Emergency flash buoy

[Henning 4148]

A few years ago, I bought one of these buoys you tie to a lifebelt. This buoy has a nice strong xenon flash, which was what I wanted. I do not believe in seeing these battery powered torchlight buoys, I want a strong flash. The thing is, that the switch that activates the xenon flash buoy when floating upright (it is stored bottom up) does not work very well any more. I have investigates now and it turns out, that it is a mercury switch in a glas housing and the glas housing has a crack. So the mercury and the contacts show visible oxidation.

Now, all I can find as a replacement is an LED flashing buoy. I have my doubts, that this is anywhere as bright as the xenon flash.

Has anyone got any experience with the LED flashing buoys? Are they any real good?

Or does anyone know who is still producing xenon flash buoys?

[Phil Y]

Re: Emergency flash buoy

Sorry no idea, but wow, mercury switch in a glass casing. Could be devastating in an aluminium boat.

[CWSmith]

Re: Emergency flash buoy

We flew a multi-bulb LED on a balloon a few years ago. We saw it for miles, but that was overhead and 15 bulbs.

[Canoeyawl]

Re: Emergency flash buoy

ACR still makes small marine strobe devices with a Zenon bulb.
This one looks good

https://www.acrartex.com/products/catalog/rescue-and-distress-lights/firefly-plus/#sthash.QkWlOxek.dpbs

another

https://www.acrartex.com/products/catalog/rescue-and-distress-lights/c-strobe-with-c-clip/#sthash.eUekhk4I.dpbs

[Stiletto]

Re: Emergency flash buoy

Maybe it is repairable with something like this: http://www.gemssensors.com/Level/Sin...s-Level-Switch

[SNAPMAN]

Re: Emergency flash buoy

You can buy new mercury switches for a few dollars. http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=...sPageName=GSTL You need to ask or figure out if there is an orientation that will work for the buoy as most of the ones on eBay (and Amazon) are meant to trigger at small angles for car alarms.

Other source of mercury switches are the fan limit switch on very old furnaces and older 'quiet' wall switches sold in the US (IIRC there is a mercury ampule in them that gets tipped), though they are not used for either application any longer.

Make sure to properly recycle the old one as the mercury is toxic.....

Alan

https://sites.google.com/site/helium12sofsailboat/home