LED In Navigation Bulbs - Could Be Non Compliant

[BlowingOldBoots]

I know this is an old topic done to death, the combination of navigation lamps designed for incandescent bulbs, fitted with and LED doesn't give the correct luminosity and chromatic light; throw in crazed and dulled lenses and you may as well hold a candle in the wind.

Which brings me to my point. Our beloved MCA issued guidance on this matter in 2009, MGN 393 (M+F), Navigation Light Units: Maintenance and the Use of New Technology Light Sources, such as Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), as Navigation Lights on SOLAS and non-SOLAS Vessels.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... GN_393.pdf

If your vessel is coded (charter, sailing school, fishing trips, porpoise bothering etc) i.e. SOLAS compliant, then if you have LEDs you must have either an alarm fitted warning when the LED luminous intensity falls below the required by the COLREGS, or, a maintenance plan that changes out the LED before the degradation starts.

Apparently we can only use OEM approved bulbs in our navigation lanterns, hence aftermarket LEDs fitted to lamps designed for incandescent bulbs, may not stand up to scrutiny.

I came across this note when looking at new LEDs for my boat from Boat Lamps: -

https://boatlamps.co.uk/pages/navigatio ... nformation

Important: In common with other replacement LED lamps on the market, it is not possible to have any sort of marine authority certification for individual replacement bulbs. These LED lamps are easily visible at distances exceeding 3nm in standard fixtures and are the brightest replacement LED bulbs available. Given the vast array of navigation light fittings installed on marine vessels, it is the user's decision alone whether to use our products to retrofit any particular light fitting used for navigation purposes.

What do you think, life is too short to worry about rules for the obeyance of fools, and the guidance of wise men?

[Gardenshed]

Life’s too short
When did you ever see/hear of a court case or mca prosecution of someone using a LED bulb vs an incandescent one?


Move along……

[BlowingOldBoots]

... When did you ever see/hear of a court case or mca prosecution of someone using a LED bulb vs an incandescent one? ...

I worry that my insurance would be invalidated? Apparently, according to YBW forums, anything can result in insurance being invalidated.

I am being facetious. I lost my tricolour, fell off the top of the mast and plopped overboard, sinking. I need to buy LEDs for the new one and my spare LEDs are not marked up, so I wasn't sure what one to fit in the new housing.

The reason for changing from incandescent to LED is power saving. Another consideration with the growth of solar and smart engine driven charging systems, modern batteries, greater understanding, are LEDs really superior?

For example a standard 24W/24V Bay 15D is only £4.50 compared to £22.50 for the LED equivalent (actually the LED is claimed to be brighter and longer range than the 25W). I started to think about this as a result of an article on another forum and the shocking price increases underway i.e. why pay £22.50 when £4.50 will do the job?

[Burst Boiler]

In theory, the LED should last longer. So you might buy 3 or 4 incandescents over the same period as one LED cancelling out the cost difference. In practice, the average age of most sailors means one incadescent will outlast the sailor. Don't buy cheap LEDs for up the mast - they create electrical noise that drowns out weak VHF or AIS signals. Unfortunately they don't seem to drown out classic fm . . .

[Gardenshed]

"Apparently, according to YBW forums, anything can result in insurance being invalidated"

not exactly the worlds most reputable source of factual information. Why not just ask your insurance company?