LED Navigation lights
- Thread starter jibes138
- Start date
- Status
Yes. Very happy with them. I think they are brighter than the regular lights that were on the boat before.
http://www.rogerlongboats.com/08BowWork.htm
Later:
Oops. I realized from the later threads that mine aren't Series 25. The exact model slips my mind (20?) but they are units with integral LED's; not retrofit bulbs. I think this is an essential feature becauses there are no USCG certification issues and you don't have to worry about water getting in and corroding the contacts.
Last edited:
The AS25 series aren't LED-based...but I do recommend them as one of the most reasonable ways to get LED-based nav lights. You need to buy the Dr. LED replacement LED bulbs that are USCG-certified for use in the AS 25 series fixtures, to upgrade them to LED-lighting.
Dog,
This is not true!! Dr. LED's site is VERY misleading and I wrongly assumed this as well. You and I have both misinterpreted the Dr. LED certifications and I assume that is what they wanted folks to do.
I am a little dismayed at their misleading tactics because I do not like to give out bad info. I have, in the past, stated that Dr. LED has certifications on both the 25 and 40 series AS lights. I personally apologize for any bad info I relayed over Dr. LED nav lights! I asked James of Dr. LED to be a little more careful in his marketing but I don't think he really cared..
After looking more carefully on their site, and still coming away confused as to what actually has a USCG/COLREG certification, I called Dr. LED and spoke with James.
The ONLY aftermarket LED emitter/bulb that actually has USCG certification is the Polar Star 40 anchor light for use in an AquaSignal series 40 anchor light/all round fixture. They have no certification for bow, stern or steaming lights on either the 40 or the 25 series AquaSignal fixtures, only on the 40 series anchor light.
James said they hope to have a few more certifications by the end of the year but that AquaSignal is fighting it every step of the way and it's very expensive to do...
I put on a Orcagreen tricolor on my boat 3 years ago. So far it still works. This past summer I was up the mast. No discoloring. No rust. Made in the USA!
http://www.orcagreen.com/recmarine.html
http://www.orcagreen.com/recmarine.html
Thanks for the head's up...how did you find this out?? Because the wording on the Dr. LED site certainly makes it sound like they've been certified. This is very disappointing. I can understand why AquaSignal is fighting it, since they'll lose a big chunk of their LED-based lighting market share to Dr. LED if they do get certified.
Retrofitted Mine
I installed Dr. LED bulbs in my Hella bow running lights but had to switch out to an AS stern light to accommodate the bulb. It's been two years and I am really happy with the swap altho they are certainly not cheap. Very high quality tho. Next time I have reason to do mast top work, I'm going to do the anchor light too. Yea, I know they are not certified but they are darn fine lights that they have tested to those standards and have applied for it, so spare me the armed Coasties raiding my boat or insurer cancelling my policy or not paying a claime etc etc. :naughty:
I installed Dr. LED bulbs in my Hella bow running lights but had to switch out to an AS stern light to accommodate the bulb. It's been two years and I am really happy with the swap altho they are certainly not cheap. Very high quality tho. Next time I have reason to do mast top work, I'm going to do the anchor light too. Yea, I know they are not certified but they are darn fine lights that they have tested to those standards and have applied for it, so spare me the armed Coasties raiding my boat or insurer cancelling my policy or not paying a claime etc etc. :naughty:
I agree with Rick D I don't think the USCG is going around checking light bulbs on working navigation lights and no reputable insurer is going to deny a claim on such basis.
Legally LED
While I agree with you Benny, I believe it is bad advice to recommend lamps that are not "up to snuff". LEDs are a great idea but their narrow beams can loose coverage when the boat is heeled over a few degrees. There is a reason the USCG will not certify some of these things and visibility when heeling/pitching is the primary. So when you need them most they are providing the most intermittent coverage.
If you do the cost benefit (AH saved by LED vs buying a bigger battery etc) you don't really save anything in the long run by buying LEDs. You are going to have to replace the battery anyway (upgrade when you do) and corrosion will take out the LEDs long before the diodes themselves burn out (more than doubling your LED expenditure).
The brighter incandescents (more lumens and wider beams) make for a safer boat. You can't buy a cheaper insurance policy.
While I agree with you Benny, I believe it is bad advice to recommend lamps that are not "up to snuff". LEDs are a great idea but their narrow beams can loose coverage when the boat is heeled over a few degrees. There is a reason the USCG will not certify some of these things and visibility when heeling/pitching is the primary. So when you need them most they are providing the most intermittent coverage.
If you do the cost benefit (AH saved by LED vs buying a bigger battery etc) you don't really save anything in the long run by buying LEDs. You are going to have to replace the battery anyway (upgrade when you do) and corrosion will take out the LEDs long before the diodes themselves burn out (more than doubling your LED expenditure).
The brighter incandescents (more lumens and wider beams) make for a safer boat. You can't buy a cheaper insurance policy.
I have 3 of thesews and so far am pleased. they are affordable and work well in series 40 lights or perko base lights.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...40268445149&sspagename=STRK:MEWNX:IT&viewitem=
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...40268445149&sspagename=STRK:MEWNX:IT&viewitem=
Led's
My friend Kim's father was killed on a large lake in NH and the nav lights under went forensics testing to determine if the stern light was actually on at the time of the accident or off. The nav lights alone were almost two days of testimony.
