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LED Headlight too bright


Richard10002

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18 minutes ago, David Schweizer said:

The bulb in our tunnel light was 40watts, and more than bright enough to see with. I never could ubderstand why some boateers wanted to illuminate the entire length of the tunnel, and blind the steerers of oncoming boats in the process.

i CAN  see why you would want to illuminate the entire tunnel, they are fascinating structures full of quirky fountaiins, waterfalls and stalagatites of varying colours, along with historical items like side tunnels, old electrical cable mounts and dodgy brickwork with varying heights. I have lots of lights and lanterns available for us and friends to use when on the boat.

The only thing I say is - dont shine it at oncoming boats.

my tunnel light is an old headlamp with a 15 W bulb

 

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20 minutes ago, David Schweizer said:

The bulb in our tunnel light was 40watts, and more than bright enough to see with. I never could ubderstand why some boateers wanted to illuminate the entire length of the tunnel, and blind the steerers of oncoming boats in the process.

With you on that. Mine is  a 50w halogen and gives a good arc light to the tunnel roof which is enough for me to navigate through. I have no need to see a 100yds, or even 25yds, ahead.

 

7 hours ago, Ray T said:

Some of them just used a candle!

Apparently Candle Bridge in Blisworth is named after a cottage which was nearby where candles could be purchased prior to entering the Blisworth tunnel. 

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Something such as this - http://www.lockside-antiques.co.uk/Canalia.html  (the tunnel light at the top of the page) is, in my opinion, more than adequate.

I see a number of wide beams through Blisworth tunnel and I find you can almost be blinded by their tunnels lights when you take a look down the tunnel even if they are 2.8km away although of course they are not going to affect another boat!  Not so the wide beam last week which only had a torch (no tunnel light fitted) which failed before he was half way through - I wonder if that was the reason he took 1H 50m to transit the tunnel. When it was working it was so bright. I find (may be age) that with such a bright light in a confined place depth of field perception is challenging - how far away is the boat coming in the opposite direction?

Something equivalent to the old style fog lights - a wide beam (as in a beam of light and not a boat) which is angled upwards and to the right would be more than adequate.

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2 hours ago, David Schweizer said:

The bulb in our tunnel light was 40watts, and more than bright enough to see with. I never could ubderstand why some boateers wanted to illuminate the entire length of the tunnel, and blind the steerers of oncoming boats in the process.

I never fitted a tunnel light, I just use the nav lights (20watts) thats all I need.

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2 hours ago, Leo No2 said:

Something such as this - http://www.lockside-antiques.co.uk/Canalia.html  (the tunnel light at the top of the page) is, in my opinion, more than adequate.

I see a number of wide beams through Blisworth tunnel and I find you can almost be blinded by their tunnels lights when you take a look down the tunnel even if they are 2.8km away although of course they are not going to affect another boat!  Not so the wide beam last week which only had a torch (no tunnel light fitted) which failed before he was half way through - I wonder if that was the reason he took 1H 50m to transit the tunnel. When it was working it was so bright. I find (may be age) that with such a bright light in a confined place depth of field perception is challenging - how far away is the boat coming in the opposite direction?

Something equivalent to the old style fog lights - a wide beam (as in a beam of light and not a boat) which is angled upwards and to the right would be more than adequate.

That is exactly what we had, a 1940's 6volt Lucas King of the Road fog lamp, but as I could not get a 12 volt replacement bulb, I removed the original reflector and replaced it with one from  old VW golf keeping the original fog light lense, and fitted a p45 bulb. The lamp in the link looks identical to the one we had, it cost me £5 in a boot sale.

Edited by David Schweizer
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In an effort to turn this in to a "show us your tunnel light" topic, here is mine being tested on a rainy day before doing Foulridge tunnel.

foulridge-light.JPG

This is an old ships stern lamp. Inside it has been lined with tinfoil, which provides a wide flat spread of light from the car halogen bulb. More than enough. It is mounted on the lamp bracket if that days boating has a tunnel planned. Otherwise it is on a shelf in the living room.

