Let There Be Light

[Wobbly Dick]

I have noticed a large range of spot lights, from car type to magnificent 12"+ lights that look as though they would give you a sun tan!

 

What would you advice?

[DHutch]

I have noticed a large range of spot lights, from car type to magnificent 12"+ lights that look as though they would give you a sun tan!

 

What would you advice?

We have a cheap little 50w durite jobby.

- Its not amasing, but its its good enought, and we take it off when ever we're not using it.

- Ive also recently seen the odd boat with a 240v floodlight on the front, quite feasable if you have an inverter already.

 

Then just aim it up a little, so it lights the tunnel roof/walls, not just the black hole in the middle, and turn on all the cabin lights as yuo go though.

 

Ive also seen people with a secondard flood/tunnel light mounted on the roof near the back of the cabin, presumable for flooding the roof of the tunnel above the boat?

 

 

 

Daniel

Edited June 9, 2006 by dhutch

[Wobbly Dick]

Cheers Daniel!

[Guest]

We have a cheap little 50w durite jobby.

- Its not amasing, but its its good enought, and we take it off when ever we're not using it.

- Ive also recently seen the odd boat with a 240v floodlight on the front, quite feasable if you have an inverter already.

Then just aim it up a little, so it lights the tunnel roof/walls, not just the black hole in the middle, and turn on all the cabin lights as yuo go though.

Daniel

150w £3 or so from screwix, thinking of trying one sometime.

[Silkhay]

150w £3 or so from screwix, thinking of trying one sometime.

Slightly off topic, but is there a "legal" requirement for a "Tunnel light" to be fitted at all times. Living on the Gloucester Sharpness we are a long way from the nearest tunnel that is longer than an extended bridge, Until we get Saperton opened up of course.

 

Martin

[David Schweizer]

I have noticed a large range of spot lights, from car type to magnificent 12"+ lights that look as though they would give you a sun tan!

 

What would you advice?

You do not need a powerful lamp for use in tunnels - 50 to 60 watts is more than adequate as your eyes soon adjust to the darkness. (I have a pre war Lucas lamp with a 45watt tungsten bulb) However I would recomend that rather than buying a spotlamp, that you buy a fog lamp which produces a wide flat beam, which can be directed upwards onto the tunnel roof. where it gives the best illumination and does not dazzle oncoming boats. The other trick in tunnels is to put all the portside lights on inside the boat, these will reflect light off the inside of the boat and illuminate the tunnel wall, which enables you to get close to the tunnel wall when passing other boats.

[DHutch]

Slightly off topic, but is there a "legal" requirement for a "Tunnel light" to be fitted at all times.

I dont beleave so. As i say, we take ours off all bar when we're acctally using it.

 

 

Daniel

[Keeping Up]

You do not need a powerful lamp for use in tunnels - 50 to 60 watts is more than adequate as your eyes soon adjust to the darkness. (I have a pre war Lucas lamp with a 45watt tungsten bulb) However I would recomend that rather than buying a spotlamp, that you buy a fog lamp which produces a wide flat beam, which can be directed upwards onto the tunnel roof. where it gives the best illumination and does not dazzle oncoming boats. The other trick in tunnels is to put all the portside lights on inside the boat, these will reflect light off the inside of the boat and illuminate the tunnel wall, which enables you to get close to the tunnel wall when passing other boats.

I agree with David's comments here. I have a 55W foglamp with a nice flat beam which doesn't dazzle people coming the other way. It's certainly bright enough (although my personal preference is to angle it down to strike the water about 20 feet in front of the boat). Either way works, up or down, as long as it doesn't shine at the steerer of the other boat. Putting on all the internal lights is also an excellent idea (although if you are leaving the back doors open, don't turn on the light in the back cabin or it will spoil your own night-vision).

 

I believe that for a while at one time it was mandatory for tunnel lights to be a fog-lamp rather than a spotllight. Certainly one of my pet hates is being dazzled by a bright spotlight pointing straight at me in a tunnel. I do also have a very big 100W spotlamp, with a narrow beam that will shine half a mile, but I never use it in a tunnel (I keep it strictly for when I'm travelling at night)

 

Allan

[Big John]

When we went through Harecastle Tunnel recently, as well as the Bow Light (and the cabin lights) we used a hand held 8" torch to light the roof of the boat and roof of the tunnel. Helped a lot.

[Maffi]

Until we get Sapperton opened up of course.

 

Martin

 

 

Don't hold your breath!

[matt]

I've bought an old Francis search light off ebay, like this one.

 

Although I paid less, they are off fire engines I think.

 

My dad has converted it to 12v and fabbed a mounting bracket. I've just got to install it now.

[Denis R]

I'm using an 11" Francis light and - (there's been a thread on this subject before come to think of it, might be worth searching) - it works well, but you have to adjust the focus to widen the beam otherwise it creates the problem mentioned by Allan. In all honesty it could probably do with being a bit wider still to really illuminate the tunnel roof and wall, but nevertheless it looks 'legend' as my son would say and is often a topic of conversation with passing boaters - 'where did you get that?' rather than 'dip your headlights'!

[brich]

I'm using an 11" Francis light and - (there's been a thread on this subject before come to think of it, might be worth searching) - it works well, but you have to adjust the focus to widen the beam otherwise it creates the problem mentioned by Allan. In all honesty it could probably do with being a bit wider still to really illuminate the tunnel roof and wall, but nevertheless it looks 'legend' as my son would say and is often a topic of conversation with passing boaters - 'where did you get that?' rather than 'dip your headlights'!

 

The idea of a 'dipped' headlight for tunel use seems quite appealing. Would a 'standard' left hand drive car headlamp provide the right beam pattern for tunnel use ('ahead' and 'oncoming traffic') or do we need something specifically for tunnel use?

 

Brian Rich

NB Otter

[bottle]

 

The idea of a 'dipped' headlight for tunel use seems quite appealing. Would a 'standard' left hand drive car headlamp provide the right beam pattern for tunnel use ('ahead' and 'oncoming traffic') or do we need something specifically for tunnel use?

 

Brian Rich

NB Otter

 

You would need a 'continental dip' you will be on 'driving' on the right as per continent cars. (left hand drive)

 

But as most lights are pointed to the right and up I cannot see the advantage in having a dip beam.

[Keeping Up]

You would need a 'continental dip' you will be on 'driving' on the right as per continent cars. (left hand drive)

 

But as most lights are pointed to the right and up I cannot see the advantage in having a dip beam.

I have known a few people use a UK headlamp upside down, so that on "dip" it points up and to the right and illuminates the tunnel wall, and on "Main beam" it gives a long-distance spot for night-times. Several problems solved at once!