LED Anchor Light

[Lake-Effect]

A remote current regulator is a possibility for sure.

Originally Posted by hellosailor

In any case you couldn't sell a generic "mount this driver at your panel" solution, because you'd have no idea how much current was going to make it up the "generic" mast on the "generic" wiring run to the nav light. Could you? That's the stopper.

The current at any point in the output circuit of a constant current regulator is going to be the same, regardless of path length, type of wire etc AS LONG AS the total path resistance including load is within the current regulator's ability to drive it. In fact, that could be a 'feature' of the regulator - it alerts if the path resistance is significantly above or below the expected load for the selected LED fixture, indicating a circuit problem.

Such a regulator could be sold with the LED fixture, or a generic one could be sold with selectable output current.

The most RF hash is generated within the switching current regulator itself; and there's that much more room in a remote regulator to do a proper filter with an oversized inductor, so the remaining RF on the mast run would be greatly attenuated.

Calling my patent attorney now

[conachair]

Originally Posted by Lake-Effect

A remote current regulator is a possibility for sure.
......

Calling my patent attorney now

Thanks for all that, I was pondering an additional variable high power white white as a back up and for emergencies, not commercial
There doesn't seem to be a massive hue and cry about interference from masthead leds, if it is commonplace maybe people just aren't aware that more distant targets aren't showing up.

[conachair]

Just hooked up a newly installed gx2100 to Opencpn, there seems to be no difference in ais recieve with a lopo light tricolour next to the Vhf antenna turned on or off, picking up targets up to 23Nm, on the hard in a boat yard, hopefully range will be a bit better out at sea.

Sent from my SGP312 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Nicholson58]

I have a variety of LED nav and anchor lights on board. The cheapest, most reliable is a solar recharged patio light. Usually 20 to 30 clams. Buy two and put one in storage.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Nicholson58

I have a variety of LED nav and anchor lights on board. The cheapest, most reliable is a solar recharged patio light. Usually 20 to 30 clams. Buy two and put one in storage.

Well, most of our smaller than 58 foot boats don't have a patio,so we have no use for a solar patio lamp.

I trust that you are not recommending such things as bona fide anchor lights... this subject has been beaten to death and those things just don't cut the mustard as anchor lights.

Cheers,

Jim

[Paul Elliott]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Well, most of our smaller than 58 foot boats don't have a patio,so we have no use for a solar patio lamp.

I trust that you are not recommending such things as bona fide anchor lights... this subject has been beaten to death and those things just don't cut the mustard as anchor lights.

Cheers,

Jim

But they are just fine as incidental lights, to help you find your boat at night, and to help other people keep from hitting it. My garden lights (about $5 ea, I use them in the garden) are generally pretty dim just before sunrise. Does a patio light stay illuminated until dawn?

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Paul Elliott

But they are just fine as incidental lights, to help you find your boat at night, and to help other people keep from hitting it. My garden lights (about $5 ea, I use them in the garden) are generally pretty dim just before sunrise. Does a patio light stay illuminated until dawn?

Agreed, Paul, but he was touting them as "nav and anchor lights" as I read his post.

I have nearly run into too damn many anchored vessels with such lights as the sole anchor light. They are simply not bright enough, especially (as you point out) at the end of the night.

Cheers,

Jim

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Paul Elliott

The DC input should be smoothed. The output to the LEDS may be smoothed constant-current, or it may be some flavor of Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM). It depends on the circuit design.

Of course this is all about switching regulators. A linear regulator should have no EMI issues.

No thats not the way you would design remote PSU for LEDs. You would first use a panel mounted switcher, which with space to add the filters would produce a clean low voltage DC supply to the mast

At the mast you would implement a standard constant current LED driver circuit, using linear regulators. The lower DC operating voltages would ensure that IR losses would be reduced.

Dave

[svHannabel]

Posted this earlier in the thread, but it fits with the solar patio light discussion:

What do you think about carrying something like this solar powered LED from Carmanah as a backup to a wired masthead anchor light?

I've got one in my inventory, but haven't used it for anything yet. I thought it might work as a back-up anchor light if I hoisted it up a flag line or perhaps mounted it on a pole or somewhere else. It's also able to be operated via remote control, so potentially it could be mounted on the mast too. It's got a 3nm range and is listed with "USCG PATON 33CFR66 & CFR67 Class C Pending". Its intended us is as a private aid to navigation, but what about as an anchor light?

Thoughts?

[Sailorman Ed]

What do you think about carrying something like this solar powered LED from Carmanah as a backup to a wired masthead anchor light?

Looks great but I could not find a US source.

[CC45]

[QUOTE=doug86;433269]Yet another vote for the Owl. Very easy to figure a way to mount, including the huge selection of PVC parts at your local home improvement store. My Owl is always the brightest light in any anchorage. Once I saw a light that seemed as bright as mine, and I went over the next morning: it was an Owl.

Total with shipping to USA was less than $40. Draws .09 amps. You read that correct. Over the course of a 10 hour night, it uses about one tenth of an amp! Automatic photo cel switch turns it on/off. What is not to like?[/QUOT

this is what i found, very sad. if any one knows if they reopened by now, please let us know, but this is what they put on their site.
We regret to inform our thousands of customers in over 76 countries, that we've very reluctantly have chosen to close Bebi Electronics down.

This has been a very difficult decision, after working for more than 10 years creating a viable business in a very obscure location, and in spite of all of the hurdles thrown at us by the current regime in Fiji.

The political situation within Fiji has degenerated so much following the military coup in 2006 that by 2012, the expatriate investor's in Fiji (Michael and Kendra), felt that our personal safety had been compromised by the regime. Thus, for our safety (and the safety of our child who was born in Fiji), we departed the country a year ago.

After the daughter of a high ranking official embezzeled a large amount of money, we tried our best to keep things going remotely, but without the cash cushion (and without continuing innovation in a rapidly evolving field), the business trend was downward, and this (shutting down) was the only viable decision.

We have very much enjoyed working with 99.99999999% of our customers, and consider many to be friends.

Farewell and much love from Michael, Kendra, and all of the staff in Bagasau.

[sparrowhawk1]

Boy a lot can change in a year! bought is from Amazon.

it also has LEDs on top so when hung from the rigging it lights up the deck. I cut a piece of PVC board in a circle and screwed the light to that sealing with butyl tape put an eye on the other side

[meridian28]

From a legal standpoint is it USCG approved? You can't beat the price.

[sparrowhawk1]

and I can tell you from first-hand experience it's super bright it's got to be at least two mile visibility

[sparrowhawk1]

Okay I just had to Google lumens see how many a 2-mile visibility light would need.