Spotlight vs LED FLoodlight

[eagle419]

The original mast-mounted spot with remote control was useless in any sort of sea, so I added a couple of small forward facing floods that are high enough to not interfere with the navigation light presentation.

Lower barn doors keep spill off the foredeck.

They're good amongst cray pots and helpful spotting wave patterns a couple of hundred feet out. In harbour, approaching moorings etc we use a good cri torch.



BTW, With our helm in the saloon and plenty of glass reflecting plenty of UFOs, good night vision is hard to maintain at the best of times.

 

[rgano]

We have such long days here in the NW. Harbor hopping is pretty easy by day. You can head out most days at 4:30 am and run till 10:00pm. A typical day hop would be Neah bay to Westport to Garibaldi to Newport Bay to Bandon to Crescent City to Eureka to Ft Bragg to Bodega Bay to SF.

We do more winter than summer boating, and the short winter days give plenty of opportunities to play with lights.

 

[Seevee]

Now when I was talking about spotlights im talking about dedicated marine units, I’ve been heavily considering some off-road units like this for my boat. Great price with an advanced control unit better than any marine unit I’ve ever seen. Also has the ability to switch between flood and spot, I’ve only seen that ability on the spotlights I use at work but they are 5k+ And both of them on prob draw 6000w of power so they are not an option aboard anything but large yachts.


https://www.strobesnmore.com/whelen-arges-remote-spotlight.html

Looks like a great light but without dual controls it's a no deal. Still looking for a permanent mount LED one with joy stick control.


As for handhelds, I'm going to upgrade mine to two really good ones, from one of the following manufactureres;
Fenix
Surefire
Streamlight
They all have pretty good quality.


However, I want a pure on/off feature. ABSOLUTELY NO STROBE, hate those. Perhaps a high/low power, but on a separate switch, but not really handy.


Anyone purchase similar?

 

[FF]

More than one hand held is nice so a guest wont run your good unit down.

One that floats with the bulb side up can be tossed overboard to mark a spot when needed.

 

[SteveK]

I have hand held upper and lower helm, seldom used. I have considered adding a fixed flood light under the pulpit so nothing on board reflects back.

 

[Seevee]

More than one hand held is nice so a guest wont run your good unit down.

One that floats with the bulb side up can be tossed overboard to mark a spot when needed.

For a general, cheap pocket light, these are a bargain, work well, simple USD charging and NO annoying strobe:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07TSR5WHQ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=A3RRY3J7BS52EE&psc=1


https://www.strobesnmore.com/whelen-...spotlight.html
This one is looking better and better. Great specs, easy to use and relative cheap compared to "marine" lights. Called them about a second remote... yes I could buy one but they said it wouldn't work.
How hard would it be to modify to have an upper and lower control head, perhaps with some sort of switching?

 

[KnotYet]

For a general, cheap pocket light, these are a bargain, work well, simple USD charging and NO annoying strobe:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07TSR5WHQ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=A3RRY3J7BS52EE&psc=1
https://www.strobesnmore.com/whelen-...spotlight.html
This one is looking better and better. Great specs, easy to use and relative cheap compared to "marine" lights. Called them about a second remote... yes I could buy one but they said it wouldn't work.
How hard would it be to modify to have an upper and lower control head, perhaps with some sort of switching?

I don't have one in front of me but a handy electronics hobbyist could no doubt make
a 2 in/1 out box that could manually switch between 2 control units.
These are designed for road vehicles so some extension cabling will be needed anyway.

 

[Seevee]

I don't have one in front of me but a handy electronics hobbyist could no doubt make
a 2 in/1 out box that could manually switch between 2 control units.
These are designed for road vehicles so some extension cabling will be needed anyway.

KnotYet,


That's what I thought.. ain't rocket science, but a bit above my paygrade.... need a tech guy.... or a source for a switch box.

 

[Jmarsh203]

I’m positive a switching box can be built. No reason why it couldn’t be after looking at the wiring diagram, I’m not seeing any coax cable just wires even if there was coax it could still be done just slightly more complicated. And for the cost of the unit it’s still worthwhile even after the cost of the box. A marine unit similar would be well over a grand. I’d be suprised if a switching box would cost more than $200 to have built for it for dual helm stations.

 

[FoxtrotCharlie]

We had one of those $1100 Jabsco spotlights (probably original 1988). Light would work, and could hear motor when trying horizontal move - that's all. We primarily use a powerful LED handheld, but I did replace the Jabsco with a halogen Golight - about $90. Works great.

