anyone have blue cockpit lights? Looking for a picture.

[Bill3434]

Re: anyone have blue cockpit lights? Looking for a picture.

I have test drove about 10 new model vehicles in the last 2 months and not one of the instrument panals lights were red, most were blue blue/green. Military issue flashlights come with blue green filters. Red light gets your attention becuase of sensitivity to it which is why most targeting lights are red. I'd much rather have the blue but that is just me especially since I spent 20 plus years in the military red lights are rarely a good thing to me, targeting light or instrument warning light. But also one needs to remember men are more prone to color vision issues. How many women are color blind, very few. Men suffer this far more than women. To me the issue would be can you see your controls and what you are doing safely. If red light does fine; if blue, blue/green work go for it.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: anyone have blue cockpit lights? Looking for a picture.

Yes, but one of the differences in your car and most marine applications is that you can dim your dash lights. Most boats don't have dimmer switches. You are also relying on headlights of a car to illuminate what is in front of you, you don't have that luxury on the water (at least you shouldn't be running with spotlight/mooring lights on) and so night vision becomes that much more crucial. I have a NAV screen on my truck which I turn off when driving dark country roads at night because it is so bright (it's the typical blue/blue-green hue).

 

[Bill3434]

Re: anyone have blue cockpit lights? Looking for a picture.

You'd have the same problem with bright red lights like you would with bright blue, blue-green lights. Which is why in military vehicles there is a switch position to turn all instrument lights out.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: anyone have blue cockpit lights? Looking for a picture.

You'd have the same problem with bright red lights like you would with bright blue, blue-green lights. Which is why in military vehicles there is a switch position to turn all instrument lights out.

I believe the one of the big reasons the military went to blue-green/green lighting was it's effect on night-vision devices. The green lights don't affect the devices the same way red light does. Either way, the major issue is intensity. A blue-green light of the same intensity of a red light will be generally be worse for your night vision. This is why the dimmer is important, because in a boat, you don't generally have the option to dim it unless you install a potentiometer of some sort.

 

[Slip Away]

Re: anyone have blue cockpit lights? Looking for a picture.

Ayuh,.... Red is a Better color choice,....

Yer eyes adjust better, 'n night blindness is less of an issue, with red...

Errr, rare that cockpit lights are on constantly on while underway, and in 270DA, they are so low in
the cockpit that any night blindness is virtually non-existent. Our boat came with the 2 position
rocker switch and lights that are either soft white, or blue, depending on which way you push the
switch. Very nice.