Solar anchor light?

[sailstoo]

I've searched the forum history and Googled "solar LED" and "solar anchor light". I know about Bebi and Walmart and Sears and garden lights in general. Having said all that has anyone found a totally self sustaining (zero draw on boat's batts.) solar anchor light that conforms with USCG two mile regs and will stay brightly (enough) lit all night? Auto off and on would be nice also.

[zboss]

I went to home depot and bought a solar garden light for $12 bucks and it has worked flawlessly in the tropics going for 5 years.

[Jim Cate]

Zboss, you may believe that your twelve buck "anchor light" worked flawlessly, but I seriously doubt that it EVER met Solas standards for brightness, and especially so after five years of use.

The use of such lights is not in conformance with regs and from a lot of personal observation, even when used in multiples are hard to see in practice, especially in the early hours of the morning as their batteries run down.

For the OP, I'm not aware of a packaged panel, battery and LED. It would not be difficult to cobber up such a system utilizing the Bebi auto-on light, a small battery and a small solar panel, all isolated from the ships systems. The Bebi light is not type accepted, but from personal observation can be seen at two miles.

Cheers,

Jim

[Khagan1227]

I tried to find one as well without success. I ended up with a hardwired anchor light.

This looks like an opportunity for someone who wants a good project with possible financial reward!

I do have a couple of inexpensive garden lights for my cockpit. I like having the area lighted when I come aboard at o-dark-thirty.

[Kettlewell]

I think you are better off with a masthead LED anchor light that burns very little power, and is essentially solar powered as long as you have some solar panels on deck for battery recharging. I have run a small anchor light like this for months when cruising. This type of light is highly visible at long distances. I also have a couple of solar powered garden lights from WalMart that help illuminate the deck and cockpit when coastal cruising, and they do last most of the night in the summer, but I don't count on them as my primary anchor light.

[daddle]

The Bebi anchor light is the best deal. Plenty bright. Bright enough to be a little annoying in a tight anchorage as it lights up the other boats. Hanging from the backstay it illuminates the mast, sailcovers, rigging, radar, etc. Only 60mA. I don't ever turn mine off while at anchor. Easily 2 mile visibility.

Solar garden lights make me laugh. $200,000 boat with a $2 light. And swear when I make a late night arrival in bad weather. Don't get me started on the illegal flashing colored lights. Folks, simply do what is right and get on with it...

[Albro359]

Have a look at this.... I published it on here years ago......

Auto On/Off anchor light, draws very little...I arranged the LEDS in rows and put the lot inside an old masthead light for 360 degree diffusion...works great

[ozskipper]

I have used them and seen them used. They go well until they go Plop. Either make sure it is fixed properly or buy two

[Cotemar]

This may help
Solar Marine Navigation Lights - Marina Dock Parts

[TaoJones]

No names, understand, but I know someone who sells and delivers high-end cats from well-south of the Caribbean, up through "de i'lans, mon" and relies on the garden variety solar lights to protect his expensive investments. He deploys the solar lights at each "corner" of the vessel while he's anchored . . . no one has run into what is a pretty big target so far, no matter how stinkin' drunk they are as they grope their way through an anchorage wondering where-the-hell their boat is.

I would be remiss if I didn't add that the above is in addition to a regulation anchor light, not in place of . . . but it's still a clever strategy, I think.

TaoJones

[Cotemar]

The garden lights are the worst.
Everyone says this looks like a cruise ship at night.

[TaoJones]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

The garden lights are the worst.
Everyone says this looks like a cruise ship at night.

Heh . . . without a doubt! But my friend is only interested in getting a vessel delivered as quickly as possible and intact. Once that's accomplished, the ugly lights go back in his sea bag 'til the next such trip.

TaoJones

[Sumner]

We use a NaviLED®360 from Hella Marine ....



...on the Mac and got one for the Endeavour also from Defender. At 2 watts it uses basically no electricity at all. It also conforms to Coast Guard regs.

Is is not real cheap, but we wanted a light that met the regs. just in case their was ever an incident. Did not want to go to court with us using something less.

A good light and more here...

Macgregor 26S Outside Mods page 23


Sum

[gts1544]

sailstoo, We bit the bullet and put a high quality multi-LED mooring light onto the top of our mast. When we return to the boat after dark, she is easy to find. Simply look for the brightest light in the anchorage. It draws so little current that if you forget to turn it OFF, it is no big deal. gts1544

[Capt.Mangrove]

I too want a solar led anchor light that has an auto switch. I dont thinks its legal to leave your anchor light on while underway. My question is while motoring/sailing at night, how does one turn off the anchor lights mentioned above? wireless remote? the hella is not solar or auto.
Ok, here's my new solution:
Masthead Davis Mega light with led bulb, my boat has solar panels.
Megalight is auto, uses my batts, my batts have solar, and here's the replacement led bulb
BA9S LED Replacement Miniature Bayonet
Why is the masthead bracket ss instead of aluminum, argh ... most masts are aluminum ie. mixed metals
Where do I put my pie-inthe-sky without blocking the mega vice-versa??