Best water tight running lights?

[HeinSdL]

My boat originally had just the bow nav lights from Hella, regular filament bulb, eg:

https://www.compass24.ch/elektrik/po...iABEgLOavD_BwE

... and when feeling a bit down in the middle of the night I tended to feel reassured by the nav lights on the bow which were having a far worse time, being routinely submerged, colouring the water in a very pretty green and red colour. But on inspection those casings were not really fit for purpose, being quite wet on the inside obviously leading to rapid deterioration of the metal parts, etc.

So now I have these from Hella, LEDs on the bow and also the combined LED tricolor/anchor light in the mast:

https://www.hellamarine.com/en/produ...tion-lamp.html

I very much like the completely sealed IP67 standard.

[wsmurdoch]

I had a fully sealed Hella LED anchor light fail with water in the fixture. It failed just days before the warranty expired. Hella replaced it at no charge after seeing these photos and asked me to send them the old fixture so that they could examine it. The replacement has been going for 10 years or so.

[Kastaway]

I seem to recall reading a report about (maybe US Coastguard???) investigating, and starting to compile data on some LED lights adversely effecting VHF transmissions. Most likely the lesser brands. I have an issue (not with nav lights) but with an LED touch light above the helm turning it self on with VHF transmissions. I purchased it from a well known marine dealer but suspect that I got what I paid for. Another reminder that paying more usually results in saving money in the long run. Not much fun getting blasted with light whilst piloting at night. But hey - but I saved $5 right. (Note to self : you usually get what you pay for) quite possibly if could also be affecting the quality of my VHF transmissions.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by wingssail

I'm not sure where the connections you're speaking of are located, I have none outside of the Aqua Signal unit itself.

I have had good luck with Aqua Signal S41 bi-color on the bow and white stern light. Our bow is often emersed and occasionally at speeds which have broken the light fixture, even bending the stainless mounting bracket back until the light pointed vertically. (since reinforced).

But the lights have kept working!

I'm not sure about how the Aqua Signals of other cruisers are wired but I connect the ends of a longish wire directly to the light bulb socket (with screws), seal it with heavy grease, and then run the long wire through the deck fitting. As long as the O-rings are in place and the cover (or bulb carrier in the older versions) is screwed snugly the Aqua Signal stays dry enough inside to minimize the corrosion.

My Aqua Signals have endured for so many years I don't even know if they are current models. I have installed sealed LED replacement bulbs years ago.

We're talking about the sealed LED ones, not the old incandescent ones like yours.


These ones:





You should not use LED "bulbs" in fixtures like yours designed for incandescent. There has been a lot written about that here. They don't work optically and are illegal. You should either go back to incandescent bulbs or change the whole fixture.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

As long as we are reviving the thread, in 2021 I replaced one of the led bow lights on a 2018 Jenneau that I was delivering from Hawaii. I don't remember the brand, but the replacement fixture had special rubber seals that went on the wire connectors.

The replacement lasted back to the mainland but was dead year later.

You may get more than 3 years out of a set of led bow lights if you rarely leave your marina.

That sounds like the Aqua Signal ones. The rubber seals don't really seal.


I sail a lot at night and a lot in rough weather (naturally, at this latitude). My side lights are on my pulpit, at least 2m above normal sea level, but they are regularly submerged the way I sail.


Of course as someone said the pulpit is a bad place for your side lights.


The Hella ones I have now are really completely sealed and there is no connector on the fixtures. I'm hoping these will last longer. I hardly got a whole year out of the Aqua Signal ones without having to remake a connector -- good riddance.

[Tupaia]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Not the best optically, not the best built, not the prettiest -- but the best WATERPROOFED side lights I found are the Hella ones, which are fully sealed with no connector at the fixture.


What concerns Lopo -- I've heard a 1000 stories like yours. I wouldn't touch them with a ten foot spinnaker pole.

My vote goes to Hella, agree with what Dockhead says. I bought a LED stern light more than 10 years ago in NZ. It failed and I was ready to buy a new one. When I removed it to check how it was attached to the boat I discovered that it had filled with water. Further inspection revealed that it had never been sealed. I contacted Hella in Germany who confirmed that it was a manufacturing fault and replaced it free of charge through their dealer in Portugal. All I had to do was return the old light to them.


In my experience not many marine businesses have this level of customer support.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

We're talking about the sealed LED ones, not the old incandescent ones like yours.

These ones:

Attachment 268205

You should not use LED "bulbs" in fixtures like yours designed for incandescent. There has been a lot written about that here. They don't work optically and are illegal. You should either go back to incandescent bulbs or change the whole fixture.

I hear what you are saying, and I've read previous threads and the disclaimer by Aqua Signal. Nevertheless I am not convinced that the LED replacement bulbs such as the one sold by Dr LED are not suitable in my Aqua Signal S series fixture.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by wingssail

I hear what you are saying, and I've read previous threads and the disclaimer by Aqua Signal. Nevertheless I am not convinced that the LED replacement bulbs such as the one sold by Dr LED are not suitable in my Aqua Signal S series fixture.

The problems with that set up are optical. They are real, and don't depend on the brand of the "bulb". I would consider giving your boat a set of proper sealed LED nav lights for Christmas, if I were you.

[Bowdrie]

I haven't looked into just what IP67/IP68 truly means in term of watertight integrity.
That said, a brand that is seldom if ever mentioned is "Peters & Bey", made in Germany.
I suspect they are high quality, and I also suspect the price may induce a heart attack.

https://www.peters-bey.com/en/produc...ationlight-580

https://store.offshorespars.com/coll...and_peters-bey