LED Anchor Light

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I have one in my anchor light only. I got it from Perko and I am very happy with it. Perko says it meets CG requirements but I'm sure you will find out as this thread progresses, that's debate able.
 
I bought one of the Attwood models (3nm visibility for the forward portion) a couple years ago... because my original Perko stalk has become a bit wobbly and I wanted to switch to LED anyway. Haven't gotten around to installing yet; it's one of the jobs I need help with... since once I get up there on the hardtop I'll discover all the tools and so forth I forgot to bring.

-Chris
 
We were in a small cove last summer - could fit 8 -10 boats max - and one of the vessels had an LED anchor light that was so bright it destroyed any chance of the rest of us enjoying unhindered star gazing.

I never thought I'd say it, but your anchor light can be too bright.
 
I gave in and finally began buying LED replacement bulbs for my current markers and bought a new LED stern and anchor light. Last week I bought some 110 V replacement 60 watt bulbs to swap-out the interior incandescent units. Next is 12 V interior recepticles and redoing the ER and Machinery space areas. I probably should have done it long ago but when you've got things on the boat that work just fine, it's hard getting them on the priority list.
 
Love mine. I just put an LED bulb into my old lamp. Works great and no worries if I am detained ashore overnight while anchored.
 
One of the features I find very useful in the Davis light is the photocell auto on/off. I never forget to turn it on or off any longer.

The 0.041A draw is infinitesimal. A 12 hr burn is only 0.49 A. It's low cost and brightness sealed the deal for me.
 
The PO of my boat changed the original light to a single light which made it impossible to operate at night from the flybridge without putting a coffee cup over the light.

I couldn't find an LED anchor light that suited the "traditional" style of my boat so I bought the common Perko fixture that combines the forward facing navigation light and another bulb to create an all around light. I changed out the lamps for LED lamps. It works fine although I really should make the pole longer.

Some folks are just taping solar powered garden lamps to a pole. Around here the LEOs don't seem to care.
 
I fitted one 2 years ago, from our local chain chandlers,Whitworths. It is a tower of about 36 or 40 LEDS, slotted straight in, bright though not excessively, replacing 25w draw with about 3w.
 
Wesk - sounds like our boats had the same PO. What a stupid arrangement. Until reading your post above (re the Perko) I was imagining some sort of tower arangement to get the bloody all round light above the bimini of the flybridge.

Can you point me to the 2-bulb perko light you bought? Does it have 2 switches (one for each light) on your dah/switchboard - or is there a switch on the light itself to turn on/off the second light? I'm hoping it's the miracle product I've been hoping to find to fix this blindingly stupid light placement.
 
Conrad said:
We were in a small cove last summer - could fit 8 -10 boats max - and one of the vessels had an LED anchor light that was so bright it destroyed any chance of the rest of us enjoying unhindered star gazing.

I never thought I'd say it, but your anchor light can be too bright.
Click to expand...


Was it SO bright that you could still see the anchoring ball?


:whistling:

HOLLYWOOD
 
shufti said:
Wesk - sounds like our boats had the same PO. What a stupid arrangement. Until reading your post above (re the Perko) I was imagining some sort of tower arangement to get the bloody all round light above the bimini of the flybridge.

Can you point me to the 2-bulb perko light you bought? Does it have 2 switches (one for each light) on your dah/switchboard - or is there a switch on the light itself to turn on/off the second light? I'm hoping it's the miracle product I've been hoping to find to fix this blindingly stupid light placement.
Click to expand...

It's the one in the center:

pko-11149.jpg


There are three wires; one common (ground or negative) and one for the forward facing light and another for the rear facing light. The switching on the boat should turn the forward facing lamp on in the "Navigation Lights" position and turn both on (but not the red and green lights) in the "Anchor Light" position.

Do a web search on Perko 1184 and you'll find dozens of vendors.
 
Last edited:
Thanks very much Wesk - you've saved me a fortune on mods.

Edit - actually one more question if i may?

When underway - is there much glare from the forward facing light or is it unnoticable?
 
shufti said:
Thanks very much Wesk - you've saved me a fortune on mods.

Edit - actually one more question if i may?

When underway - is there much glare from the forward facing light or is it unnoticable?
Click to expand...

I haven't had a glare problem with it but I don't often run in the dark. The light is directed forward (as it's supposed to be) so unless there's something on your boat to reflect it back, it shouldn't be a problem.
 
Thanks psneeld, however my current nav/all round light sits exactly at eye level of the FB helm station.
 
LOL - yes, it is. And now have a solution which doesn't involve making a stainless tower of some sort to get it out of the way (over the top of bimini).
 
hollywood8118 said:
Was it SO bright that you could still see the anchoring ball?


:whistling:

HOLLYWOOD
Click to expand...

The ball, the boat, other boats, and the starfish on the beach.

Well, maybe not the ball....
 
shufti said:
Thanks psneeld, however my current nav/all round light sits exactly at eye level of the FB helm station.
Click to expand...

"When underway - is there much glare from the forward facing light or is it unnoticable? "

You said glare and these are glare shields....

