one mile ray spotlight info

[SURRYEQUIP]

Good morning. I just bought a used "One mile ray" roof mount spotlight by the portable light company. The controls are not 2 wheels but rather a shaft with a handle that looks added on. You turn the handle for side to side and the main tube goes up and down for tilt. I think I am missing parts or something. Does anyone have a working light like this that can tell me how that works? Thanks

 

[Portage_Bay]

I can't make out anything from the images in your post. However what you are describing is what I've used on many spot lights. Swing the handle side to side to turn the light. Raise and lower the handle to raise and lower the light. It may be a modificaiton from original manufacture. But if well done will work well. In practice it is easier and faster than two wheels.

 

[PM]

Unless it is a commercial unit don't really expect a mile range.

pete

 

[SURRYEQUIP]

I see what you mean about those pictures- can someone point me to how to upload usable photos?

 

[SURRYEQUIP]

I know- maybe it means you can see the light FROM a mile.

 

[Portage_Bay]

Unless it is a commercial unit don't really expect a mile range.

pete

Unless the beam is very tightly focused a light can be too bright. Moisture in the atmosphere will reflect enough light back to you to make the search light usless long before it's usable range.

 

[SURRYEQUIP]

If somebody has one of these installed, I am thinking there is a flange that goes on the ceiling that the shaft runs through and also works with the handle A picture would be great- especially if it's better than my pictures. Thanks

 

[twistedtree]

It looks like a pretty high-end spot light, and sounds like the aiming controls are mechanical? All I can really suggest is to google for a manual for it. I found one for what looks like an electrically controlled and aimed version, so you might be able to find one for your mechanical control.

 

[twistedtree]

Any chance this is it? Or maybe it's close in construction and mechanism?


https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...-4-12-18-pdf&usg=AOvVaw1mY5c0tSnxBEqqKWXoPyF0

 

[C lectric]

When you go to fill your reply/message scroll down a bit more to find;
--Go Advanced box and click
--scroll down on that page to find MANAGE ATTACHMENTS and click
--a drop down box will show with CHOOSE FILE Click the first and then scroll through the photos you wish to post.
--when the photo is found then click OPEN and the file name should fill in the box
--then click UPLOAD and the photo should appear in your post.



Repeat as many times as needed for each photo

Hope I got that correct.




As it is the photos you did post are too small to be seen in any detail and cannot be blown up readily with any clarity so are so fuzzy they cannot be read, at least by me.

 

[Mambo42]

I have a search light on my boat, but the only thing it does (so it seems) is light up the bow of the boat and roughly 10 meters in front of that. Pretty useless if you ask me.

I then saw on Youtube, channel of MV Freedom, that Shaun (the owner) had installed a simple led bar on the bow, which gives him much more usable light. The bow is now in the dark, but the water ahead is lighted, just can't turn it left or right.
Of course you should not plow through heavy waves with that mounted on the furthest point of the bow, but it does work.

However, what works even better for him is a FLIR installation and after seeing that I would rather opt for a FLIR system than for a search light installation which cannot do a lot. The whole idea of a search light is to be able to see something in the dark (or to find something) and the FLIR can do that without a problem. In fact, I have worked with FLIR onboard aircraft and was always happy with the capabilities. As long as you have a good one it is almost as good as daylight. But yes, they are more expensive than search lights.
Will I buy one ?
Nope, we don't do night passages, we don't have schedules to keep, we plan our routes in such a way that we only do 2 to 3 hours a day (and many days on anchor in the same spot).
If anyone is interested they cost about 3000 - 4000 USD excl installation.
But ok, that is my personal opinion, fully understand if someone has a different opinion.

 

[psneeld]

Searchlights do have the ability to light up an areas if work needs to be done and the beam can be positioned.

Assistance to PIW or another vessel for instance. It can help search for missing boats in the back bay that may be out of the channel and you are helping look.

While true FLIR helps you see, it doesn't help others see you, whether the people in distress or just other vessels you feel you need to be alerted of your presence.