It was determined through forensics that it was on but nav lights were a huge part of the case. If Kim's dad had been using an after market LED it's entirely possible the drunk who hit them at 40 knots, and killed her dad, may have got zero time in jail even though he was the one at fault..
With after market LED's it''s not the insurance companies or the USCG you need to worry about it's James Sokolove....
Think it does not happen it impacted me and someone I knew very, very well. here's a direct quote from the court docs.
If you are going to switch to LED's for nav lights it is a good idea to use LED fixtures that have been sold as LED nav lights and that are certified. Orca Green Marine, LopoLight, Hella and others do make them and they are USCG/COLREG certified for beam width, color and intensity.
While it is rare that an acciddent would happen, like a drunk driving incident, it can happen and does happen. As I've become older I have less of the "it won't happen to me" attitude and more of the "it could happen to me" as life experiences have shown the latter to be more true..
Remember the USCG is not checking up on you but the lawyers are the big bad wolf!!
Benny that has never, ever even been a concern of mine. My concern, and there is much case law that shows nav lights do come into play in court cases, is the lawyers will turn this into a blood sport if you are involved in a night time collision, whether your fault or not, and eat you for lunch. Unfortunately the burden becomes yours to prove proper beam width, intensity and color and without a proper certified light that will be expensive and difficult.
My friend Kim's father was killed on a large lake in NH and the nav lights under went forensics testing to determine if the stern light was actually on at the time of the accident or off. The nav lights alone were almost two days of testimony.
It was determined through forensics that it was on but nav lights were a huge part of the case. If Kim's dad had been using an after market LED it's entirely possible the drunk who hit them at 40 knots, and killed her dad, may have got zero time in jail even though he was the one at fault..
With after market LED's it''s not the insurance companies or the USCG you need to worry about it's James Sokolove....
Think it does not happen it impacted me and someone I knew very, very well. here's a direct quote from the court docs.
This means the filament was on and hot enough to stretch due to the impact. If it was off there would have been no stretching and instead it would have just fractured..State of NH vs. DJL said:
If you are going to switch to LED's for nav lights it is a good idea to use LED fixtures that have been sold as LED nav lights and that are certified. Orca Green Marine, LopoLight, Hella and others do make them and they are USCG/COLREG certified for beam width, color and intensity.
While it is rare that an acciddent would happen, like a drunk driving incident, it can happen and does happen. As I've become older I have less of the "it won't happen to me" attitude and more of the "it could happen to me" as life experiences have shown the latter to be more true..
Remember the USCG is not checking up on you but the lawyers are the big bad wolf!!
Life being what it is though, your incandescents will burn out at the worst possible time and you'll be hanging over the bow pulpit in rough water dropping screws and parts over the side when you should be watching for traffic.
Comparing the light inside my shed before and after switching from standard Perko lights to the Aqua Signal LED's, I think the latter are brighter and the beam spread just as good.
But Roger you bought legitimate certified LED lighting fixtures and did not try to put an aftermarket bulb into an older existing fixture that was originally designed for incandescent bulbs.
It makes perfect sense that they would be as bright or brighter, have proper color rendition and meet the beam angle and distance requirements as they are and have been properly certified....
I think the ONLY issue here is going to be a law suit. If there is an accident some slimy attorney (no offense unless you is one) decided to sue because they think there is a possibility to get their client off on something that they are guilty of or in the other case that they are going to make some money or some esoteric breach of the law.
Be sure that your lights are certified cause it can happen and probably will. Remember we are dealing with something other than common sense.
Be sure that your lights are certified cause it can happen and probably will. Remember we are dealing with something other than common sense.
I may as well throw in my two bits. I have been boarded, searched, and had safety checks done by the USCG multiple times over the years, and they have never checked for the decibels on my horn or the lumens on my lights. However, I have witnessed the immediate aftermath of a night-time collision due to inadequate brightness on running lights. It was in Tutukaka, New Zealand, and a commercial fishing charter was exiting the bay through the 100-foot-wide opening. Big 100-foot+ rock on one side, and breaking waves on the rocks awash on the other. The skipper saw a weak light in the distance, and went to his radar to see what it was. That was just before he impacted the ferro-cement sailboat that was coming in from sea after his two running lights extinguished and he was running with only his weakly lit anchor light. The power boat sank in less than two minutes, and this all happened at about 0400 hours.
Sure, the sailboat was at fault in many ways; too many to count. BUT lights are important, and my conclusion was that they do make a difference. I have made numerous passages where I am more than 1,000 miles from the nearest island or other land mass. I depend upon the light at the top of my mast to help other vessels see me at a distance. I have no experience or opinion in the LED/incandescent discussion. I just thought I'd point out that I think visibility is important for practical reasons, not for legal reasons.
Sure, the sailboat was at fault in many ways; too many to count. BUT lights are important, and my conclusion was that they do make a difference. I have made numerous passages where I am more than 1,000 miles from the nearest island or other land mass. I depend upon the light at the top of my mast to help other vessels see me at a distance. I have no experience or opinion in the LED/incandescent discussion. I just thought I'd point out that I think visibility is important for practical reasons, not for legal reasons.
- Status