Port and Starboard Mogul Size Bulbs

[Mark Sarsfield]

Guys,

  I was wondering what wattage bulbs you use in the mogul-size port and starboard light sockets on the sides of the bridge?  I got a hold of two socket reducers to put a standard (medium) size bulb in there.  I was thinking 100W or 150W would be plenty bright.

[Tom Bowser]

We use 40 watt
Tom

[Paul Farace]

We have rebuilt versions... so not sure what size.

Funny story:  one of our subvets who hated all non-sub guys working on COD (and hated most subvets as well, for that matter)... screamed bloody murder when we repowered the lights... he claimed we would be cited by the Coast Guard for posing as a ship underway. I told him that would only happen after they cited every restaurant and nautical bar with the same lights on the front door!

 

15 years and counting, still waiting for the citation. The four USCG admirals who have visited COD love them!

[Mark Sarsfield]

I doubt that we'll run into that problem, since we're in a dirt basin, but still visible from the nearby highway.  Rick usually kills power to the boat after hours, but on event weekends it would be nice to have at least the port light lit for passing traffic to see.  We always have an oil lantern lit on deck at night for bathroom runs to the museum bldg. and I've been tempted to hang the lantern off of the bow light mast.

I'm thinking that I'll go with at least 100W fluorescent bulbs to save on power.  I calculated that it would take around 900W of energy per hour just to run all of the fluorescent fixtures below deck.  I can imagine how much juice the boat eats up with all of the incandescent lights going, too.

[Rick]

I want to see here lit up at night.  Running lights and all.  this is item number 327 on the to do list.....

Rick

[Mark Sarsfield]

It may be sooner than you think, Rick.  I am bringing rust cleaner with me and I have the socket adapters.  I think there is still power running to the port and stbd sockets (bow light is another story).  So, we might see some exterior lights by next weekend.

[emeacho]

We used 40 watt bulbs.  60 watts gets too hot inside the cover and causes overheating of the wiring.  We are trying to find an inexpensive (or donated) LED bulb so we don't have to replace the darn things so often.  Compact fluorescent doesn't work too well in the winter months.

[Mark Sarsfield]

I picked up some "instant-on" CFL bulbs that are equivalent to 100W bulbs.  I think they draw around 38 watts each.  I agree that you don't want too much of a current draw on these old wires and fuses.  We'll see how well they do in the cold.