I recently bought some LED bulbs for my navigation lights from Dr. LED. I was disappointed when I replace the incandescent bulbs because the LED's were not nearly as bright. I called Dr.LED about this and all they would say is their bulbs were rated for two nautical miles, no comment about them not being as bright as the incandescent bulbs. I was not happy about this, I was hoping the LED's would be as bright if not brighter. Just a word to the wise for anyone else thinking about doing the same thing. If anyone else has already changed to LED's I would like to hear about your experience.
LEDnavigation lights
- Thread starter james turner
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Which of their bulbs did you try and what type of fixture did you try them in? I've been tossing around buying one of their "GE90 Star" lamps to experiment with. (I think most of the people who are happy with their LEDs are using the hibux built-into-the-fixture types.)
Seeing as they only have
Seeing as they only have one bulb, the white Polar Star 40, that is approved & certified for use as a nav light, and then only in one specific fixture, they may have mislead you a bit.
More info on exactly what you used and in what fixtures (brand/color) would be a big help. I have one of the brand new style Polarstar 40 anchor lights in the correct fixture for the bulb with the correct style lens for the bulb and it is a LOT brighter than the factory Aquasignal incandescent bulb.
With Dr. LED and others they advise the use of color behind color not white behind colored lenses.
Unfortunately Dr. LED has been less than honest in their marketing of nav light bulbs and many folks believe, after reading theri site, that all their bulbs have USCG/ABYC certifications whiuch is NOT true.
Seeing as they only have one bulb, the white Polar Star 40, that is approved & certified for use as a nav light, and then only in one specific fixture, they may have mislead you a bit.
More info on exactly what you used and in what fixtures (brand/color) would be a big help. I have one of the brand new style Polarstar 40 anchor lights in the correct fixture for the bulb with the correct style lens for the bulb and it is a LOT brighter than the factory Aquasignal incandescent bulb.
With Dr. LED and others they advise the use of color behind color not white behind colored lenses.
Unfortunately Dr. LED has been less than honest in their marketing of nav light bulbs and many folks believe, after reading theri site, that all their bulbs have USCG/ABYC certifications whiuch is NOT true.
I installed Dr. LED bulbs in the Aqua Signal series 25 fixtures on my boat several years ago. The light is much brighter and penetrating than the incandescent bulbs. You MUST use a green LED with a green lens and a red LED with a red lens or the color will change and fade out.
Dave
s/v ARIEL
Dave
s/v ARIEL
I'd second what Maine Sail said about Dr. LED's somewhat deceptive and misleading marketing practices.
If you really want to go with LED fixtures, I would recommend getting the Aquasignal Series 32 lights... which are USCG certified and reasonably priced, except for the masthead lights.
The bow bicolor and stern light are worth getting, then get a masthead Aquasignal 40 anchor light and replace its bulb with a Dr. LED Polarstar 40, the combination of which is allegedly USCG certified, although I'm not sure that is true anymore since Dr. LED changed the design of the PolarStar 40 recently. 
Shell,
You may want to read the instructions on both the Marine Beam web site and the Dr. LED site. Yes, the manufacturers recommend red LED's for red lenses & green LED's for green lenses...
Marine Beam says:
"If you have individual lamps, you will get the best results with Red LEDs behind Red lenses and Green LEDs behind Green lenses."
Dr. LED says:
"Please note that you should use red LEDs with red or clear lenses, and green LEDs with green or clear lenses; not white LEDs with colored lenses."
I use the Dr. LEDS in my mast top NAV lights. Ive contacted passing ships while on passage (Using their AIS signal to verify their distance) and when VHF contacted they have reported back that they can clearly see my Mast LEDs at greater than 2 miles.
I would hope that the LED manufacturers eventually offer brighter than the minimum 2 mile bulbs in the future.
BTW I use the colored (RED/GREEN) in my mast top NAV lights.
I would hope that the LED manufacturers eventually offer brighter than the minimum 2 mile bulbs in the future.
BTW I use the colored (RED/GREEN) in my mast top NAV lights.
It seems obvious that you should follow the manufactures instructions. But, I've seen very good results using a Bebi all around "white" LED in a tri-color. They suggest that method with their LED's (but the result is not USCG approved). Of course, if you put Dr LED colored LED's in your side lamps I don't think you get a USCG approved fixture either... A question with a multi-color lamp is how do you make sure the sectors are completely masked if using colored LEDs. That is not a problem with a "white" incandescant bulb or an LED with a similar spectrum.
