Anchor light bulb replacement.

Jack Hutteball · May 07, 2009, 07:55:13 AM

Does anyone know what the bulb type is for the top of the mast anchor light on a 2001 C34 MK ll? If you replaced your bulb with a LED, what did you use?
Jack

Steve Sayian · May 07, 2009, 09:01:06 AM

Jack,

I replaced the bulb last year when the mast was down. I took pictures of it but don't know the brand. It's an incandescent bulb, not LED.
Pictures attached.

Jack Hutteball · May 07, 2009, 09:46:03 AM

Thank you Steve. I am mostly concerned about the base so I can select the proper LED bulb, straight pins, offset, etc. The size of the bulb brings up a question, is the lens cover tall enough to accept an LED bulb which are taller than the incandescent?
Jack

Jack Hutteball · May 07, 2009, 09:48:52 AM

PS. based on your pictures it appears there is a bit of corrosion on the base of the bulb. that may be my problem as well.
Jack

Steve Sayian · May 07, 2009, 10:32:48 AM

Jack,

I think that the lens was probably about an inch taller (internal) than the top of the bulb, but I really didn't pay that much attention since I was replacing the bulb with a similar size.

As far as the corrosion, the base was corroded as well as the filament being burned out. When I replaced the bulb, I cleaned the base, the wire leads and contacts and then applied dielectric to everything to minimize corrosion potential. The seal between the lens and the base isn't the best in the world either and I think that's where the moisture was coming from.

Steve

Stu Jackson · May 07, 2009, 11:17:41 AM

The old OEM anchor light was a Perko, half dome. No room for an LED. We replaced ours with a Davis Mega light back before they made LEDs.

Matley · May 07, 2009, 06:27:13 PM

My anchor light is an Aqua Signal Model 25, it's light bulb (a festoon type) burned out last year and replacement was on my spring to/do list.

Like others, I wanted a LED type bulb for all of the well known reasons.

I purchased a LED replacement from http://www.doctorled.com/f16.htm.

The bulb has a couple adapters included in the package and these adapters may have worked all by them selves but I chose to solder the adapters in place.

The result is a firmly attached bulb that I don't expect to ever have to repair again.

Do you wonder about the brightness of this single LED that draws less than 1 watt?

It is much brighter than the emergency lantern battery driven light I used last year.

It is much brighter than I expected and a very clever design.

Ron Hill · May 07, 2009, 06:33:59 PM

Jack : One of the biggest problems with the Catalina factory is that they may not have used the same lighting (Anchor lite included) fixtures - even in some cases on the same year production boats!!

Before you spend any $$ on bulbs I'd recommend that you take a trip up the mast and find out which bulb/base that you really need to fit your fixture. Then and only then should you look for an LED bulb. A thought

Jack Hutteball · May 07, 2009, 10:41:57 PM

Ron, I have come to that conclusion myself. If I do in fact have a light that takes a bulb like Steve's picture, I have yet to find a simple replacement LED that may fit it. Just scanning all the Catalinas in the marina today, I did not see any two lights that appeared the same or like mine. Mine may be a Perko, but it appears taller than a half dome even if it is rounded on top. I could not fine it in any of the marine catalogs I have or on line either. So it looks like Fleet 5 Captain Craig gets to send me up the mast twice.

Jack Hutteball · May 08, 2009, 12:53:07 PM

PROJECT UPDATE: Had a fun trip up the mast this morning thanks to Captain Craig. The bulb was fine, just some corrosion on the base. Bulb just like Steve posted, and there appears to be about 1" of clearance above the installed bulb, so there may be room for a LED bulb. Did not see any name on the fixture, but here is what it looks like.

Craig Illman · May 08, 2009, 05:40:45 PM

The evidence that it was actually him up there. Hey, what's that washer welded to up there?

Ron Hill · May 08, 2009, 07:19:41 PM

Jack ; There's a LED bulb that also goes into the Davis "hang up" anchor light with that same base.
It's about $2.50 from Four Winds in Flordia. It's a #BS9S-white CC. Call (914)575-4404 and ask for Paul.
Hope this helps.

Jack Hutteball · May 08, 2009, 07:27:03 PM

Thanks Ron, I will look into that. In my research yesterday I did find an LED that was shorter than the Dr LED 40 but it has only 16 LED lights in it. It says on the card that it is not for navigation lights, but it looks like it would be as bright as the incandescent bulb.

Craig, that washer is tied to the other end of the tag line I showed you in the bilge at the base of the mast post. Ready for wiring new Stuff on top!

ger_999 · May 09, 2009, 09:34:33 AM

Quote from: Jack Hutteball on May 07, 2009, 07:55:13 AM
Does anyone know what the bulb type is for the top of the mast anchor light on a 2001 C34 MK ll? If you replaced your bulb with a LED, what did you use?
Jack

I replaced the entire light with an LED with a light sensor that turns it on and off at dusk and dawn.
Handy for those that forget to turn them off in the morning.
I ordered it from the manufacture if your interested I will look around for the make etc.