Jen

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23 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

I can't tell you how pleased I am to hear that the disadvantages of led 'tunnel' lights are being recognised by a user of one. I quite understand why they are attractive as it sounds like a great idea to be able to really light up the tunnel ahead with such a powerful lamp - until you meet one coming the other way!

When hotel boating I had a tunnel lamp but found switching on all the cabin lights, the light shining through the windows in the cabin sides lit up the tunnel arch & gave a better light to steer by

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23 hours ago, Richard10002 said:

Any suggestions for the redundant 5000 lumen spotlight.... I'm thinking the skip, but it might have a use?

I'll take it off your hands and make a £10 donation to the Wales Air Ambulance for it.

And it won't be going on another boat!

Edited by Graham Davis
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3 hours ago, Halsey said:

Well done to the OP for acknowledging the issue and being prepared to do something about it - please don't resell to another boater!

IMHO these things should be controlled via the BSSC process.

 

Cant see me selling it... the hassle of packing it up and posting it wont be worth it.

In fairness to the product, it isn't sold as a boat light, it's sold as an off roading spotlight, so one would assume that it can be turned off and on as desired, and there are both main and dipped headlights available at the same time.

I bought it because a few other boaters at our club raved about it, and there is no doubt that it makes cruising at night very straightforward.

I'm not looking for a tunnel light, (there are none on The Bridgewater, and I havent been beyond Warrington since 2011, so unlikely to be traversing even Preston Brook. But I do move about a bit after dark, (not often, but now and then), so lighting up the canal ahead is my desire.

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I have a bog standard fog light but I mounted it upside down as the function of a fog light is to illuminate the road just in front of the car.  Fitting it upside down illuminates the doof and sides of the tunnel just in front of the boat.

I've never had any complaints.

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16 minutes ago, Halsey said:

You are clearly already enlightened as to the issues and reactions of others - use it to avoid a swim or an accident - that's what it is for

Not sure what you mean? Are you suggesting we don’t need anything to light up the way ahead when it’s dark?

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The official advice is to angle up and to the right for a tunnel light. Lots of the shiny boat brigade have 2ft diameter searchlights lighting up everything before them, presumably to deter anyone from being able to make any headway against it so eliminating the prospect of collision (their thinking). There are also those who 'need' a headlight for nocturnal soirees and make no concession for tunnels.

The road thinking of those individuals who light up everything in front of them with the modern trend for LED's, seem oblivious to the fact that their lights cast shadows of the vehicle in front, but don't even think  (or know how to ) to use the dashboard leveller.

A hand held spot directed straight at the offenders in tunnels may make them think again.

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3 hours ago, Richard10002 said:

Not sure what you mean? Are you suggesting we don’t need anything to light up the way ahead when it’s dark?

IMHO cruising after dark should very much be the exception not the rule and only done with the appropriate additional red and green navigation lights - please don't overlook that I applauded your actions earlier - your LED light is for improved "torch" style use to better ensure your personal safety.

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5 minutes ago, Halsey said:

IMHO cruising after dark should very much be the exception not the rule and only done with the appropriate additional red and green navigation lights - please don't overlook that I applauded your actions earlier - your LED light is for improved "torch" style use to better ensure your personal safety.

I don't think you will find they are a requirement on canals.

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1 hour ago, rusty69 said:

Neither are lifejackets, but are considered sensible by some. 

Considering that a narrow boat is too narrow to display them, according to the advice in the regs, and I was not referring to rivers, I really cannot see what use they would be.
And we have had this conversation on here numerous times in the past.

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28 minutes ago, Graham Davis said:

Falls down in my book with the assertion 'you are more likely to be travelling at night on tidal waterways' which is just plain nonsense.

Contradictory, inaccurate and confusing info. abounds in that link.

Edited by MJG
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8 hours ago, MJG said:

Falls down in my book with the assertion 'you are more likely to be travelling at night on tidal waterways' which is just plain nonsense.

I believe that the point they were attempting to make (poorly) was that there is rarely a need to travel on non-tidal waterways at night. There may be a desire to do so but rarely a need. On a tidal waterway you may have little choice but to travel at night... because of the tides. 

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