--Tom.
Tri-Color
The light is divided internally into sectors..
Even the latest and greatest bulbs do not have the same warm color spectrum behind colored lenses that an incandescent does. This photo shows two white LED bulbs that are getting close to that of an incandescent but they still don't get a cigar. Behind a red lens it may turn it pink..
Dr. LED attacks that problem this way:
The light is divided internally into sectors..
Even the latest and greatest bulbs do not have the same warm color spectrum behind colored lenses that an incandescent does. This photo shows two white LED bulbs that are getting close to that of an incandescent but they still don't get a cigar. Behind a red lens it may turn it pink..
That's certainly a way to go. But since the bulb with it's internal masking is a smaller diameter than the lamp and since the bulb base is not aligned when it comes from the manufacturer and will need to be moved as part of the install, it is possible (even likely, IMO) that there will be sectors with mixed colors. It would work better if you also replaced the lamp's lense with a clear one.
As I say, the results of putting a Bebi bulb behind an AS 40 tri-color looked very good to my eyes. The red is very red, the green is very green and the white is unmistakably white (although not warm). The pictures are nice, but seeing is beliving -- film or CCD's do not see color like eyes to.
--Tom.
Absolutely correct. The Dr. LED Polarstar 40 and Marine Beam bulbs have a good color but still no incandescent.. Have not yet tried a Bebi..
Regarding Coast Guard certification, the cert that Dr. LED touts for the Polar Star 40 applies to boat manufacturers only. Aftermarket installations by owners aren't subject to those same requirements. (http://www.uscgboating.org/recalls/pdfs/BSC85_1.pdf)
We can speculate all day on how using a LED lamp that may not meet manufacturer's requirements might affect one's standing in a legal action, but practically speaking, when was the last time you checked a replacement incandescent bulb's certifications? For that matter, a close reading of the applicable CFR doesn't produce any requirement for the manufacturer to use a certified lamp, only that the fixture label has to indicate the type that the fixture was tested with when certified. Personally, if I find an affordable LED replacement that works as well or better than my existing incandescents, I'm going to use it. If you're not comfortable with the legal ramifications of using a non-certified light, for gosh sakes don't do it.
We can speculate all day on how using a LED lamp that may not meet manufacturer's requirements might affect one's standing in a legal action, but practically speaking, when was the last time you checked a replacement incandescent bulb's certifications? For that matter, a close reading of the applicable CFR doesn't produce any requirement for the manufacturer to use a certified lamp, only that the fixture label has to indicate the type that the fixture was tested with when certified. Personally, if I find an affordable LED replacement that works as well or better than my existing incandescents, I'm going to use it. If you're not comfortable with the legal ramifications of using a non-certified light, for gosh sakes don't do it.
Please explain what are the legal ramnifications for using non-USCG certified equipment. Please cite verifiable cases where the USCG certification was a determinant factor in a court decision.
The main issue with using non-certified lights is one of liability.
If you're anchored or navigating and are using uncertified light fixture/bulb combinations, you will have to defend your use of them and prove that the meet the requirements. You may be found partially or wholly liable for the accident, since you were using "uncertified" navigation lights. In the case of a civil suit, it would certainly affect the amount of damages that you could seek if you were found partially liable. In the case of a criminal case, you could end up a defendant for not having "certified" lights...
If you're anchored or navigating and are using uncertified light fixture/bulb combinations, you will have to defend your use of them and prove that the meet the requirements. You may be found partially or wholly liable for the accident, since you were using "uncertified" navigation lights. In the case of a civil suit, it would certainly affect the amount of damages that you could seek if you were found partially liable. In the case of a criminal case, you could end up a defendant for not having "certified" lights...
Still not clear on using lamps behind combo lenses
I see the tricolor picture. Not sure what lamp to use behind a simple combo red green bow light.
I see the tricolor picture. Not sure what lamp to use behind a simple combo red green bow light.
The pics are the tri-color Polar Star 40. There's also a bi-color model. I believe there's a fitment guide page at doctorled.com. Last time I checked, nothing there matches the cheesey fixtures on my boat, though. I'm thinking of replacing my combo light with one of these: http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|65136|739053|760451&id=778652
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