Navigation ligthts

[mikedefieslife]

My 6hp 2 stroke Yamaha engine has the optional AC power outlet fitted. I'm told this for navigation lights. I curious though, as to what lights are actually suitable. Firstly I've never seen any AC powered navigations lights online or in chandleries. Secondly, the voltage varies wildly from 6vac at idle to over 12vac at part throttle.

Has anyone come across anything that might be suitable?

[DennisG01]

You got me. Nav lights for little boats run on DC power. Although I think I've seen large Nav lights (commercial type things?) that may run on AC - but that's 110V. Don't much about that, though.

Not that I've heard of everything, but I've never heard of that - are you sure that's what it is? Is it from Yamaha or is it something a previous owner did? Picture?

[99yam40]

12 v ac or dc will run a light it does not care.
at 6 V it will not be as bright as it is at 12 v

[boscoe99]

Anybody ever seen a bicycle going down the road with a light on? Same deal.

The faster the biker goes the brighter the light. The brighter the light when it is needed the most.

[boscoe99]

Hey 99yam, I was watching Cooks Country about them cooking a brisket. Did you see/have you seen that show? Got some good ideas about grilling in general from that show.

[DennisG01]

Ac powering a DC bulb... I guess I never thought of it that way, but you're right. The bulb is simply a resistor and that resistance to the flow of electricity causes heat and the heat causes light.

Mike, if you're looking for a quick and easy way to boat at night, you can buy battery powered, clamp-on lights.

[99yam40]

Hey 99yam, I was watching Cooks Country about them cooking a brisket. Did you see/have you seen that show? Got some good ideas about grilling in general from that show.

nope , never watched it before

[mikedefieslife]

Ac powering a DC bulb... I guess I never thought of it that way, but you're right. The bulb is simply a resistor and that resistance to the flow of electricity causes heat and the heat causes light.

Mike, if you're looking for a quick and easy way to boat at night, you can buy battery powered, clamp-on lights.

I had some I liked. Small LED red,white,green nav lights, supposedly waterproof with a rubber strap. They fell off and added to the plastic waste in the seas. Waste of €10. They can't be found here (in Martinique) so looking for a more permanent solution. Like an all-round white light on a short pole. Either mounted to my 2.6m dinghy transom or to the cowling.

I thought I'd look for something that could be powered by the engine rather than mess about with batteries. If I can happily run a 12v DC LED from AC then that will be fine.

This is the socket I have. I just need to found out what type of plug fits it.

KST2aaS.jpg

[DennisG01]

From that picture, it just looks like a set of male/female spade connectors. But I can't quite tell for sure. But, in the end, it's just electrical connectors - you can always eliminate that piece and make your own setup.

If you can find them, there are also suction cup, white/all around lights that are designed to stick to the top of the engine cowling. I can only speak for what we have available here in the States, but the battery powered ones I'm familiar with (LED, too), whether clamp-on or suction-cup, work really well.

[99yam40]

I do not think LED lights would work very well, but incandescent would be OK
A/c reverses voltage/ current flow every 1/2 cycle.
it may flicker or not work at all.
set up a battery and get a rectifier/ regulator to change the A/C to DC and rectify/control the voltage to the battery.
that way you will have lights even when the motor is not running

[boscoe99]

An LED would work as long as the voltage is not excessive. If you bought one that is rated for ~ 12 volts you should be fine. It will have an internal resistor to limit the current flow.

http://www.attwoodmarine.com/store/product/7812

Yamaha offers a cable that will plug into the motor mounted receptacle. Simply route it to the remote mounted mast light.

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