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Solar anchor lights

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Created by Futurecruiser > 9 months ago, 22 Oct 2018
Futurecruiser
VIC, 119 posts
22 Oct 2018 6:57PM
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So for some reason my masthead light is a tri colour only with no anchor light incorporated, and due to things being a bit tight with some apparent wiring tangles inside the mast I can't run a new wire up inside to add the anchor light and obviously not keen to pull the mast out before time just to add a light. So was considering trying one of these guys or similar. Still not quite sure how to mount it to ensure all round visibility but has anyone used one and if so are they any good? Any recommended alternatives?

www.ebay.com.au/itm/Navigation-Light-Solar-Wind-Charged-360-Degree-Anchor-Light-All-Round-White-/252845325332

At at the moment I just use one of those cheapo plastic clamp on ones but it's not really sturdy enough to mount anywhere and bloody annoying to put up and pull down every night...

woko
NSW, 1514 posts
22 Oct 2018 7:53PM
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I have solid masts so all cabling to the masts tops is run up a shroud, is that a possibility ?

2bish
TAS, 805 posts
22 Oct 2018 9:01PM
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Futurecruiser said..
So for some reason my masthead light is a tri colour only with no anchor light incorporated, and due to things being a bit tight with some apparent wiring tangles inside the mast I can't run a new wire up inside to add the anchor light and obviously not keen to pull the mast out before time just to add a light. So was considering trying one of these guys or similar. Still not quite sure how to mount it to ensure all round visibility but has anyone used one and if so are they any good? Any recommended alternatives?

www.ebay.com.au/itm/Navigation-Light-Solar-Wind-Charged-360-Degree-Anchor-Light-All-Round-White-/252845325332

At at the moment I just use one of those cheapo plastic clamp on ones but it's not really sturdy enough to mount anywhere and bloody annoying to put up and pull down every night...


Or just replace the unit altogether and use the existing wires to power one of these that Cisco purchased, see this thread: www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Sailing/General/Climbing-the-mast?page=1#27

Futurecruiser
VIC, 119 posts
22 Oct 2018 9:53PM
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Yeah thanks 2bish, I was thinking I wouldn't be able to make a combo unit work with the single existing wire but after looking at the installation instructions for that one I think the switching set up does make it possible. Would be nice not to have to run another wire wherever it would go!

Dexport
303 posts
22 Oct 2018 7:25PM
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Why bother with one up the mast? I find a boat very hard to see at night if only lit by a masthead light. Much better a decent light over the cockpit, that way you get security and people can see you. The amount of times I've come into a busy anchorage at night and not been able to spot boats is crazy. Mast tights just blend in with all the town lights in the background.

Seebreasy73
QLD, 334 posts
22 Oct 2018 9:45PM
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Futurecruiser said..
So for some reason my masthead light is a tri colour only with no anchor light incorporated, and due to things being a bit tight with some apparent wiring tangles inside the mast I can't run a new wire up inside to add the anchor light and obviously not keen to pull the mast out before time just to add a light. So was considering trying one of these guys or similar. Still not quite sure how to mount it to ensure all round visibility but has anyone used one and if so are they any good? Any recommended alternatives?

www.ebay.com.au/itm/Navigation-Light-Solar-Wind-Charged-360-Degree-Anchor-Light-All-Round-White-/252845325332

At at the moment I just use one of those cheapo plastic clamp on ones but it's not really sturdy enough to mount anywhere and bloody annoying to put up and pull down every night...


gotta admit that looks nice though. good find! I might think about it now that my lights are out on top

Futurecruiser
VIC, 119 posts
22 Oct 2018 11:56PM
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Dexport said..
Why bother with one up the mast? I find a boat very hard to see at night if only lit by a masthead light. Much better a decent light over the cockpit, that way you get security and people can see you. The amount of times I've come into a busy anchorage at night and not been able to spot boats is crazy. Mast tights just blend in with all the town lights in the background.


Yeah I agree to a point, I sometimes hang a lantern on the boom if I feel I need to for the conditions, but it tends to attract a lot of unwanted insect life in the more light free anchorages which is where I prefer to be! A masthead with a simple switch is definitely a desirable addition. Currently use one of these above the cockpit and the light is ok but it's not great quality and very hard to keep level and visible all round due to the dodgy clamp/fittings:






Futurecruiser
VIC, 119 posts
23 Oct 2018 12:00AM
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Seebreasy73 said..

