Nav Light Upgrade to LED's

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Megabyte

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This is another project that was done last spring, and originally posted to ClassicMako and THT.

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This past weekend the weather finally cooperated to allow me to replace the factory installed nav lights with LED replacements.

The lights that I used were from Innovative Lighting Inc...
http://www.innovativelight.com/products ... egoryid=62

... and can be purchaced from BOE Marine at:
http://www.byownerelectronics.com/store ... hp?cat=483

Here is the factory installed Attwood light before disassembly...

Image-5165856AAEE311D9.jpg


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Lining up the template for the new lights and trying to keep the wiring from falling back into the chain locker. ;)

Image-5165FC14AEE311D9.jpg


Here is what the "guts" of the light looks like after mounting. Everything is sealed in a black resin 'block' so there is nothing to corrode.

Image-516626A0AEE311D9.jpg


A note of caution!
Before you put the stainless cover on, make certain that everything is the way you want it. The cover has a one-way snap catch on it, so once it is snapped in place, it isn't ever coming off (unless you pry it off and destroy it).

Image-51664C1AAEE311D9.jpg


Here is what the old and the new look like side-by-side.

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This is what the light looks like while viewed in full sunlight.
BTW - These lights carry an ABYC and USCG designation as 2-mile lights.

Image-516695F1AEE311D9.jpg


In addition to the bow lights, I modified my pilothouse light by installing LED replacement bulbs giving me 2-mile visability all the way around.

I'm pleased with the results! :D
 
Megabyte, I just got my Innovative LEDs. Question, are the factory Attwoods siliconed in place? I got the chrome covers off, but I couldn't get the housing off! Thanks.

Dom
 
On my 1996 model, there was a little silicone, but not much.
Since your boat is newer, they may have sealed it a little bit better than in years past.
 
There's definitely something holding them in. What do you think is the best way to get them off? A heat gun maybe?

Dom
 
This is what mine looked like before I started.
I took out the three screws that you see...

Image-5165AF74AEE311D9.jpg


... lifted off the stainless cover, and this is what was underneath.

Image-5165D65CAEE311D9.jpg


In my case, I just lifted the plastic part off and under that was a thin black rubber gasket with some silicone on it.
Mine came off easy.

Do you have the same fixture, or do you have something else.
Maybe a photo would help.
 
My lights look very similar. They must be the same. The lens underneath the chrome cover is not the size of the whole light like yours though. It only covers the bulb area. Attwood may have changed the design a bit this year. I'll take a pic later.

If it is siliconed in place, should I use brute force to get it off? It doesn’t matter if I damage the lights, I’m more worried about the gelcoat. The light housing is stuck to the rubber gasket as well. I dont see why they would siliconed both sides. Maybe I'll tap them with a hammer later and see what happens. They might have just stuck real good.

Dom

These are them:
http://www.attwoodmarine.com/Products/p ... n+Lighting
 
Looks like a similar design with three mechanical fasteners holding it to the deck.

66319-1.jpg


Maybe they used some 101 to seal it, rather than using silicone. :?:
Why not try a small thin blade screwdriver to pry a corner off the deck. Put down a couple of layers of blue tape so you don't scratch her though...

You could call the factory and ask what they use. That would tell you how to proceed.
 
Megabyte, they are the same lights. There was a huge glob of silicone holding them down. I got them off though. Thanks for your help. Dom

9484Picture_001-med.jpg
 
I will once I get them installed. I went to my marina with the intention of removing these Attwoods and laying the Innovative template over the hole to see if I needed to fill in any screw holes. Too bad I forgot the template at home. :oops:

Dom
 
I went back tonight with the template. The Innovatives cover the screw holes and center hole perfectly! I'm installing them this weekend. Thanks for the help Megabyte.

Dom
 
Kevin, I pasted this article to a thread on the Continuouswave site, as one member had a new 305 Conquest where the lights stopped working, and he had asked for suggestions. I hope you don't mind.

Sal
 
No problem Sal! :)
This is the sort of project that can be applied to any brand of boat.
I'll have to stop in over there and see how it turns out. :wink:
 
I installed mine over the weekend. They’re super bright and look much better than the boxy Attwoods. There definitely worth $89.99. Thanks for the help Megabyte.

Dom
 
Its funny this subject has came up as I have been having problems with my bow navigation lights and finally got tired of climbing out on the bow in the dark to fix them and dug a little deeper.

What I found was a little surprising. TOOOOOOO MANY POOR CONNECTIONS!!

In the anchor locker there were 2 butt splices, 4 barrel connectors, and 4 spade connectors and extension wires. None of them were crimped properly and literally fell apart when I touched them. Megabyte it appears you used the factory wiring, do yourself a favor and inspect your wiring before it becomes an issue. It looks like the crimps were crimped with channel locks and were not ever compressed. I replaced all the wiring and did away with all the extra failure points. Parker makes a good boat but I'm a little disappointed with the electrical wiring and am surprised how much of it I have been forced to replace on a 2 year old boat. Parker has been doing this long enough to do it better and I hope Boat Girl is listening. I am not trying to dog Parker and I know everyone will chime in with stories of how bad other manufacturers are but what the F#%*! It seems like Parker should take advantage of this slow time and get back to some of the basics. I’m not going to complain without offering suggestions so here is a few-
1. Use the fewest amount of connections when wiring, especially when related to safety equipment like Nav lights & bilge pumps. NO BUTT SPLICES- Use Crimp Caps so the wires actually touch and do not depend on two crimps but only one.
2. Get rid of the Molex connector that connects the upper and lower half of the boats wiring during assembly and get a marine grade connector. This connector has critical connections and should be waterproof. Mine failed the first year.
3. Mount the horn with a forward angle or move it to the side of the cabin. Water gets in and can’t get out.
4. On the SL put a boot on the wiring exiting the rear storage compartment were the main breakers are to prevent water from getting on the breakers. I have replaced both @ $60.00 each within the first year.
5. If you insist on using crimps on critical wiring use the gel filled heat shrink type and fire anyone who crimps them with channel locks.
There is more but these top the list.
Suggestion- maybe we start a “sticky” with suggestions for Parker so Boat Girl can see whats going on without having to search through all these threads??
 
I would like to see some small notification when changes are made in production, and these or upgrades or updates can be made in the field. Either make the installation or just parts for DIY's through the dealer network. I am thinking of that connector back behind the screw out deck plate. BoatGirl indicated to me back in January that it has been changed in production to a weatherpac style. Like to see a kit made available to upgrade this. Yeah I know we can find this stuff ourselves online, but if Parker has already done the engineering.... :D
 
MaxOut":sibw6v2q said:
Suggestion- maybe we start a “sticky” with suggestions for Parker so Boat Girl can see whats going on without having to search through all these threads??

I couldnt agree more on a sticky for things that could use improvement.
I love my Parker but too many problems for a brand new boat.

Example:
1. Multiple cases of headliners falling down.
2. Multiple cases of the rubrail leaking into the cabin.
3. Horn failures.
These are just a few of the problems that keep coming up on the ClassicParker site. Should be easy to correct by management and if there is a list, they could easily reference it.
And I know many on this site will say "just take your boat to the dealer and have them fix it". Well, for me that involves a 5 hour tow (if traffic is light) thru LA traffic to San Diego. Not that easy or convienent.

Again, not slamming Parkers, I love mine, it's a perfect boat for what I do.
BTW, I've had all the above things go wrong on my boat prior to reaching a 100 hours.
 
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