Beware of Optronics lights, nearly burned my boat

[Tim R.]

I bought an Optronics(QR-2001) rechargable, 2mil candlepower spot for the boat this summer. Charges off AC or 12vDC and will operate while charging. Well I was working on the boat last weekend(on the hard) and I needed some light so I picked it up and triggered it but it did not come on. So I assumed the battery was dead and put it down. A few minutes later I had my wife take it off the boat so I could charge and store for the winter. As she climbed down the ladder, it began smoking. I had her remove the battery. Later I opened it up and found most of the wiring burned with little or no insulation left.The light had always worked fine(used it about 5 times) and it had never been dropped or damaged in any way. The inside of the lamp looked perfectly fine except for all the burnt insulation. I am not sure exactly where the short occurred but it is going in the trash.When I told them what happened, they simply asked for my address and said they would send me a new one. They did not ask if the unit had been dropped or abused in any way. They don't even want the old one back. They claim they have never heard of this before.I shudder to think what may have happened if I got off the boat and left it.Tim R.

 

[Dave Groshong]

when I worked at West Marine

way back when, half of those lights sold were returned as faulty, I think they're junk, and you're right, dangerous junk!!

 

[Ross]

I never under stood how you could need that

much light if you weren't hunting at night.

 

[Tim R.]

Actually

I have needed that much light Ross. I was in an anchorage a few years ago and I had a similar lamp(on my old boat) that was not rechargable and I spotted a boat at night trying to get in and was about to run up on a lee shore. I used the light to illuminate the rocks. The captain later thanked me. The rocks were about 200 yards away. But that is beside the point. This company makes many different models.If you were in a dangerous situation that required a lot of light, wouldn't you want a lamp that produced the most?Tim R.

 

[Echo Gulf]

MOB

Ross, Try "man over board" at night, you'll wish for even more power!!!!!EG

 

[Ross]

EG a PFD strobe light will be much

more effective.

 

[Rick A19476]

hi powered lights

Lots of them on the market right now and very cheap. Some are probably better construction than others. They are handy but use with caution, they throw off a lot of heat too and you can burn yourself. A friend was usiong one and sat it lens down on his passenger car seat. It melted the upholstery, the foam and started to catch fire when he realized what he had done.On the plus side, very useful on my trip down the California coast and then the second leg down Baja. Just north of Ensenada, I used it to catch the attention of a large fishing boat that almost ran me down. He had no lights on, running on autopilot and bearing down fast on us. I veered hard starboard to avoid getting broadsided and used the light to catch the attention of the crew. I had my running lights on and was under sail. At least they turned thier lights on afterwards.

 

[Ross]

Rick, Isn't that why we have signal horns

boats?

 

[Echo Gulf]

On occasion, maybe,

Ross, What if the MOB is unconscious, incapacitated (ie: shock), or just plain to scared to think straight and activate the strobe? Experience has proven to me the value of a powerful spot lamp on board. Don't get me wrong, I strongly support the use of personal strobes, that's why I use them, but the overall safety gains of having the kind of light discussed on board is just to great to be so easily dismissed.EG

 

[Ross]

EG , Since I sail only with my wife , and since

I don't think either of us will fall overboard in gentle conditions I expect to die if I fall overboard at night with or without a PFD. It would be very difficult for the person at the helm to control the boat and keep a light on a MOB in stormy water.

 

[sailaway78]

Night Light

Those of you who don't see the need for a really good spot light must not sail much at night, or do so in very open waters. Since I single hand as much as not, a light isn't going to do me much good, and like Ross, I figure if I go over the side I'll die anyway. But there are lots more reasons for a GOOD light. How bout finding channel markers that have no lights. ( Try the Laguna Madre, from Corpus down to Brownsville at night.) Or signaling another boat. Or getting the attention of another boat, if you aren't sure he sees you at night. I cannot imagine anyone sailing at night, and not having a good light close at hand.

