I modified a Pelican clip on headlight (2AA) to use a green LED as a light source. It is intended as a skulking light as well as a long lasting flashlight. I found the LED at Radio Shack, the light gives enough illumination to see for walking in the woods and on the rocks of the North Shore of Lake Superior. I observed that the LED was quite visible for several hundred yards as an unnaturally bright and small green dot. Multiple LEDs would work well as a signal marker, see the flashing LED bike lights for an example, a single LED is not likely to give off enough light to be useful as a safety signal. Dana Dickson <snip> From: Nick Schade <schade_at_guillemot-kayaks.com> Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] LED lights One reason LEDs run so long on batteries is they don't draw much power (obviously), and one reason they don't draw much power is they don't put out much light. The LEDs will probably be very hard to see from more than 100 ft. One or two lights probably won't provide much visiblity. Now, if you had a whole string of them along the sheerline you would really show up. <snip> *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
At 12:04 PM 1/22/99 -0600, you wrote: >I modified a Pelican clip on headlight (2AA) to use a green LED as a light >source. It is intended as a skulking light as well as a long lasting >flashlight. I found the LED at Radio Shack, the light gives enough >illumination to see for walking in the woods and on the rocks of the North >Shore of Lake Superior. I observed that the LED was quite visible for >several hundred yards as an unnaturally bright and small green dot. >Multiple LEDs would work well as a signal marker, see the flashing LED bike >lights for an example, a single LED is not likely to give off enough light >to be useful as a safety signal. > >Dana Dickson Hi Dana, I think the newer, more powerful LEDs have great potential as kayak "running lights". I don't think I'd want a single green LED as people might think this was my starboard running light. And though the rules differ for inland and open ocean waters, I think many people would interpret a rapid flashing light as a distress signal (and a slow flashing light as a buoy:-) Philip T. N49°16' W123°08' "The opinions expressed in this posting are not necessarily those of my employer, or indeed, of any sentient being." *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Product Information Department wrote: > And though the rules differ for > inland and open ocean waters, I think many people would interpret a rapid > flashing light as a distress signal (and a slow flashing light as a buoy:-) To expand on this, I have been told it is illegal to use a flashing light on the Great Lakes for any purpose other than an emergency. (BTW, how does one differentiate a flashing emergency beacon from a steady flashing buoy? My strobe isnt that rapid. Buoys with irregular flash sequences are obvious, but...) Colorado Kayak, in their catalogue, suggest using a flashing light to mark your campsite during evening paddles. Not recommended in the Great Lakes. Mike *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Philip, I agree with all your points. I have used green and red multi LED bike lights, in a non-flashing mode, as running lights on my kayak. These lights were in addition to the white lights on our heads. USCG regulations for kayakers can be met with a flashlight that can be used for signalling. We added continuous lights for warning and ended up attracting a large power fishng launch. I think the operator wanted to see what was going on with the odd lights on the water. He did not seem to appreciate our efforts; he called out on his PA system that we should meet power boat lighting requirements or get off of the lake. Dana Dickson -----Original Message----- From: pid_at_mec.ca [mailto:pid_at_mec.ca] Sent: Friday, January 22, 1999 12:32 PM To: Dickson, Dana A. Cc: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subject: RE: [Paddlewise] LED Lights <snip> Hi Dana, I think the newer, more powerful LEDs have great potential as kayak "running lights". I don't think I'd want a single green LED as people might think this was my starboard running light. And though the rules differ for inland and open ocean waters, I think many people would interpret a rapid flashing light as a distress signal (and a slow flashing light as a buoy:-) Philip T. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
If you still have the package you'll discover that this LED is probably only a couple of hundred MCDs. The Super Brights are considerably bigger as well and tend to disperse the light better, especially with a lens and reflector. cu > -- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
If you can speed up the flashing of the LEDs to 60 pulses or more per minute, they appear steady and increase battery life. cya *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
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