Forespar Steaming/Deck Light Mini Review

[Roger Long]

I ordered the Forespar combination steaming / decklight because it looked as if it would be easier to change a bulb while hanging in a bosun's chair than the Aqua Signal unit. I'm not particularly impressed although I'm going to rebuild it rather than send it back.

The deck light is a fairly high draw Halogen lamp so they put a nice fat wire on it. But, look at the skinny little ground wire that has to carry the current from both lights.

The non-watertight strain relief grommet also did some pretty brutal things to the wires. The light ground wire isn't accessible for replacement, however, I'm replacing the deck light with a much lower draw LED lamp so I'm not going to worry about it.

 

[Tim R.]

Roger, I like how the aqua signal allows you to install your own wiring if you like.

I have a brand new fore spar like yours that I am not using if you need it. Came with the boat but the mounting holes are different from my existing aqua signal.

 

[tommays]

You could return it and be just as disappointed in the Hella

Wish i could make my own like the panel

 

[Don12364]

My Hella is just like the one pictured by Tommays and the deck light has no glass cover so is completely open to the weather. This in turn means the whole of the innards of both deck flood and steaming lights are unsealed.
I discovered the hole is exactly the same size as the 12 volt miniature halogen spotlights, i.e. 1¼" diameter, made by Philips and which are sold for lighting cupboards. I used the 20 watt spotlight version with the glass cover. It has a claimed 4000 hour life so it should see me out!

Then I modified the connecting base using a piece of two way 'chocolate strip' and so the connections are now screwed type rather than relying on just touching pressure.
I fitted it using silicone rubber sealant from a tube round the rim of the bulb.

Now I have a completely sealed mast lamp with a lovely downward floodlight for working on deck and the steaming light part of this is now also sealed.

Knowing what was required from a first trip up the mast to check the original bulb size when it failed (due to corrosion build up on the bulb contacts) I simply attached the choc strip connections to the rear of the bulb and did the rest from my bosun's chair.
Why Hella couldn't think of this escapes me.
Now I have a completely sealed lamp with a lovely downward floodlight for working on deck and the steaming light part is also sealed.

Knowing what was required from a first trip up the mast to check the original bulb size I simply attached the connections to the rear of the bulb and did the rest from my bosun's chair.
Why Hella couldn't think of this escapes me.

 

[DannyS]

Hi guys, I have an Aqua Signal steaming/deck light. Both lights are either on or off together. There is no way to just have the steaming light on without the deck light. Is mine wired wrong or is there a reason to always have both on at the same time? How do the other brands work?

 

[MrBee]

DannyS, have you been up the mast and looked at how it's wired ? When we bought our used boat the Running light was wired on it's own and the Deck light was wired in with the Mast Top Anchor light. We are using an anchor light we run halfway up the topping lift so we don't have the deck light shining down when anchored. Maybe you have a similar situation. We will be dropping our mast next winter and redoing the wires, mast head and anything else we can while it's down.

Brian

 

[Rick Sylvester]

Hi Danny. It's wired wrong.

Hi guys, I have an Aqua Signal steaming/deck light. Both lights are either on or off together. There is no way to just have the steaming light on without the deck light. Is mine wired wrong or is there a reason to always have both on at the same time? How do the other brands work?

The Aqua Signal has 3 wires (pos for deck and steaming and one neg.) I would guess that someone has wired your two positive leads together. I say this because I have my mast down and have my Aqua Signal off.

I've researched the Aqua Signal, Hella and Forespar lights and apparently they all suck. I'm replacing mine with another Aqua Signal so I don't have to drill more holes.