Anchor light solar for Mooring

[a64pilot]

This is mine, just turn it on and forget about it, .16 amp draw, so less than 2 amp hours a night.
Signal Mate LED Anchor Light

[svadagio]

I use a USCG approved anchor light at the mast head. I use garden lights in the cockpit. In Isla Mujeres and Cartagena I saw boats rammed at night by locals. They do not look up. The garden lights help.
It is some work but you can make them work better. I have.
Look for the ones with 2 aa bateries. Change the 600 mah nicads out for 2000 mah nimh. They will last all night then. May need a few days to get up to speed. Then buy a couple of ultra bright white 5 mm leds and add them to the light. Makes a big differance. I have this and it works well.
It is different out here than in the states.
Bob

[a64pilot]

I used to use the garden lights, even bought the $40 ea ones from Defender as they were SS and "better", but based on a post here I bought the below items, the LED strips are meant to be on automobiles, are waterproof and adhesive backed, they stick to the Bimini tubes perfectly, then add the cheap remote control that adds dimming and you have excellent, very bright cockpit lighting that can be dimmed way low for sailing at night, they are nearly perfect and cost is almost nil, draw very little power, but light up your cockpit at night much brighter than any garden light can, you can see your boat way off in an anchorage, where the anchor light just disappears in the city lights if your near one.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ilpage_o02_s00
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ilpage_o00_s00

[GrahamHO]

I agree with goat. Solar power your house bank. Take an isolated feed for a proper masthead light. Make it so you can switch everything else off while you are away. Then you need to find a daylight sensor, or you may be able to find a timer that works on 12 volts. You could always leave it permanently on as a LED draws little power and the lamps last a long time and the battery will always be charging in daylight.

Optionally you could always have a dedicated car battery at the base of the mast with its own 20 w solar panel and cheap controller. String a cable with a light up the topping lift with a string to pull it down. Then just leave it on if you can't find a timer or suitable daylight sensor. I realise that's getting into more money but a fine or collision is expensive too.


I have a couple of those "Davis" lights I think they are called. They are marine quality and work well sensing daylight. Chandlery shops here all have them as mentioned for around $40. I haven't yet been able to find a suitable LED replacement for their filiment lamps i.e. one that is visible 360*. I'm sure they must exist somewhere. Also I think they have a small vent hole underneath to allow for heat expansion for the "hot" lamp. I've been advised that salt air entering can damage a LED printed circuit which is why proper LED nav lights are usually completely sealed.

[COLINFLTENG]

Hook up light sensor between power and light???

Sent from my SGH-I547C using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[TrentePieds]

Originally Posted by COLINFLTENG

Hook up light sensor between power and light???

Sent from my SGH-I547C using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

Not sure what you are asking, or why you are asking, or even if you ARE asking ;-)

But if you're responding to my previous, then, yeah, a "light sensor" is just an LED light in reverse. Light energy hitting a light sensing diode ("photodiode") generates a minuscule current to flow (or generates one), a current that is just strong enuff to trigger a transistor (an "electronic switch") that is big enuff to carry the operating current for the device to be controlled.

Street lights and other such can be controlled this way because the photodiode can be so integrated with the transistor(s) so that light hitting the photodiode will turn the transistor to the "off" state.

The "light sensor" is just a switch that - in theory - you can "install and forget".

As someone else said or implied, with the tiny draw of modern LED light for an anchoring light, why bother to turn it off at all? A dedicated battery keeping the light on 24/7 would be totally fool-proof, and there is NO ColReg saying you mustn't show an anchoring light during the daytime. Just remember to recharge the batt before you draw it down low enuff to kill it :-).

TrentePieds

[hamburking]

You want the Davis Mini-Amp Mega Light.

It has a built in light sensor, so its only on at night. And it uses a small fraction of an amp of power....but with its fresnel lens, is visible for miles. Its also robustly built. There are two version...one plugs into a 12volt socket (automotive style), the other is for hardwire to your boat.

I've had a couple of these...they are fantastic. Even without solar, you could run off one battery for months.

It really works.

DAVIS INSTRUMENTS Mini Amp Mega Light™ | West Marine