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Bow Light Socket
Tom W Clark	#21  Posted on 02/20/14 - 4:26 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 4280 Comments: 7 Joined: 09/30/05	Those Specialty Marine bow lights are poor imitations of the original. Yes, I have a couple miniature LED bulbs with a BA9S base here. You have to be careful in selecting LEDs because they tend to emit light more directionally. You also have to ensure enough luminosity to meet the Federal Regulations for a navigation light. For Side Lights (which is what we are talking about here) 1 Mile is the minimum visibility required. That translates to .09 candelas which doesn't seem like much EXCEPT that is the brightness of the light fixture, not the bulb itself. That light from the bulb has to pass through a thick plastic colored lens.
Super Sporter	#22  Posted on 02/20/14 - 4:57 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 52 Comments: 0 Joined: 02/05/14	I was wondering about that. Some LED bulbs have several small LED's on top (about $15). Others are cylindrical with LED's on top and all around (about $50 for 2; how their sold). Do you sell LED's that meet the requirements for side lights? How about LED's BA15S for anchor light that also meet the requirements?
Super Sporter	#23  Posted on 02/20/14 - 5:01 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 52 Comments: 0 Joined: 02/05/14	Did not want to presume you sell parts, if not, do you have the LED bulb numbers for ones that Bulb Town sells. Thanks.
Tom W Clark	#24  Posted on 02/20/14 - 5:46 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 4280 Comments: 7 Joined: 09/30/05	No, I don't sell bulbs. I bought two of them a couple years ago as an experiment.
Super Sporter	#25  Posted on 02/20/14 - 5:50 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 52 Comments: 0 Joined: 02/05/14	Looks like that's what I'll be doing.
huckelberry145	#26  Posted on 02/20/14 - 6:24 PM
Member Posts: 401 Comments: 3 Joined: 03/10/12	Two years ago I got an original bow light chock off eBay and had it rechromed. $200. I just need a bulb socket and insulator also. I will be working on finding the size for the insulator in a few.
Whalerbob	#27  Posted on 02/21/14 - 5:00 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 311 Comments: 0 Joined: 12/07/06	I used to have all kinds of issues with my bow light until I soldered the wires directly to the bulb. No need for a socket and I can go years without messing with it. As an added measure I put a bead of silicone inside the lenses to keep water out. I looked into changing to LED but read it doesn't penetrate colored lenses well and the power draw isn't an issue since it is only a "running" light.
Tom W Clark	#28  Posted on 02/28/14 - 9:37 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 4280 Comments: 7 Joined: 09/30/05	The plastic bushings I ordered a week ago arrived yesterday...from England. Great service. My $15 experiment seems to have paid off. The bushings fit rather well. I wish they were a little taller, however, I'll share some photos of the parts in question later.
JPB	#29  Posted on 02/28/14 - 12:03 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 103 Comments: 0 Joined: 02/26/09	I had some heat shrink that was about the same diameter of the socket and I attempted to use that as an insulator however even that was too thick and the socket would not fit into the light base casting...I am pretty sure that I will need a smaller diameter socket in order for it to be insulated.
huckelberry145	#30  Posted on 03/01/14 - 12:31 AM
Member Posts: 401 Comments: 3 Joined: 03/10/12	Tom, can you share the size of the bushing? I know I promised to get some but they're harder to find than I thought. I found some nylon shoulder washers on eBay that I thought would work I just never could find the time to measure the one in my navigation light.
Tom W Clark	#31  Posted on 03/01/14 - 7:29 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 4280 Comments: 7 Joined: 09/30/05	Joey -- I sent you a bushing and a bulb yesterday. You can report on whether it fits or not. It may be that the distinction between the original Short Early bow light and the second generation Tall Early bow light is more than just the increased height that allows the use of a T bulb instead of a G bulb.
Tom W Clark	#32  Posted on 03/01/14 - 7:34 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 4280 Comments: 7 Joined: 09/30/05	I know I promised to get some but they're harder to find than I thought. Yes, you are learning what I already have. That is how I came to order some from England. The size of what I ordered is 10mm ID x 12mm OD with a 16mm Diameter shoulder or "Hat" that is 2mm thick
huckelberry145	#33  Posted on 03/01/14 - 8:30 AM
Member Posts: 401 Comments: 3 Joined: 03/10/12	Thanks Tom.
Tom W Clark	#34  Posted on 03/01/14 - 8:35 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 4280 Comments: 7 Joined: 09/30/05	My one regret with these bushing is they are 12 mm ( ~15/32") long overall whereas the originals are ~ 11/16" long
Tom W Clark	#35  Posted on 03/02/14 - 7:59 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 4280 Comments: 7 Joined: 09/30/05	In a rather amazing bit of serendipity, a pristine 1979 Sport 13 has shown up in my driveway with its original bow light intact. I can confirm that in 1979 the bow light used was the Tall Early bow light that is different from the Short Early bow light used from 1961 to 1975. It uses the same lens and light socket, but it does NOT use a plastic bushing at all (which I find very odd). The bulb is a #1416 It is unclear what the original sealing washer or gasket is supposed to be; this one had a badly deteriorated flat rubber washer under the lens that did not fit well and a rubber O-ring over the top of the lens's flange.
Tom W Clark	#36  Posted on 03/02/14 - 8:08 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 4280 Comments: 7 Joined: 09/30/05	Digging through the literature, I think I have a rough idea of when the four different versions of bow lights were used on small classic Whalers up to, and including, the 16'7" models 1961-1975 -- Short Early Bow Light custom made for Whaler by Perko. It is chrome over cast bronze. 1975-1983 -- Tall Early Bow Light, larger brighter bulb. Very similar in appearance, just about 1/4" taller to accommodate the larger bulb 1983-1985 -- Off-the-shelf Perko #972. This fixture is still available and is made of stamped brass, chrome plated. It uses a plastic base and a festoon bulb. 1986 - 2001 -- Redesigned chrome over cast bronze bow light using festoon bulb and meeting Federal Regulations updated in 1986. This fixture was also custom made for Whaler by Perko. It also uses the off-the-shelf replacement lens of the Perko #972
JPB	#37  Posted on 03/09/14 - 5:51 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 103 Comments: 0 Joined: 02/26/09	Thanks Tom for your help on this! The socket was a perfect fit without the bushing. I think you have now figured out the tall early bow light socket was not insulated and the bulb and bushing does not fit. Thanks!