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Navigation Lights VERY dim!

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Forsythe

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Lakeland, TN
Our 2013 Bennington GCW 2375 has VERY dim front navigation lights....we do a LOT of night boating and can barely see the lights reflecting on the water.  Our old Fisher pontoon boat lit up the water with "flood lights" almost and could see perfectly. Here is a pic of a boat with our same lights. Any way to improve the front lighting?


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Just a friendly reminder, running at night with "docking" lights lit is illegal and also very dangerous to other boaters. 1. It blinds them. 2. It does not allow them to see if you are coming toward them as they may not see your navigation lights.


The SS led lights shown are common to be known as fairly dim. Kind of a common complaint on the forum. 
 
I've had trouble with my "stock" navigation lights. It seems they only work until I need them. I have to step up to the front and slap the housing some to make them come on. I just went yesterday and bought some new bulbs, and installed, but I've decided to replace them with LED style nav. light assemblies. Tired of messing with those crappy "bulbs" that came with the boat. The LED will also be much brighter, plus they won't get so hot that you can't touch the housing.


Something like this:



Stainless Steel LED Boat Sidelight, Green - Attwood


Your Price: $30.71




Save: $5.78

 (15% Off $36.49)



Part # 3530G7 ValueShip™ Eligible






SHIPS TODAY!* if ordered in 1 hr 57 mins.


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I got the white since my lenses are the correct color. Thought the white may get a little brighter coming through the colored glass. I'll sure let you know about them, as well as take some pics. Hopefully, I'll remember to take a before and after. 
 
Great, will try those bulbs as well! Appreciate the friendly reminder for sure, been boating for 40+ years and always open to learning new things! ;)  Thanks for tips and I only leave the normal red/green nav lights on when cruising, but need brighter white docking lights when in our channel to get back to our boathouse. 
 
Spoiledrotten said:
I got the white since my lenses are the correct color. Thought the white may get a little brighter coming through the colored glass. I'll sure let you know about them, as well as take some pics. Hopefully, I'll remember to take a before and after. 
Click to expand...

If you got white ones they will not work well. They should be the same color as the lens.
 
cwag911 said:
If you got white ones they will not work well. They should be the same color as the lens.
Click to expand...

Not sure about that. Have you tried them? The incandescent bulbs are considered white. Why would the LED be any different. We'll see tomorrow. They should be delivered then. If they don't work, then they don't work. They were only $6 or so for 4 bulbs, so that little experiment won't break me.  Besides, when it's dark and I'm under way, the red LEDs running down the side and in front, under the deck are on, so if someone can't see me, they shouldn't be on the water when the sun goes down. My main concern is to stay legal.
 
Good info, cwag. I see the light emitted image of the red vs. white. I'll most likely reorder the red if they are as that image shows. I definitely want brighter lights.


Just ordered the RED LEDs. :D
 
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What about the green ( starboard) side? Also, you might be able to use the white ones in your cars, trucks for interior.
 
cwag911 said:
What about the green ( starboard) side? Also, you might be able to use the white ones in your cars, trucks for interior.
Click to expand...

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I believe green will be needed on the port side. :D   Keep me straight, cwag. Forgot about that side. 
 
Green = Starboard


Red = Port


LOL
 
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I'm multitasking, which means the awesome ability to mess up multiple things at once. I would have gotten it right when putting them on.... maybe. Might end up putting the green bulb behind the red lens and the red bulb behind the green lens, just to mess up everyone that sees me. :D
 
Ok, I got my LED festoon bulbs in, and it's a difference of night and day.


Here are a few before and after pics. I know that it would be a better comparison if this had been after dark, but I wasn't waiting to install them so you'll just have to compare the two for now at noon, and hopefully, I'll think to take some pics of them after dark. 


The first are the stock bulbs and then the LED with 12 diodes/pod.


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No more hot light housings! Now, I'll be burning less battery power when they are on.
 
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Nice!
 
I had the white LED, but after seeing the diagram of how the white is filtered through the colored lens, I didn't mess with them. I need to see what to do with the anchor light, now. That's the only thing left to replace.


I also added some arch light to the bimini. Here is a daytime shot of them.


These are about half as bright as the ones down the side. I didn't want these so bright that it took away from the ambiance'. 


42970438-AB04-4A12-84B7-50C5B5BE5F37.jpg



I'll definitely get a shot of this after dark.
 
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Spoiledrotten said:
I had the white LED, but after seeing the diagram of how the white is filtered through the colored lens, I didn't mess with them. I need to see what to do with the anchor light, now. That's the only thing left to replace.


I also added some arch light to the bimini. Here is a daytime shot of them.


These are about half as bright as the ones down the side. I didn't want these so bright that it took away from the ambiance'. 





I'll definitely get a shot of this after dark.
Click to expand...

This is what I used for the anchor light.
 
I got some pics while I was out, this evening. The LED navigation lights shine out.


AB5BD22C-8D02-4036-B03E-6DEB578051C1.jpg



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8A214438-3DD4-409B-81E1-1C278A7E03C4.jpg
 
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