Hello,
Recently purchased a 20 year old steel sloop. With it came a bunch of stuff
that the previous (second) owner had never used, indeed was blissfully
unaware of the intended purpose for most of it. As the months have gone by
I've managed to identify virtually everything but one item remains
unidentified.
It is - a circular housing (approx 50mm diameter) in which is a tiny light
globe (I can't read the wattage but by the look of it no more than one watt)
which is connected to a three - four metre long cable with a two pin plug
(for a 12v outlet) on the end. The housing itself is then enclosed by a
removeable piece of red glass. I suppose it could be intended for use as a
cockpit light that won't harm night vision but the output seems far too low
for it be effective although the length of cable is about right to cover the
distance from power outlets at the nav station to the instrument binnacle in
the cockpit.
Soooooo....what we have is a red light of impossibly small output ,
presumably meant for cockpit use given the length of cable and with no
discernable reason for existence.
Any thoughts ?
Anyone ?
I live in hope
TDW

tdw wrote:

It is - a circular housing (approx 50mm diameter) in which is a tiny light
globe (I can't read the wattage but by the look of it no more than one watt)
which is connected to a three - four metre long cable with a two pin plug
(for a 12v outlet) on the end. The housing itself is then enclosed by a
removeable piece of red glass. I suppose it could be intended for use as a
cockpit light that won't harm night vision but the output seems far too low
for it be effective although the length of cable is about right to cover the
distance from power outlets at the nav station to the instrument binnacle in
the cockpit.

Sounds like a cockpit light that won't harm night vision to me. Have you
actually tried it at night to see how much light it emits? If you're
using your night vision then it's not going to have to produce very much
light to be useful. Even if it doesn't flood the cockpit with red light,
it could probably illuminate a chart held next to it, and that might be
all you need.

Pete

Pete Verdon wrote:

tdw wrote:

It is - a circular housing (approx 50mm diameter) in which is a tiny light
globe (I can't read the wattage but by the look of it no more than one watt)
which is connected to a three - four metre long cable with a two pin plug
(for a 12v outlet) on the end. The housing itself is then enclosed by a
removeable piece of red glass. I suppose it could be intended for use as a
cockpit light that won't harm night vision but the output seems far too low
for it be effective although the length of cable is about right to cover the
distance from power outlets at the nav station to the instrument binnacle in
the cockpit.

Sounds like a cockpit light that won't harm night vision to me. Have you
actually tried it at night to see how much light it emits? If you're
using your night vision then it's not going to have to produce very much
light to be useful. Even if it doesn't flood the cockpit with red light,
it could probably illuminate a chart held next to it, and that might be
all you need.

Pete

Could be the outer cover for a binnacle mounted compass. I have a very
similar bit after having to replace the compass capsule on my boat.
Mine has two red LEDs that illuminate the compass very well.

Derek.

tdw wrote in :

Any thoughts ?


Try it on a midwatch and see how BRIGHT it really is when your retina is
wide open and the billions of stars and galaxies are so bright. I bet you
can read the chart with it with no problem at all.....without ruining your
night vision.

--
There's amazing intelligence in the Universe.
You can tell because none of them ever called Earth.

On 1 Sep 2006 03:20:18 -0700, wrote:

Could be the outer cover for a binnacle mounted compass.

That was my guess also, some sort of compass lighting.

"Larry" wrote in message
...
tdw wrote in :

Any thoughts ?

Hung from a spreader they indicate a brothel ship.
TonyB

This could be a cockpit light that had a bulb burn out, and the
bulb may have been replaced with a lower wattage bulb that
fits the same socket.

--

SeeYaa Harbin Osteen KG6URO

When American Citizens with dual citizenship pledges allegiance
to the flag, to which flag do they pledge allegiance too?

-



tdw wrote in message ...
Hello,
Recently purchased a 20 year old steel sloop. With it came a bunch of stuff that the previous (second) owner had never used,
indeed was blissfully unaware of the intended purpose for most of it. As the months have gone by I've managed to identify
virtually everything but one item remains unidentified.
It is - a circular housing (approx 50mm diameter) in which is a tiny light globe (I can't read the wattage but by the look of it
no more than one watt) which is connected to a three - four metre long cable with a two pin plug (for a 12v outlet) on the end.
The housing itself is then enclosed by a removeable piece of red glass. I suppose it could be intended for use as a cockpit light
that won't harm night vision but the output seems far too low for it be effective although the length of cable is about right to
cover the distance from power outlets at the nav station to the instrument binnacle in the cockpit.
Soooooo....what we have is a red light of impossibly small output , presumably meant for cockpit use given the length of cable and
with no discernable reason for existence.
Any thoughts ?
Anyone ?
I live in hope
TDW

Pete,
I've not tried it in situ as to date I've not been out and about on a dark
enough night away from the city lights but I suspect you are correct. With
no other light in the cockpit it may indeed be sufficient to read any unlit
instruments, compass or chart.
Regards
Andrew

ps - to everyone else who threw in their twopennyth worth , thank you.


"Pete Verdon" d wrote in
message ...
tdw wrote:

It is - a circular housing (approx 50mm diameter) in which is a tiny
light globe (I can't read the wattage but by the look of it no more than
one watt) which is connected to a three - four metre long cable with a
two pin plug (for a 12v outlet) on the end. The housing itself is then
enclosed by a removeable piece of red glass. I suppose it could be
intended for use as a cockpit light that won't harm night vision but the
output seems far too low for it be effective although the length of cable
is about right to cover the distance from power outlets at the nav
station to the instrument binnacle in the cockpit.

Sounds like a cockpit light that won't harm night vision to me. Have you
actually tried it at night to see how much light it emits? If you're using
your night vision then it's not going to have to produce very much light
to be useful. Even if it doesn't flood the cockpit with red light, it
could probably illuminate a chart held next to it, and that might be all
you need.

Pete

Sadly both my good lady wife and I are both well down the slippery slope of
the wrong side of the hill to be able to gain much advantage from that but I
like your train of thought.
Cheers
Andrew

"TonyB" wrote in message
...

"Larry" wrote in message
...
tdw wrote in :

Any thoughts ?

Hung from a spreader they indicate a brothel ship.
TonyB

tdw wrote:
Pete,
I've not tried it in situ as to date I've not been out and about on a dark
enough night away from the city lights but I suspect you are correct. With

Pete

how about an aircraft cockpit light. they usually have coiled cables
and a collet that
changes the light from white to red. usually for a 24 volt system
hence half the lumens at
twelve. maybe an inexpensive varity?

steve