AquaSignal Tri Color or alternatives
 

I have/had an old Guest tri-color that finally gave up the ghost when it
hit my deck unexpectedly one day last summer.

I need to replace it with something. I went to a chanderly and they
tried to sell me a $450 LED something. Yikes!!!!

The AquaSignal units look fine but I can't find wiring info on their web
site.

I have three wires available only. I'm 90% certain that this is fine.
However, the AS info is just vague enough to make me unwilling to pop
for the bucks unless I am sure it will work.

So.......does anyone have some practical experience with AS tri-colors
and/or would you recommend something else.

Many thanks,

Howard

AquaSignal Tri Color or alternatives
 

On Fri, 21 Sep 2007 19:45:21 -0400, hpeer wrote:

does anyone have some practical experience with AS tri-colors
and/or would you recommend something else.

I installed one on my old sailboat about 20 years ago and it was
trouble free. It appears to be still going strong for the new owner.
I don't remember what the wiring was like but not too complex if I
recall. My guess is a common ground wire with two at +12, one for the
tri-color and one for the anchor light.

AquaSignal Tri Color or alternatives
 

In article ,
hpeer wrote:

I have/had an old Guest tri-color that finally gave up the ghost when it
hit my deck unexpectedly one day last summer.

I need to replace it with something. I went to a chanderly and they
tried to sell me a $450 LED something. Yikes!!!!

The AquaSignal units look fine but I can't find wiring info on their web
site.

I have three wires available only. I'm 90% certain that this is fine.
However, the AS info is just vague enough to make me unwilling to pop
for the bucks unless I am sure it will work.

So.......does anyone have some practical experience with AS tri-colors
and/or would you recommend something else.

Many thanks,

Howard

The DPO of my boat broke the 'Quicfits' mast head light and I had a
search running on ebay for months till one similar turned up. So I
bought it and it has four connectors whereas my old one has three. It
has a wiring diag, which I'll post when I find it. The Quickfit is a
good design and sturdy (for plastic).

--
Molesworth

AquaSignal Tri Color or alternatives
 

Molesworth wrote:
hpeer wrote:

The AquaSignal units look fine but I can't find wiring info on their
web site.

I have three wires available only. I'm 90% certain that this is
fine. However, the AS info is just vague enough to make me unwilling
to pop for the bucks unless I am sure it will work ...

The DPO of my boat broke the 'Quicfits' mast head light and I had a
search running on ebay for months till one similar turned up. So I
bought it and it has four connectors whereas my old one has three. It
has a wiring diag, which I'll post when I find it. The Quickfit is a
good design and sturdy (for plastic).

The 4th wire was for models that included a strobe with the tricolor and the
anchor light. Way back when Aqua Signal offered models with tricolor only
(2 wire), tricolor and anchor (3 wire), and tricolor, anchor and strobe (4
wire). Some expert here may know of a method for "multiplexing" 2 wires to
control 2 separate bulbs. I am pretty sure I remember something like that
from long ago.

I like the _idea_ (in principle) of replacing the 25 watt bulbs in these
Series 40 lights with LEDs, but the tricolor LED is in the neighborhood of
$60 or so, and I am currently sitting on top of 5 or so of the old style
spare bulbs.

--
Good luck and good sailing.
s/v Kerry Deare of Barnegat
http://home.comcast.net/~kerrydeare

AquaSignal Tri Color or alternatives
 

Armond Perretta wrote:
Molesworth wrote:
hpeer wrote:
The AquaSignal units look fine but I can't find wiring info on their
web site.

I have three wires available only. I'm 90% certain that this is
fine. However, the AS info is just vague enough to make me unwilling
to pop for the bucks unless I am sure it will work ...
The DPO of my boat broke the 'Quicfits' mast head light and I had a
search running on ebay for months till one similar turned up. So I
bought it and it has four connectors whereas my old one has three. It
has a wiring diag, which I'll post when I find it. The Quickfit is a
good design and sturdy (for plastic).

The 4th wire was for models that included a strobe with the tricolor and the
anchor light. Way back when Aqua Signal offered models with tricolor only
(2 wire), tricolor and anchor (3 wire), and tricolor, anchor and strobe (4
wire). Some expert here may know of a method for "multiplexing" 2 wires to
control 2 separate bulbs. I am pretty sure I remember something like that
from long ago.

I like the _idea_ (in principle) of replacing the 25 watt bulbs in these
Series 40 lights with LEDs, but the tricolor LED is in the neighborhood of
$60 or so, and I am currently sitting on top of 5 or so of the old style
spare bulbs.

Armond,

Thanks, what you described is what I suspected and would anticipate.
It's just that the AS literature says 2/3/4 wire on a page that does not
describe the strobe. Perhaps I am being over cautious.

I think you could "multiplex" the two wires as you mention by using
steering diodes at the top and reversing the polarity at the bottom
though I would have to think it through and draw it out.

Howard

AquaSignal Tri Color or alternatives
 

On Sun, 23 Sep 2007 09:46:32 -0400, "Armond Perretta"
wrote:

Some expert here may know of a method for "multiplexing" 2 wires to
control 2 separate bulbs. I am pretty sure I remember something like that
from long ago.

It's easy. Use a double pole double throw (DPDT) switch with a center
off position to reverse polarity on the two wires, diodes at the top
to figure out which bulb lights up.