LED Lights and ColRegs

[Weyalan]

I thought this was enough of a digression from my other topic to merit it's own thread:

My question is regarding the use of LED lighting for running lights, stern lights, masthead lights, etc.

The COLLREG rules give quite specific figures for the minimum distance at which the various legally reqired lights must be visible. For my boat, this means

a) masthead light, 3 miles;
b) sidelights, 2 miles
c) sternlight 2 miles
d) white all-round light, 2 miles

My question is, do light manufactureres even specify that their lights conform to COLLREG requirements? And, if so, does anyone have any recommendation for LED lights that conform?

[Talbot]

Existing lights all have to be qualified as fit for purpose and undergo appropriate testing by IMO (or USCG for US stuff) Thus replacement bulbs are supposed to be supplied by the light manufacturer only as they are the only ones tested. (yeh right!)
There are several manufacturers who now sell complete units designed as LED fittings that have USCG approval
Orca green - http://www.orcagreen.com/
Hella - http://www.mailspeedmarine.com/Produ...a-d00e1138a6fe
Perko - http://www.go2marine.com/product.do?no=114987F


other companies sell led replacement bulbs:
http://www.svhotwire.com/led_lights.html
http://firststarled.com/products.html

and my personal favourite
http://www.ultraleds.co.uk/product_i...e6f0f25b585188

[staehpj1]

Unfortunately prices are way higher for all approved LED nav lights that I have seen than makes sense. I guess that they want to recoup the cost of getting the lights approved, but they don't have to do it on each light!

The places that just sell bulb replacements are more reasonable, but they are not approved.

I for one will wait for more reasonably priced alternatives before converting to LED.

Pete

[Talbot]

The places that just sell bulb replacements are more reasonable, but they are not approved.

If you buy cheap bulbs from a chandlery, rather than official aquasignal spares (or whichever system you have), then you are already buying non-approved bulbs, so what is the difference?

[staehpj1]

Originally Posted by Talbot

If you buy cheap bulbs from a chandlery, rather than official aquasignal spares (or whichever system you have), then you are already buying non-approved bulbs, so what is the difference?

True to a point but...
From a common sense stand point two 12v automotive bulbs of the same type are essentially the same. A LED array is an entirely different thing.

I seriously doubt having a different, but essentially identical, automotive type bulb would raise a red flag in ANY situation. I can see where an LED array just might if there was a chance to assign blame after a collision.

Pete

[swagman]

Hi Guys,
Hella are one of the major nav lamp manufacturuers who already have EU approved nav lamps on sale for smaller yachts, and I'm told all other manufacturers have lamps in for certification some time this year.
I'd suggest once all are manufacturing and selling these new units the current monopoly enjoyed by the smaller firms who make approved products will cease - and unit prices should fall.
Cheers
JOHN

[hellosailor]

The prices of ultrabright LEDs have plummeted in the past couple of years but they still are not cheap. And if a manufacturer wants to buy the bright "white" ones, they have to buy major volume, or else jump through hoops to get them from the same color/brightness lot, because those LEDs are manufactured with a very wide tolerance and then sorted afterwards. So either you pay for the sorting...or you can't be sure of one LED being literally 6x brighter than the next, which can make for some interesting design problems.<G>

Then of course you still have to go through a submission and testing process if you want it certified. More bucks.

Considering that LEDs have a very small "beam" compared to the "ball" of light from a tungsten bulb...it means that makers who want to meet regs need to buy a lot of expensive LEDs and then start working on the arrays. If you try to price one up yourself, not using any fancy electronics but just the LEDs and trying to get the angular coverage AND brightness...the storebought ones are dirt cheap.

For someone who needs to go aloft every six months and change a bulb at sea, that has to count. For the casual sailor who isn't out at night very much and cen get four years between bulb changes...LEDs are still a luxury item.

[Sailon1]

Great question. Perhaps best put to Coast Guard--do they use LED lights?

[jamhass]

There is a very good reason to use ONLY approved LEDs in nav lights.

LEDs produce light in a very narrow spectrum and if the spectrum (i.e. color) is not correct for the particular lens, very little light escapes, making the nav light too dim to be legal -- or even safe.

[Jim Cate]

You chaps should note that this is a ten year old thread! The LED situation has morphed completely since then... lots of different bits are available now, and many are indeed approved/tested by various authorities.

Jim

[barnakiel]

Yep. There are some approved bulbs around now.

Cheers,
b.

[HillbillyMatt]

LED adhesive strip lights? I use them on my motorcycle instead of stock lighting. they work great. I get the super ultra bright ones. I want to run strips of them along the bottom of my rubrail and or wrap them around my mast appropriately for nav lights.


I know they are more reliable and brighter than approved incandescent methods. how much trouble could I get in? im thinking of installing them in tandem with uscg approved lights so I cant get fined. I just want to be seen and those small pinpoint lights scare me. I feel like they are inadequately tested. im in the navy and ive seen some wicked bad fog move in within seconds. don't like it. I would like my whole port side to glow red, my whole stbd side to glow green, and my whole transom glowing white.