If at eye level, can you raise it a few feet with a linger pole as the light heads come off easy enough and the tubing is easy to get usually.
 
I'd have to put quite an extension to get it up high enough for those to help, mate. The appeal of the perko light is that I can swcith off the rear bulb of the 2 bulb light when underway (I have a kosher rear white light so will still be legal). I was just wondering if there was much glare from behind when running the perko in '1 light mode'.
 
shufti said:
I'd have to put quite an extension to get it up high enough for those to help, mate. The appeal of the perko light is that I can swcith off the rear bulb of the 2 bulb light when underway (I have a kosher rear white light so will still be legal). I was just wondering if there was much glare from behind when running the perko in '1 light mode'.
Click to expand...
If the light is behind you (even if higher) then that's exactly what the glare shields do..they keep the light from flooding your flybridge (outside steering, foredeck, etc) with glare/light....and prevent you from being blinded by looking directly at it if you turn around.
 
WesK said:
It's the one in the center:

pko-11149.jpg


There are three wires; one common (ground or negative) and one for the forward facing light and another for the rear facing light. The switching on the boat should turn the forward facing lamp on in the "Navigation Lights" position and turn both on (but not the red and green lights) in the "Anchor Light" position.

Do a web search on Perko 1184 and you'll find dozens of vendors.
Click to expand...

The 1184 Perko llight is like the one (maybe the exact one) I'm replacing with the Attwood, when I get a round tuit. The composite fitting at the bottom has been going south for a while, so the stock is becoming more and more unstable. Shims have worked to a certain extent (so far), but it's a bit shakey.

Ours is controlled by a the three-way rocker switch: both (all-round/anchor) -- off -- forward only (steaming).

-Chris
 
psneeld - I think I musn't be explaining the situation very well. I have seen (and fished from) boats with a similar glare sheild (albeit home-made) on all-round lights - they only stop glare projecting downward when the light is higher than the observer. My light is NOT higher than me - it's right in front of the helm and at eye level (not behind me). Yes, it's a bloody stupid arragement, hence me wanting to change it. A simple extension would work - but it would have to be a pretty large extension of around 2 metres or more to move the light up high enough to allow the glare sheild to work. If I could get it up high enough, glare wouldn't be an issue as the flybridge soft-top would block the glare.

My question to Wesk was more trying to find out whether [with the rear bulb switched off but the front bulb on] there is much glare from the front bulb when viewing the light from behind - is glare from the front bulb evident.

Am I making more sense now?
 
shufti said:
psneeld - I think I musn't be explaining the situation very well. I have seen (and fished from) boats with a similar glare sheild (albeit home-made) on all-round lights - they only stop glare projecting downward when the light is higher than the observer. My light is NOT higher than me - it's right in front of the helm and at eye level (not behind me). Yes, it's a bloody stupid arragement, hence me wanting to change it. A simple extension would work - but it would have to be a pretty large extension of around 2 metres or more to move the light up high enough to allow the glare sheild to work. If I could get it up high enough, glare wouldn't be an issue as the flybridge soft-top would block the glare.

My question to Wesk was more trying to find out whether [with the rear bulb switched off but the front bulb on] there is much glare from the front bulb when viewing the light from behind - is glare from the front bulb evident.

Am I making more sense now?
Click to expand...

Mine just clears the windscreen of the flybridge so it's a little below eye level. It's also in front of me so there's really no glare wwith just the forward facing light on. No shield needed.

I have a seperate stern light for when I'm underway.
 
shufti said:
psneeld - I think I musn't be explaining the situation very well. I have seen (and fished from) boats with a similar glare sheild (albeit home-made) on all-round lights - they only stop glare projecting downward when the light is higher than the observer. My light is NOT higher than me - it's right in front of the helm and at eye level (not behind me). Yes, it's a bloody stupid arragement, hence me wanting to change it. A simple extension would work - but it would have to be a pretty large extension of around 2 metres or more to move the light up high enough to allow the glare sheild to work. If I could get it up high enough, glare wouldn't be an issue as the flybridge soft-top would block the glare.

My question to Wesk was more trying to find out whether [with the rear bulb switched off but the front bulb on] there is much glare from the front bulb when viewing the light from behind - is glare from the front bulb evident.

Am I making more sense now?
Click to expand...

Are you more than 2 meters tall???

The glare shields are also for boats with those 2 bulb Perko that were installed in hundreds of US boats right in from of the flying bridge...yes shutting off the rear bulb helps...the glare shield is supposed to stop the glare from the rails and foredeck.

I have seen it done....and there are models still available I think...lights that mount on a dash that can be raised as high as 5 or so feet above the dash (assuming there's room below to lower it that far.

If you already have a stern light (I think you posted that before) ...why not just mount a masthead light on the front of your flying bridge and just keep this as an anchor light unless you spend a lot of time on the bridge at night?
 
Bay Pelican has an OGM Led anchor light with photo cell. We have had this for 4 years. Every now and then the photo cell does not turn the unit on. If I were to buy another anchor light I would avoid the photo cell and rely on a manual switch.
 
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