How Maintenance Of Navigation Lights Is Done On Ships?

如何在船舶上维护航行灯？

In spite of the the latest advancements in maritime navigation technologies such as GPS, ECDIS, and several other satellite signaling systems, navigation lights still play an important role in navigation of ships at sea.

尽管全球定位系统(GPS)、电子导航系统(ECDIS)和其他一些卫星信号系统等海上导航技术取得了最新的进展，但导航灯在海上船舶导航中仍然发挥着重要的作用。

These signaling lights have been an integral part of the ship navigation procedures since decades and because of their frequent usage, are included in the routine maintenance procedures.

几十年来，这些信号灯一直是船舶导航程序的组成部分，由于其频繁使用，被包括在日常维护程序中。

Navigation lights are used while navigating a vessel near coastal areas, in heavy shipping traffic areas, maneuvering at a harbor, or simply sailing out at the sea. They help in indicating the ship’s position, status, direction of course etc. to other nearby vessels for avoiding collision at the sea. This is the first form of non-verbal communication that is made by a ship to the nearby vessels during navigation.

航行灯用于在沿海地区附近、航运繁忙地区、港口操纵或海上航行时使用。它们有助于向附近的其他船舶指示船舶的位置、状态、航向等，以避免在海上发生碰撞。这是船舶在航行过程中与附近船只进行的第一种非语言交流。

▲Credits: BigKnell/depositphotos.com

Ship’s navigation and signal lights are located in those areas, which make  them easily noticeable even from a far distance. However,  when it comes to maintenance of these lights, such high locations are quiet dangerous to access especially when the ship is at open seas.

船舶的导航和信号灯都位于这些区域，即使在很远的地方也很容易被发现。然而，当涉及到维护这些灯时，这样高的位置是非常危险的，尤其是当船在公海上时。

The three important locations for navigation lights on ships are：

船上航行灯的三个重要位置是：

 ● Fore mast（前桅杆）

 ● Main mast（主桅杆）

 ● Aft signal light station（船尾信号灯）

船舶导航灯的维护

Following safety procedures must be followed before doing any maintenance work on ship navigation lights

在对船舶航行灯进行任何维护工作之前，必须遵守以下安全规程

 ● Prepare the work permit

准备工作许可证

 ● Put the lock out tag and inform the officer who is on duty

挂上上锁标签并通知值班人员

 ● Try to do the routine maintenance when the ship is in the port

尽量在船舶进港时进行日常维护

 ● Before climbing up the main mast, take the working aloft permit

在爬上主桅杆之前，应持有高空作业许可证

 ● Switch off the radars and take out the fuses

关掉雷达，拆下保险丝

 ● Disable the power supply of the nearby ship whistle

关闭附近船哨的电源

 ● Switch off any other communication devices as the antennas, which are usually located near the mast, generate radiations harmful for humans

关闭其他通讯设备，因为天线通常位于天线塔附近，会产生对人体有害的辐射

 ● While working on navigation lights at sea, check the wind flow meter for wind speed and direction. If the wind is heavy avoid climbing on the mast

在海上操作航行灯时，检查风速计的风速和风向。如果风很大，避免爬上桅杆

 ● Check for rolling and pitching of the ship. If it’s too much, don’t climb the mast

检查船舶的横摇和纵摇。如果太多，不要爬桅杆

导航灯的影响因素和维护程序

Maintenance of marine navigation lights is extremely important for safety of ships. These lights are located on the ship’s outside, at highest places of the vessel. The following factors thus affect these lights:

船舶航行灯的维护对船舶的安全至关重要。这些灯位于船的外部，在船的最高的地方。因此，以下因素影响这些灯：

a) Water (sea and rain water)

水(海水和雨水)

b) Vibrations

振动

c) Sun light and wind

阳光和风

d) Wire securing

电线固定

Let’s understand how each factor affects the navigation lights.

让我们了解每个因素是如何影响导航灯的。

1、水（海水和雨水）

Water is a major threat to all the electrical systems onboard. Water ingress can cause fire in the electrical systems because of short circuit. Since all the navigation lights are located outside on the ship’s deck, they are prone to harmful effects of seawater, rainwater and atmospheric moisture.