Futurecruiser said..
So for some reason my masthead light is a tri colour only with no anchor light incorporated, and due to things being a bit tight with some apparent wiring tangles inside the mast I can't run a new wire up inside to add the anchor light and obviously not keen to pull the mast out before time just to add a light. So was considering trying one of these guys or similar. Still not quite sure how to mount it to ensure all round visibility but has anyone used one and if so are they any good? Any recommended alternatives?

www.ebay.com.au/itm/Navigation-Light-Solar-Wind-Charged-360-Degree-Anchor-Light-All-Round-White-/252845325332

At at the moment I just use one of those cheapo plastic clamp on ones but it's not really sturdy enough to mount anywhere and bloody annoying to put up and pull down every night...



gotta admit that looks nice though. good find! I might think about it now that my lights are out on top


Yeah it does look pretty good, the light sensitive auto on/off function would be handy if you are leaving the boat at anchor somewhere too. But after looking at the one Cisco recommended I think I can kill two birds with one stone and get rid of my old power sucking tri colour too...

cisco
QLD, 12311 posts
23 Oct 2018 1:00AM
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It is a great thing to have atop your mast...........but,I think the only way to get it completely right is to fit it when you have the mast down and run a new leckky lead while you are at it.
If the tri is still working but not anchor, don't worry about it , do as Dexport does.

For $119, I am putting one of these on my 2.5 m antenna mast bolted to my cockpit rail. Only 2 wires coming out of it and it has an integrated twilight switch in it.

For vessels 7 to 12m motoring, it is legal to serve as steaming/stern light.

www.whitworths.com.au/qled-360-anchor-light-with-s-s-bracket-and-dusk-to-dawn-sensor

Ramona
NSW, 7400 posts
23 Oct 2018 8:35AM
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Futurecruiser said..
So for some reason my masthead light is a tri colour only with no anchor light incorporated, and due to things being a bit tight with some apparent wiring tangles inside the mast I can't run a new wire up inside to add the anchor light and obviously not keen to pull the mast out before time just to add a light. So was considering trying one of these guys or similar. Still not quite sure how to mount it to ensure all round visibility but has anyone used one and if so are they any good? Any recommended alternatives?

www.ebay.com.au/itm/Navigation-Light-Solar-Wind-Charged-360-Degree-Anchor-Light-All-Round-White-/252845325332

At at the moment I just use one of those cheapo plastic clamp on ones but it's not really sturdy enough to mount anywhere and bloody annoying to put up and pull down every night...


I would check first whether it's legal to have a flashing light as an anchor light. The old strobe lights were illegal but the rules may have changed.
I use a $2 Bunnings garden light. I have just had to replace one I had electrical wire tied to the pushpit. It snapped off when I leaned over it and sunk. The new one is just the top section glued down with araldited to the aluminium frame work of a solar panel, positioned where I don't go. Lights up the cockpit so those ratbags racing about at night in their tinnies can see the boat.

Futurecruiser
VIC, 119 posts
23 Oct 2018 5:03PM
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cisco said..
It is a great thing to have atop your mast...........but,I think the only way to get it completely right is to fit it when you have the mast down and run a new leckky lead while you are at it.
If the tri is still working but not anchor, don't worry about it , do as Dexport does.

For $119, I am putting one of these on my 2.5 m antenna mast bolted to my cockpit rail. Only 2 wires coming out of it and it has an integrated twilight switch in it.

For vessels 7 to 12m motoring, it is legal to serve as steaming/stern light.

www.whitworths.com.au/qled-360-anchor-light-with-s-s-bracket-and-dusk-to-dawn-sensor



Yeah you are right about taking the mast down Cisco, unfortunately on closer inspection it looks like I only have a single negative wire up to the masthead serving both the steaming/deck light half way up and the tri colour. So the two wire switching system on the combi anchor/tri light will not work out. I was hoping it was the perfect solution to my mast wiring issue but was not to be. Will have another think about the solar one or back to putting the battery cockpit light up on the boom every night, which isn't really the end of the world. Would just be nice to have the convenience of one that only requires flicking a switch and doesn't involve worrying about the batteries running out in the middle of the night. Don't really want another hole in the deck or more wiring up in the davits at the stern but will have to think about that too.
BTW Ramona the solar light does have a flashing mode but the normal setting is steady on I believe. Says it lasts 12 hours on steady and 150 on flash.

