Superbright LED's
Wilbur Hubbard wrote:
"Jere Lull" wrote in message
news:2007040300294750073-jerelull@maccom...
snip some
I can wait for a while longer, though am lusting after an LED anchor
light.
You will be waiting for a very long time. An anchor light has to be an
all around white light visible for two miles. The problem with LED's is
they are like little spot lights focused by a rounded lens. Very little
side illumination comes out of them. I suppose you could make a sphere
with about forty of fifty bright LED's and it might meet the legal
requirements.
But, I, Wilbur Hubbard, have a better solution. If you have an inverter
aboard simply buy and plug in an extension cord long enough to go up the
backstay to several feet above the boom. It can be fastened to the
backstay with black "tiewrap" wire ties. Plug one of those little 4-watt
automatic night lights into extension cord but take the incandescent
light out and install a 4 watt compact fluorescent such as a Sylvania
Decor 15. Make sure the little night light fixture is held by the cord
in an upside down position. For 4 watts of power you get 15 watts worth
of lumens.
Wilbur Hubbard
OGM has an LED tri color + anchor light that is Coast Guard approved for
two miles. Uses three LED for the anchor light. Each one is a 120 degree
sector. Also has a photo cell to turn it on/off Only draws .5 amps. Cost
$264 at the boat show last year.
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