Cool LED navigation light

Searayguy185

Member
Jul 17, 2017
87
Wisconsin
Boat Info
2004 Sea Ray 185 Sport 4.3 V6,

2008 Toyota Highlander Sport
Engines
Mercruiser 4.3 V6, Alpha 1 Generation 2
I thought I would share my new LED navigation light with you guys. After searching online for a new LED navigation light, I was unable to find anything of equal quality unless you would want to spend $200. I found this lightbulb online that would work with my OEM fixture. After putting in a ball that only came in cool white and turning the green light blue. I decided to buy a yellow sharpie and color the glass surround yellow to take the blue out of the light and bring it back to a more traditional color. Now there is enough green to keep me legal. Looks awesome too!
 
Yes, the anchor light isn't custom I bought it through Perko.
 
For the last 3 seasons since changing my aft-facing white stern light to LED, the USCG has checked my red/green lights on the bow to verify they still have light bulbs installed (not LEDs). When I added radar, I replaced my anchor light with a new LED aft light/anchor light which is USCG certified. Long story short, I would likely have not passed the VSC with the after market LED bulbs because as NotHerDecision noted, the USCG certified lights and bulbs have a specific intensity and color hue. You may never have an issue, but just for awareness, you may if inspected.
 
I don't understand why the Coast Guard would bother someone as long as the colors are correct. What difference does it make if it's a LED or a traditional bulb? If anything the brighter leds are safer because you're more visible.
 
So did I, and I like them. I thought at the time that there were CG "certified / approved", but looking now I see that Attwood states that they "exceed CG requirements". I'm not sure if that's a significant difference?
 
I don't understand why the Coast Guard would bother someone as long as the colors are correct. What difference does it make if it's a LED or a traditional bulb? If anything the brighter leds are safer because you're more visible.

The led fixtures that you buy new are designed and certified to meet/exceed the USCG requirements for distance, color hue, and light intensity/brightness. Buying a LED bulb and putting it in an old fixture works, but may not meet USCG specifications because the bulbs may be different color (warm white/cool white, various shades of red/green etc). As you found out, you had to use a yellow sharpie to get the color back into what seems like the right zone for green color.

I was just adding my experience for information, as its come up every time I've had my VSC since using an aftermarket bulb in my aft facing white light on the stern. I am able to pass because the led stern/anchor light on the arch is a replacement fixture with LED from the factory, and therefore USCG compliant. I cant remember if it's perko or attwood, but anyway.
 
This what I installed in my masthead...
http://store.marinebeam.com/

Your Order Contains:
  • 1 x Perko Atwood Hella 31mm Festoon LED Replacement Bulbs
    (Beam Angle: Aft-Facing 135 deg. 4-LED;, Output Color: Cool White)
  • 1 x Perko Atwood Hella 31mm Festoon LED Replacement Bulbs
    (Beam Angle: Forward-Facing 225 deg. 12-LED(+$10), Output Color: Cool White)
 
I don't understand why the Coast Guard would bother someone as long as the colors are correct. What difference does it make if it's a LED or a traditional bulb? If anything the brighter leds are safer because you're more visible.

Your bigger worry will be after the tragic accident the lawyers will look at everything and your non-approved lights will be found and it will be used against you.

I can see desiring an LED low consumption anchor light for on the hook when there is not recharging source. (I did.) Who cares about the bow navigation lights that only run when the engines run and therefore are charging the batteries?

MM
 
I seriously doubt they will cause an accident. Also if I did I'm sure a lawyer would never even think to check to see if they are LED or a traditional bulb. I also like to run my bow lights if I am anchored. I feel I am more visible and again I just like the look. It probably sounds crazy but it's how I roll
 
I seriously doubt they will cause an accident. Also if I did I'm sure a lawyer would never even think to check to see if they are LED or a traditional bulb. I also like to run my bow lights if I am anchored. I feel I am more visible and again I just like the look. It probably sounds crazy but it's how I roll

You are entitled to your opinion and the consequence in the event of an accident...

You are not entitled to violate navigation regulations for anchoring. That is intentionally misleading other captains as to what your vessel is doing on the water. By having all navigation lights on the other captain in wasting energy trying to determine your course.

Boating at night is very fun but also dangerous, if we all follow the same rules it is safer.

MM
 
You are entitled to your opinion and the consequence in the event of an accident...

You are not entitled to violate navigation regulations for anchoring. That is intentionally misleading other captains as to what your vessel is doing on the water. By having all navigation lights on the other captain in wasting energy trying to determine your course.

Boating at night is very fun but also dangerous, if we all follow the same rules it is safer.

MM


X 10 Thanks Mike.
 
I met a guy on the dock around midnight in Milwaukee several years ago to tell him his nav lights were not working.

He said his risks outweigh the cons because he was drinking heavy and did not want to get pulled over.
 
I met a guy on the dock around midnight in Milwaukee several years ago to tell him his nav lights were not working.

He said his risks outweigh the cons because he was drinking heavy and did not want to get pulled over.
Well that guy is a complete idiot and I would have called the cops on him. Thats not cool
 
Some other thoughts (and Mike is correct about the proper use of nav lts vs just anchor lt), is that while an LED bulb inside an incandescent fixture may APPEAR just as bright, since the reflector is not designed for the LED wavelength (I'm probably not using the correct term there - someone can correct me) the light may not TRAVEL as far. Meaning, it may be harder to see from a distance.

Another possible thing that could snag you in the future is that the marker is going to fade out from the sun, which means the green color is going to go away. I suspect (guessing here) that it won't really take all that long for that to happen. Now, someone can argue that "Well, I'll just check it every time I use the boat". In reality, how likely is that to happen? In real life, it's not going to be checked every time. Heck, most people don't even check their existing nav lights every time they go to the boat. When do we realize that the light bulb is out? When we need it. Kind of like tail lights on our cars - when do we realize one is burnt out? During the yearly inspection or possibly when a fellow driver honks and tells us.

Also, in terms of lawyers finding out... any boating accident where there is more than $2,000 in damage, or someone requires medical attention (more than just a boo-boo) or if someone dies or goes missing... MUST be reported to the state boating agency. Which means, there could likely be an official investigation which means more hands in the pot looking for fault.

Since nav lights tend to last many, many years (and as Mike pointed out, it's not about saving battery power), and the bulb is very easy to replace, this one might be best left as is.

I'm not knocking you for trying to make things better, just offering some information that you may not have known about.
 
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