bulbs ....and I've fitted normal bulbs ...
Bit of a twist here and there - normally its a matter of putting the contact holders closer together ... thin nose pliers are best.
 
Candy Goose does not say what make of light he has but I have now looked at the Aqua Signal website, replacement parts page, and I can confirm that they offer a 10 watt bulb for their series 40 tricolour It is part no.90400005 and is the same 10watt 12 volt bulb as supplied for other series 40 lamps. (90400002 is the 25w 12v bulb) They also do 24 volt versions as well of course.

I cant tell from the website and I do not remember if they have offset pins or not.

That is one of my sources, the other is an old chandlery catalogue. Added to that is the fact that I bought my tricolour with a 10 watt bulb.

Having said all of this I think if I was venturing into busy shipping lanes at night in a <12m boat I would stick to a 25 watt bulb. I am certain the Berwick I have sailed for most of my serious sailing has 25 watt bulbs in its tricolur/ all-round white.

My reason for going to the smaller bulb was economy in power, having only an outboard engine, and more recently a small solar panel, which does little to recharge the battery. I do little sailing in my boat at night and that is limited to the solent where one can generally keep out of shipping channels.
 
I was sure I'd said the make, age setting in no doubt.

You've guessed right anyway it's Aqua Signal series 40. 25W for the Tri and 10W for the Anchor with offset pins. The two bulbs are physically the same, hence my first question.

Power saving was my reason for wanting to change - 10W bulb is the easiest option, but LEDs would save even more.

Tony S
 
Nope ....

maybe a small price difference - but not when miles from the shop and garage is closer to walk ....

Agreed when in marina with well stocked chandler ...
 
I've been sailing for umpty-tumpty years- several boats and lots of nav lights. In my experience all the small jobbies, whether Aqua Signal 25s, Lazilas or whatever all leak/ get condensation inside and the contacts get corrosion probs. The design of the bulb holder is such that you spend a lot of time fiddling with pliers/ emery paper to get the B...dy things to work again. IMHO festoon bulbs have no place on a boat. Not so much to do with the filament but because of the design of the contacts. Your post suggests you have experienced this. If I'm at sea in bad weather I want to have faith that my mast lights (that I cannot access) will carry on working. Now I stick with AquaSignal 40s and if in future I trade down to a tiny boat I'd still have lights I can trust. Anything else is a false economy. At the end of the day it's a safety issue. All IMHO of course.
 
Re: About Aqua-Signal bulbs

Nigel
I do not disagree violently with you over the festoon bulbs. I think I have fitted bulbs from Halfords my stern and steaming Aqua signal series 25 lamps (and reduced the power to 6 watts although the p&s lights still have 10 watt bulbs in them).

I thought I got bulbs that fitted without bending the contacts but it was a long time ago. What I have noticed though is that the filaments are usually far from straight down the middle so maybe it is worth going through the stock on display to get the best alignment you can. The other factor which I have noticed with cheap bulbs is that their brightness can vary considerably even though rated the same. Since the important thing about lights is that you can be seen it would be folly to settle for bulbs that are less bright than they should be.

The original question was about a tri colour. Although I can't speak for other makes the Aqua signal series 40 lamps have double contact bayonet fitting bulbs.
The bulbs for these have an axially mounted filament (unlike most car bulbs) which is supported on a spiral support which minimises obscuration of the filament. The orientation of the filament is important to match the Fresnel lens and to fit a car bulb with a transverse filament that is not designed for the lens will almost certainly have a significant impact on the visible range. Since the important factor is that you can be seen, fitting a bulb that does not match the lens just to save a few shillings would seem to be folly.

As far as I can see 25 watt festoons are not available so the lamps refered in the original question must take bayonet fitting bulbs.
 
Tugboat

My festoon bulbs (in aqua signal lamps) seem trouble free. Maybe that is because I have lighlty coated the contact surfaces with silicone grease.
 
I suppose you could be classed as a catamaran short of being a trimaran! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Re: About Aqua-Signal bulbs

Other point worth making is that a tricolour bulb is much longer than anything you'll buy in Halfords etc to extend the light source

Saving a few peanuts by buying the wrong bulb is just plain bodging without good reason to bodge
 
Not adding to the bulb question, but I've heard that LEDs, not being specified as part of the regulations are, in Law, illegal. Is this the case? The attractions are obvious, but not that I'm a natural reg. buster, its possible that not having regulation lights might add to the trauma if involved in a dispute.

Is this true?
 
The regs stipulate the visibility in NM for various vessel size ranges (and a formula is given to calculate the minimum luminous intensity in candelas) also the chromaticity of the lights. If these criteria are complied with then there is no reason as far as I can see why led lights should not be granted approval. If you buy led based lights make sure they are approved. What are not likely to comply, and therefore be "illegal", are old type lights modified to take led arrays.
 
Generally LEDs get their efficiency from a magnifying lens over the light element. So when you buy an LED replacement bulb it will be quite directive. So no way could you use an LED replacement bulb in a tricolour.
If you want LED you would have to go to a LED deigned and approved light fitting. Quiite expensive.
In the same way you need a bulb whose filament arrangement is correct for the tricolour fitting ie identical to the original. The festoon type contact on each end is very useful for nav lights because the filament when mopunted vertical is accurately placed in relation to the coloured sectors. I have solved the problem of corrosion by soldering the lamp into the holder.
So 10 watt or 25 watt. How concerned are at being seen. It would be a pity to fit 10 watt then worry all the time at night about not being seen.
Good luck olewill
 
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