 

[Seevee]

I’m positive a switching box can be built. No reason why it couldn’t be after looking at the wiring diagram, I’m not seeing any coax cable just wires even if there was coax it could still be done just slightly more complicated. And for the cost of the unit it’s still worthwhile even after the cost of the box. A marine unit similar would be well over a grand. I’d be suprised if a switching box would cost more than $200 to have built for it for dual helm stations.

Think I might give up on that one....talking to an electrical expert, they say the switch would likely interfere with the impedance of the twisted pair. Not being an expert, I'm not going to reinvent the wheel without help. And this one looks like it could be time consuming, which I don't have.


Wiring diagram attached with what I would add.

 

[Jmarsh203]

I’m finding out what the end connections are right now, if it’s standard end connectors on the 22 gauge twisted pair there already may be splitter boxes built for it. It may effect the impedance, but it looks like they are using it for simple commands, not trying to pump data for internet through them. May not matter if the if it throws off the impedance a bit.

 

[KnotYet]

I’m finding out what the end connections are right now, if it’s standard end connectors on the 22 gauge twisted pair there already may be splitter boxes built for it. It may effect the impedance, but it looks like they are using it for simple commands, not trying to pump data for internet through them. May not matter if the if it throws off the impedance a bit.

The need to extend the cables the extra feet it would take to reach the flybridge
or pilothouse may be as big or a bigger problem with regard to added impedance.

 

[SteveK]

Suppose a duplicate cable is run to the CB, the impedance is separate.
That said if the light reflects on the rails etc then it will be not be as useful as if the only control is at the CB

 

[Mark Laurnen]

Excellent responses all. I always find the base of knowledge and experience astounding on TF. I have the same light atop my Albin 31 ... it works fine but is seldom useful because of the glare off of the foredeck. For a little money, and a lot of inconvenience with a few expletives, I installed a small (8") LED light bar just below the bow sprit. This is a foolproof stationary unit simply wired for on-off. It is partially obstructed by the anchor, but effectively illuminates any object dead ahead with plenty of time to take evasive action at nighttime cruising speeds. The advantage of this arrangement is that I don't even realize the light is on until an object becomes a threat ... night vision is preserved. Crab pots are a seasonal, but real, threat in the PNW ... logs escaped from the many towed log booms seem to know no season.

 

[ksanders]

Previously I had a very nice Rigid LED fixed spotlight on the bow pulpit.

This was a very good, and at overt $500 i thought a very expensive light.

Just this last week I removed that light as part of my bow pulpit removal project and installed a new Golight wireless LED light on the roof of the pilothouse.

There is no comparison between the two as far as beam focus, and distance illuminated. The GoLight far and away exceeds the Rigid light.

I did re-purpouse the Rigid light as a shorter distance light including foredeck illumination and it does wonderfully for that.

 

[yesterdaysdream]

Now when I was talking about spotlights im talking about dedicated marine units, I’ve been heavily considering some off-road units like this for my boat. Great price with an advanced control unit better than any marine unit I’ve ever seen. Also has the ability to switch between flood and spot, I’ve only seen that ability on the spotlights I use at work but they are 5k+ And both of them on prob draw 6000w of power so they are not an option aboard anything but large yachts.


https://www.strobesnmore.com/whelen-arges-remote-spotlight.html

Thanks for the recommendation Jmarsh203!

I have pulled the trigger and ordered the Arges Profocus (Spot/Flood). Its rugged and will be easy to control from the lower helm. I can also easily move it manually from the upperhelm.

Spotlight + control head + flat mount: $1120 CAD

https://www.whelen.com/product/arges-remote-spotlight/

I will also upgrade my hand held.

 

[yesterdaysdream]

Think I might give up on that one....talking to an electrical expert, they say the switch would likely interfere with the impedance of the twisted pair. Not being an expert, I'm not going to reinvent the wheel without help. And this one looks like it could be time consuming, which I don't have.


Wiring diagram attached with what I would add.

I did consider ordering the extra control head, but in practice I think it would be easier to control manually. The spotlight is a foot away from the ships wheel on the upper helm, so very easy to grab with one hand and moving it manually - rather than using a control that would be installed right beside it. Also easier for another person to control manually - if needed.

Here is a video that shows the ease of the manual control with these lights @ 1:50 mark. https://youtu.be/xJ39uKeYnE0

 

[bowball]

What I did when replacing the spotlight was to have the control on the flybridge and a wireless remote for it velcroed in the pilot house helm.

 

[Jmarsh203]

When you have it all installed and have played with it a little let us know how it turned out.

 

[bowball]

When you have it all installed and have played with it a little let us know how it turned out.

Sure. It was something my boatyard does often so hope it’s good!