Steaming, Anchor and Deck Lights

[Gary Ryan]

Guys, we had to step the mast this autumn. Figure might as well change out those old bulbs and replace with Led's. I've attached some photos. The Steaming and Anchor both use, Aqua Signal 12V 25W Index base. Index just means the 2 prongs on the base are offset. Anyone have a recommendation for replacement LED bulbs for all 3?

 

[Justin_NSA]

SBO or MarineBeam can fix you up with everything you need. All of your bulbs should have numbers.
Be sure everything works before you step the mast.

 

[Gary Ryan]

Yep. I'll pull my 12V battery from my mower and run it over to the mast to test. Thanks for the link!

 

[Scott T-Bird]

I 2nd the Marinebeam products.

 

[Justin_NSA]

If you get stuck, check polarity. Your stick may be reversed. Incandescent don't care, but lower quality LEDs won't work without reversing the wires.

 

[Gary Ryan]

yah, no problem there. Thanks for the input

 

[dlochner]

If you get stuck, check polarity. Your stick may be reversed. Incandescent don't care, but lower quality LEDs won't work without reversing the wires.

I'm not certain about the ones from SBO, however, all the bulbs from MarineBeam are not sensitive to polarity.

Avoid at all costs cheap LEDs. Many of these LEDs produce a lot of RF interference which will affect transmissions and reception from your VHF and/or AIS. There was a CG notice about this a year or so ago.

RF Interference and LEDs

Understanding RF interference on boats and the recent coast guard notice about interference from LED lights

store.marinebeam.com

 

[Claude L.-Auger]

If you want to save a few $$$, you can decide not changing the steaming light since you turn it on only when the engine is running.

 

[mermike]

Claude, if I left a bulb out, it would burn out the minute I stepped the mast.

 

[jssailem]

if I left a bulb out, it would burn out the minute I stepped the mast

There is a theory that you want to stagger your bulb changes. All changed at the same time. All will go out at the same or nearly the same time.

Not sure what is worse. All the same time or staggered.

 

[mermike]

I did all my mast lights at the same time. I'll let you know how it goes ;}

 

[jssailem]

Thanks. Always nice to discover the validity of a good rumor.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

I'm not certain about the ones from SBO, however, all the bulbs from MarineBeam are not sensitive to polarity.

I'm pretty sure this got straightened out during a previous discussion that I opened. MarineBeam are sensitive to polarity. I was concerned that if I guessed wrong (wires are black and white), I would ruin the stern light I was installing. MarineBeam responded that correct polarity is necessary but don't worry about ruining the fixture (you can test it first and if the light doesn't work, you have it reversed). Sure enough, I validated it when I installed the stern light. Wired correctly, the light goes on, wired incorrectly, the light does not shine!

So I would not agree that it is just the "cheap" LED's that are sensitive to polarity.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

So, I just went back and re-visited the post from the past. The answer seems to be yes and no. Bulbs from MarineBeam are corrected for polarity so that they are essentially "plug & play" regardless of the wiring to the fixture. Some of their fixtures are sensitive to polarity because you are going to be connecting to wires when installing a fixture. So I was dealing with a fixture sensitive to polarity and not a bulb and that is the difference. The original post was talking about bulbs, so I have to agree that polarity is not sensitive if you are replacing with MarineBeam bulbs.

 

[Claude L.-Auger]

Claude, if I left a bulb out, it would burn out the minute I stepped the mast.

Maybe, maybe not. And it's not much of a climb to replace if need be

 

[Gary Ryan]

Led Bulbs ordered. I will install and use my 12V lawnmower battery to test correct polarity. Keep you posted.

 

[Capt jgw]

There is a theory that you want to stagger your bulb changes. All changed at the same time. All will go out at the same or nearly the same time.

Not sure what is worse. All the same time or staggered.

LED's, at least the good ones, last darn near forever. Replace them all at once and let your great-grandchildren worry about replacing them. True the streaming light is only used when motoring (how many sailors don't know that? I see sailboats all the time with that light on with no evidence of a running engine) but if it's half way up the mast it's still a PITA to replace, and if incandescent, it will fail eventually.
Even with old school bulbs, they don't get the same use so they wouldn't all go at once. Not like sidelights and sternlight that are always on together.

 

[Justin_NSA]

I rewired my anchor and steaming lights to one SPDT switch so I can only have one or the other lit, not both. They were on separate switches.

 

[Terry Cox]

Anyone have a recommendation for replacement LED bulbs for all 3?

Hi Gary, unclear from your post, but does your steaming light fixture also have an integrated deck light? If so, Marinebeam also carries one that produces amazing light for its size. You said for all three, but identified two, just wondering.

 

[Ron20324]

And o

I rewired my anchor and steaming lights to one SPDT switch so I can only have one or the other lit, not both. They were on separate switches.

and only needed one breaker postion!