CBull wrote:
Has anyone tried using a
Solar Panel Cleaning(sidewalk\driveway) for a night anchor light?
They are super cheap and state that they'll go for up to 10 hours. Not sure how bright they are though.
Would they start out bright or fairly bright and then dim over time?
CBull
Hello CBull,
There has been a rapid move from incandescent filament bulbs to LEDs over the past few years, both in our homes and on our boats. In addition to navigation lights, another area important to all cruising sailors is visibility when anchored. Some skippers just hoist an old oil-powered hurricane lamp up a halyard, others deploy converted solar garden lamps, but if you really want to avoid being hit in the early hours by a latecomer to the anchorage it’s surely best to ensure your anchor light is clearly visible from a good distance.
Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs)
Nowadays, the problem of high current drain from your boat’s lights should be in the past. Modern LED ‘bulbs’ are rapidly overtaking the old, inefficient filament-type bulbs, proving to be equally bright – brighter in many cases – and with a fraction of their power demands.
Being nearly 10 times as power-efficient as standard filament bulbs, as well as considerably more resistant to vibration and impact, they appear to be the ideal solution for all sailing boat lights. They can be left on without the worry of flattening the ship’s batteries, but also the wiring required to power them can be reduced in size, minimising weight aloft where masthead and steaming lights are situated.