Re: Stus-List Running Lights >Approved LED bulbs

[Bill Bina via CnC-List]

There is no such animal as a "USCG approved navigation light. The USCG does not have a department that tests products. When a nav light (or a PFD)  is certified, it is certified by the manufacturer to meet or exceed the USCG requirements. When a manufacturer certifies a nav light, it certifies the whole fixture including the lightbulb within. You cannot legally even replace the original bulb with one from another source, even if it has the same specs and part number. It HAS to come from the company that made the fixture, or the whole thing becomes not certified. Just the same, in the highly unlikely event that your nav light becomes central to a case being heard in admiralty court, you and your lawyer can always provide evidence that your light meets the coast guard requirements, even though YOU are the one certifying it. Kerosene lanterns that are over 100 years old can be perfectly legal as nav lights, even though they pre-date the colregs. They just have to meet or exceed the USCG requirements for color, visibility, etc. Bill Bina On 10/30/2014 9:53 AM, Nauset Beach via CnC-List wrote: And then there was the discussion of whether putting LED bulbs in old fixtures would be compliant with USCG regs.  Many said no as the whole unit, both bulb and fixture, has to be certified.  And that was why for a long period there were so few USCG approved LED running lights; the approval process was long and involved and many companies did not want to expend the $ or effort…   So, if an incident were to occur and it was discovered that the whole fixture was not in compliance [and lights were relevant to the incident] might liability fall differently and insurance companies not be forthcoming with any coverage?   Any current thoughts?    From: CnC-List [mailto:cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com] On Behalf Of Bill Coleman via CnC-List Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2014 9:24 AM To: 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 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 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 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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