A New Telescoping Pole for an All-round Lamp
Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2019 11:10 pm
I took the advice of Katpil about the location of an all-round white navigation lamp [to be mounted at the center console and modified an existing white-all round pole lamp to have a telescoping support pole].
I fabricated an adjustable support pole for the lamp. I placed my 1985 original equipment PERKO lamp housing that used a 3/4-inch stainless steel pole on a short piece of 3/4-inch OD PERKO aluminum pole. I slipped that inside a 3-foot section of 7/8-inch OD aluminum pole, and I drilled a set screw to secure it. The pole has a screw clamp for length adjustments.
At the other end I slipped another3-foot section of 3/4-inch OD aluminum pole inside the 7/8-inch OD pole. At the very end of that I secured the original PERKO double-contact pole-end from a PERKO removable all-round lamp.
Inside, I connected both ends with a coiled wire like used on telephone handsets. That way when the pole gets adjusted up or down the wire coils and uncoils inside the tubing without pinching.
The fully closed length is 40-inches, and the pole lamp will stow away under my stern bench seat. Fully extended length is 68-inches. It can be set at any length in between.
I replaced the stock incandescent bulbs with two Sylvania ZEVO ultra-bright LED # 194 bulbs.
My console is about 34-inches tall so the total height (above the deck) I can set the light is 102-inches (eight and a half feet). I stand 5-feet 5-inches, so the lamp can be up to 3-feet above my head while fishing. The design of this lamp housing reduces downward glare a lot. Now I should be able to have totally legal all-round navigation light without ruining my night vision.
I will need to wait until Spring to mount the PERKO base for the removable pole on the console.
I fabricated an adjustable support pole for the lamp. I placed my 1985 original equipment PERKO lamp housing that used a 3/4-inch stainless steel pole on a short piece of 3/4-inch OD PERKO aluminum pole. I slipped that inside a 3-foot section of 7/8-inch OD aluminum pole, and I drilled a set screw to secure it. The pole has a screw clamp for length adjustments.
At the other end I slipped another3-foot section of 3/4-inch OD aluminum pole inside the 7/8-inch OD pole. At the very end of that I secured the original PERKO double-contact pole-end from a PERKO removable all-round lamp.
Inside, I connected both ends with a coiled wire like used on telephone handsets. That way when the pole gets adjusted up or down the wire coils and uncoils inside the tubing without pinching.
The fully closed length is 40-inches, and the pole lamp will stow away under my stern bench seat. Fully extended length is 68-inches. It can be set at any length in between.
I replaced the stock incandescent bulbs with two Sylvania ZEVO ultra-bright LED # 194 bulbs.
My console is about 34-inches tall so the total height (above the deck) I can set the light is 102-inches (eight and a half feet). I stand 5-feet 5-inches, so the lamp can be up to 3-feet above my head while fishing. The design of this lamp housing reduces downward glare a lot. Now I should be able to have totally legal all-round navigation light without ruining my night vision.
I will need to wait until Spring to mount the PERKO base for the removable pole on the console.