Wander66
QLD, 294 posts
23 Oct 2018 4:28PM
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My steaming light is on a pole at the stern as you can see from the photo it's just LED strip lights wrapped around the pole with butyl to seal. I had to use it as an anchor light one time when a wire broke on the masthead anchor light, it was so bright we couldn't get to sleep in the aft cabin so I got up and put a sock over it, was still pretty bright. The anchor light is also a strip of LED's on the masthead under the now defunct tv antenna, it stays on 24/7 when moored, with the batteries kept charged by the solar panels, it's so bright I can check it's still on from the bank in the middle of the day. Both lights have been there out in the weather for over 4 years now. Can't say the same for the plastic owl in the bottom picture, he took a dive into the sea one roughish day, luckily we were heeled enough that he didn't hit the deck or anyone below.







cisco
QLD, 12311 posts
25 Oct 2018 12:07AM
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Wander66 said..
Can't say the same for the plastic owl in the bottom picture, he took a dive into the sea one roughish day, luckily we were heeled enough that he didn't hit the deck or anyone below.

He didn't dive into the sea!!! He tried to swoop down to rescue the rubber snake before he rolled over the side, missed and ended up drowning while the snake just lay in the gun'l and laughed.

That TV dish up there looks good. Maybe the next owl would prefer to sit up there. You would have to power him up with flashing eyeballs though.

slammin
QLD, 989 posts
25 Oct 2018 5:51AM
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Wander66 said..
My steaming light is on a pole at the stern as you can see from the photo it's just LED strip lights wrapped around the pole with butyl to seal. I had to use it as an anchor light one time when a wire broke on the masthead anchor light, it was so bright we couldn't get to sleep in the aft cabin so I got up and put a sock over it, was still pretty bright. The anchor light is also a strip of LED's on the masthead under the now defunct tv antenna, it stays on 24/7 when moored, with the batteries kept charged by the solar panels, it's so bright I can check it's still on from the bank in the middle of the day. Both lights have been there out in the weather for over 4 years now. Can't say the same for the plastic owl in the bottom picture, he took a dive into the sea one roughish day, luckily we were heeled enough that he didn't hit the deck or anyone below.








I've got exactly the same as a backup. I hoist it up the back stay. High enough so we can sleep.

Wander66
QLD, 294 posts
25 Oct 2018 6:58AM
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cisco said..

Wander66 said..
Can't say the same for the plastic owl in the bottom picture, he took a dive into the sea one roughish day, luckily we were heeled enough that he didn't hit the deck or anyone below.


He didn't dive into the sea!!! He tried to swoop down to rescue the rubber snake before he rolled over the side, missed and ended up drowning while the snake just lay in the gun'l and laughed.

That TV dish up there looks good. Maybe the next owl would prefer to sit up there. You would have to power him up with flashing eyeballs though.


Luckily the rubber snake works better than the owl, he's enjoying retirement after spending so long on the road with Alice Cooper




cisco
QLD, 12311 posts
25 Oct 2018 8:17AM
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Futurecruiser
VIC, 119 posts
10 Dec 2018 9:34PM
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So I ended up buying one of the above Lonako solar anchor lights and thought I would review for the benefit of anyone searching the forum for info as I tend to. Seemed like a pretty sturdy unit, mounted it up above the davits at the stern (includes mounting pieces) and it charged up fine, was very bright and still going fine the next morning.
All good UNTIL - it rained! Would have thought being waterproof would be pretty important for a navigation light. But after a few rainy days it filled right up with water and stopped working. After contacting the seller they admitted they had been having a few issues with them, apparently the little wind generator is the source of the leak and they have been replaced by a solar only version. So one of those is being sent to replace the leaky solar + wind version, will see how that copes with the wet weather and update accordingly.

Ramona
NSW, 7400 posts
11 Dec 2018 8:47AM
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My $2 Bunnings garden light [and a blob of Araldite] is working flawlessly.



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"Solar anchor lights" started by Futurecruiser