Running lights that meet the criteria prescribed by the USCG are mandated for original equipment installation by the boat manufacturer. As an owner, you can use any bulb or fixture you chose – with the provision that your choice must meet or exceed the requirements of the ColRegs for visibility.
When I put the 5 mile tri-color at the masthead of Imzadi, I called Hella about whether I would meet USCG requirements if I used an LED instead of the incandescent bulb that came in the fixture. Hella told me that USCG does not do any testing, approval, or certification of lights. The lights are more properly labeled that they “meet the requirements of” USCG requirement so-and-so. Like life jackets, they may have an approval number, which shows that the proper documentation has been filed with the USCG. Rick Brass Washington, NC From: CnC-List [mailto:cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com] On Behalf Of Marek Dziedzic via CnC-List Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2014 9:53 AM To: Bill Coleman; cnc-list@cnc-list.com Subject: Re: Stus-List Running Lights If I remember correctly (and this is based on reading only), the Nav lights are Coast Guard certified only if the light and the bulb are certified. If you replace the bulb with anything else (other than what the light was certified with), you, at least theoretically, lose the certification of the light. One might question if the light needs to be certified or even what is better, a certified light or the light that is visible for a greater distance. But as someone pointed out, if you are in a collision or in any situation where lawyers might get involved (this is not a shot at the lawyers (;-)), you may prefer to have a certified light. Having said that, I admit that I replaced all my navigation lights with LEDs. I find that it is more important that they work than if they are fully certified. In my case I used a white light LEDs, because I have a combination green/red light on the bow. Possibly, it is worth its while to use the high quality LEDs and pay a bit more of a premium for the Nav lights, since there are not that many (maximum 5). just an opinion Marek in Ottawa From: Bill Coleman via CnC-List <mailto:cnc-list@cnc-list.com> Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2014 9:24 AM To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com <mailto:cnc-list@cnc-list.com> Subject: Stus-List Running Lights Now this really confuses me, when I first went LED on my forward running lights, I replaced them with red and green, and then someone, I think at the boat show, or maybe in one of the boat magazines, said you had to have white coming through a colored lens, so I changed back to white. Now my port running light is broken, and I am in the market, and now I am really confused! Regards, Bill Coleman C&C 39 From: CnC-List [mailto:cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com] On Behalf Of Rick Brass via CnC-List Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2014 8:49 PM To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com <mailto:cnc-list@cnc-list.com> Subject: Re: Stus-List EasyBlock Mainsheet Traveler Four or five years ago, I replaced the bulbs in my existing running lights and stern lights with LED bulbs. IIRC I got them from Dr. LED and the red and green bulbs were about $10 or $11 each, and the bulb for the stern light (I think it is called a festoon bulb, a cylinder that has pointy contacts on each end) was about $5 or $6. The bulbs in my running lights are a type 90 bulb, which is sort of hard to come by anyway. The supplier explained I needed a green bulb behind the green lens and a red bulb behind the red lens to get maximum light transmission and meet the USCG 2 mile visibility standard. Much of the light generated by a white light is apparently absorbed when it goes through the green lens. I asked about a 5 mile bulb, but was told that there was no point on a light so close to the surface. As part of the mast rebuild, I installed a 5 mile tricolor light at the top of the mast for use when offshore. I recently noticed that the teardrop (I kind of think of them as cat’s eye) running lights on my bow are beginning to corrode and look shoddy after 38 years of service. I, too, wonder if there is a direct replacement for the old light fixtures available somewhere. Rick Brass Imzadi C&C 38 mk 2 la Belle Aurore C&C 25 mk1 Washington, NC From: CnC-List [mailto:cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com] On Behalf Of wwadjo...@aol.com <mailto:wwadjo...@aol.com> via CnC-List Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2014 6:44 PM To: Rick Brass via CnC-List Subject: Re: Stus-List EasyBlock Mainsheet Traveler Does anyone have source for replacement lens for our teardrop running lights, circa 1981? Orin alternative, experience with replacements(led) I see on internet? Bill Walker Evening Star CnC 36 Sent from my HTC _____ _______________________________________________ This List is provided by the C&C Photo Album Email address: CnC-List@cnc-list.com <mailto:CnC-List@cnc-list.com> To change your list preferences, including unsubscribing -- go bottom of page at: http://cnc-list.com/mailman/listinfo/cnc-list_cnc-list.com
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