I had a nice Perko mounted spotlight on the assistance towboat. It would light up daymarks a mile out. It used the same bulbs as spotlights used in theatrical stages "under the bright lights" so to speak.

 

[Simi 60]

We have a large roof mounted stainless steel searchlight reminiscent of the ones on the guards tower in Hogan's Heroes.

Haven't used it since I bought a $20 LED torch from the big hardware store

One of these does the foredeck
$20 a pair on eBay, lasted 6 years so far.
Pair 6Inch Led Work Light Bar Flood Reverse Fog Lights 4WD | eBay

 

[Simi 60]

Any chance this is it? Or maybe it's close in construction and mechanism?


https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...-4-12-18-pdf&usg=AOvVaw1mY5c0tSnxBEqqKWXoPyF0

For those that don't want to download a perko pdf (-;

Similar looking red handled pics here

https://www.google.com/search?q=roo...2gtd2l6LXNlcnDIAQ7AAQE&sclient=mobile-sh-serp

 

[Bmarler]

If somebody has one of these installed, I am thinking there is a flange that goes on the ceiling that the shaft runs through and also works with the handle A picture would be great- especially if it's better than my pictures. Thanks

I have one with the two disc control. There is indeed an inner flange with a clamp mechanism for the side to side on the outer tube. The inner shaft turns the gear up top for the up/down. Do a google image search for one mile ray, or half mile ray and you’ll get tons of pics.

 

[SURRYEQUIP]

Thanks, the perko diagram is helpful. I am assuming the Portable Light Company is long gone?

 

[bkcorwin]

I wouldn't over buy onto the FLIR. Based on my experience they kind of over sell the utility of it on their youtube channel. I have one and it is a useful device but has a lot of limitations. People try to sell it as a way to see objects in the water, we've found that its pretty useless for that because things like logs etc are pretty temperature equalized so they don't show up well in the FLIR. Commercial crab pot floats suffer the same problem. MOB situation I could see it working because of the large heat signature.

There is also the idea of it being a tool at night so people can have a sense of the horizon so they don't get sick in the dark. This seems to be also hit or miss. We've had people where it helped and people where it made it worse.

The light bar works well but isn't a panacea. Even forward on the bow when you get spray or mist the light still blows back into your face. However, it's a trade off you kind of have to take sometimes as its the only viable tool for spotting crab pots at night. The other thing is that it doesn't give you a huge warning. At night, in a sea way, where your pitching and moving side to side. This means your field of vision is continually moving and isn't always on the target.

We came up the coast in bad weather and it feels like the light bar gives you about five seconds to asses and make a determination of is that a, bird, crab pot, other. It's kind of marginally enough time as boats aren't turning fast in seas. But it does help!

I have a search light on my boat, but the only thing it does (so it seems) is light up the bow of the boat and roughly 10 meters in front of that. Pretty useless if you ask me.

I then saw on Youtube, channel of MV Freedom, that Shaun (the owner) had installed a simple led bar on the bow, which gives him much more usable light. The bow is now in the dark, but the water ahead is lighted, just can't turn it left or right.
Of course you should not plow through heavy waves with that mounted on the furthest point of the bow, but it does work.

However, what works even better for him is a FLIR installation and after seeing that I would rather opt for a FLIR system than for a search light installation which cannot do a lot. The whole idea of a search light is to be able to see something in the dark (or to find something) and the FLIR can do that without a problem. In fact, I have worked with FLIR onboard aircraft and was always happy with the capabilities. As long as you have a good one it is almost as good as daylight. But yes, they are more expensive than search lights.
Will I buy one ?
Nope, we don't do night passages, we don't have schedules to keep, we plan our routes in such a way that we only do 2 to 3 hours a day (and many days on anchor in the same spot).
If anyone is interested they cost about 3000 - 4000 USD excl installation.
But ok, that is my personal opinion, fully understand if someone has a different opinion.