 

[Ross]

If you sweep a 2 million beam candle power

light across another boat you distroy any night vision they might have had. With the modern GPS systems the marks are shown on the screen as you approach them.

 

[Rick D]

Use Light, But

...I'm not happy with the one I have. We use it to pick up moorings, scout anchorages, and for safety. I had a cheapo and wasn't satisfied with the beam, so purchased a much more expensive one from WM, retiring the old one to home. Turns out the much more expensive WM one was identical inside. And, it still has a lousy beam. PS did an evaluation many years ago and found the most important elements in lighting were beam focus and scatter control. I think what these lights lack is scatter control. I think a Q-Beam was at the top of PS's ranking (see link) and I intend to buy one before my next trip. RD

 

[Echo Gulf]

More light, More versatile,

Ross, The Coast Guard Auxiliary, Fast Rescue Craft that I crew on has 2 fixed spot lights, 1 remote controlled, and 4 handheld as well as radar and a chart-plotter, all for good reason. Aside from the usual rescue use, the lights are used to find bouys and nav markers at night (these things have been known to move or disappear, without amending electronic charts). They are also used to light up unfamiliar shore lines when putting in, identifying floating objects, lighting up unlit docks, lighting the way through narrow or restricted channels, the list goes on and on and on. Note: we've never had to field a complaint about our use of these lights. I don't want to get into a pissing contest over this, but, I feel that these lights, if responsibly used, can enhance the safety and pleasure of sailing/motoring after dark.EG

 

[RichH]

Oh give me a break.....

Ross - "With the modern GPS systems the marks are shown on the screen as you approach them" ... if you dont constantly update your chart data from the 'notice to Mariners' bulletins .... dont be surprised to run up on a sandbar, etc. or two. I dont know of any way to automatically upgrade the 'channel marks' in a GPS. Becomes a real 'issue' when on the water at night and you're trying to follow a 'channel', etc., Ross, you've got to be kidding, right?

 

[sailaway78]

I disagree

Hey Ross, I don't usually disagree with things you have to say. But this one I do. You do not destroy anyones night vision, with a sweep across their boat. If you leave the light on them, sure. But a quick sweep does not destroy night vision. Lots of other things a good light is useful for too, as Echo Gulf pointed out. One thing not mentioned was that around here, right after Katrina, there were pieces of everything imaginable floating around. Lots of roof tops, among other things. For those who want a good light, that provides max vision, the Q beam with the blue center spot works better for me than anything.

 

[s sauer]

Q-Beam

I second the motion on Q-Beam as a major safety and navigation help.We've had one on board for 20 years; used it to light up our sails when near major commercial traffic at night; used it to light up un-lit cans rounding Swan Point bar & going into the channel to Rock Hall, and rounding the narrow bend into Swan Creek.Hand held GPS got us to the right location but Q-Beam 'lights the way'.

 

[Ray Bowles]

A good light should be standard equipment.

During the years Reba and I cruised on our 38 we used our 2 mil light a couple of times a year. Usually to find unlit markers, bouys etc. Once for a MOB on another boat and night vision was a mute point. We found him, but it was at the end of our battery's power.I then went to a 12v light that I can plug into a jack next to the windless. This is a great improvement over just the battery alone. Most of our friends that also full time cruised liked this idea enough to also change over.Ray

 

[Tim R.]

Optronics follow up

Well, I received the replacement lamp today. It appears to be used and was not packed in original packaging nor was it padded in the box. Because of this, it was damaged in shipping.At this point, I will not even waste my time calling them. Instead I will spread the word about a sub-par product that is potentially dangerous and a customer service department that is simply incompetent or just does not care.Tim R.

 

[Ross]

RichH I have been ignoring this thread

for a while but I have some twenty-five year old charts that still show channel marks in the same place as the updated 2006 charts have them. If you are in unfamilar waters wait until daylight to proceed. No I wasn't kidding. The prudent mariner does not rely on a single source of navigation data.