水是船上所有电气系统的主要威胁。由于短路，进水可能导致电气系统发生火灾。由于所有航行灯都位于船甲板的外侧，它们容易受到海水、雨水和大气湿度的有害影响。

The navigation lights are thus placed in weather tight and watertight enclosures. However, even though these casings are weather proof, there are high chances of water penetration due to leakage in the system because of rust formation and frequent opening of enclosures for replacing bulbs.

因此，导航灯被放置在防风雨和防水的外壳中。然而，即使这些外壳是防风雨的，由于生锈和频繁打开外壳以更换灯泡，系统中有很大的机会渗透水。

Note: If the bulb of a navigation light is frequently getting fused, this is an indication of water ingress inside the circuit.

注意：如果导航灯灯泡经常熔断，这是电路内部进水的迹象。

Points to consider:

需要考虑的要点：

 ● Periodically check the light fittings for leakage of water

定期检查灯具配件是否漏水

 ● Ensure to apply water resistant material like silicon or putty whenever the light fitting is opened up for replacing the bulbs

每当打开灯具配件更换灯泡时，确保涂抹防水材料，如硅或腻子

 ● Visually, check inside the casing for any salt formation. If salt formation is found, it means that the sea water has penetrated inside.

目视检查外壳内部是否有盐形成。如果发现盐的形成，这意味着海水已经渗透到里面。

 ● Take fine clothes and cleaners for cleaning the glasses of the light fittings for good illumination/signaling

带上好清洁布和清洁剂清洁灯具的玻璃，以获得良好的照明/信号

 ● Check the light holders inside the fittings for corrosion or fungus formation

检查配件内的灯座有无腐蚀或真菌形成

 ● Use the contact cleaners for cleaning purpose whenever the light fitting is opened up 

当打开灯具时，请使用接触式清洁剂进行清洁

2、振动

There is no place on the ship where vibrations generated from operating ship’s engine room machinery don’t reach. Since the navigation lights are located at the highest points of the vessel, they are always under the effect of vibrations when main engine is running. This is yet another cause of bulb failure.

船上没有任何一个地方是操作船舶机舱机械产生的振动无法到达的。由于航行灯位于船舶的最高点，当主机运行时，它们总是受到振动的影响。这是灯泡故障的另一个原因。

 ● Ensure to use vibration absorber material like rubber gasket material wherever possible.

确保尽可能使用橡胶垫片等减震器材料。

 ● While working on the navigation lights, check for any loose nut bolts and holders. Tighten and secure them whenever necessary.

操作导航灯时，检查螺母螺栓和支架是否松动。必要时拧紧并固定。

 ● Use washers where nut bolts are used in light fixtures to avoid loosening of the nuts

在灯具中使用螺母螺栓的地方使用垫圈，以避免螺母松动

 ● Clamp the structure where the light fixture is installed.

夹紧安装灯具的结构。

3、阳光和风

This is one factor affecting marine navigation lights wherein nothing much can be done.

这是影响海上航行灯的一个因素，因为我们对此什么也做不了。

Due to continuous sunlight, the life of the light fittings often get reduced especially if they are made of plastic. Thus it’s always better to install weatherproof brass material light fittings.

由于持续的阳光照射，灯具的寿命通常会缩短，尤其是塑料灯具。因此，最好安装防风雨黄铜材质的灯具。

4、电线固定

More than often, the wires of navigation lights that are secured to the mast, get tangled or loosen due to weather exposure. Do check for any loose connections of the wire and secure the wires using cable wires. Keep a regular check on the condition of these wires.

通常情况下，固定在桅杆上的导航灯的电线会因为天气暴露而缠绕或松动。检查电线是否有松动，并使用电缆固定电线。定期检查这些电线的状况。

All the navigation lights on ships are installed in pairs, i.e. two in numbers. If one fails, the other one replaces it. However, it is important that officers in charge perform routine maintenance checks on these lights and also check the light/ bulb failure alarms for the same.

船上所有的导航灯都是成对安装的，即两盏。如果一个失效了，另一个将替换它。然而，重要的是，主管人员要对这些灯进行例行维护检查，并检查灯/灯泡故障警报。

免责申明：本文BY R.Anbuselvam，仅代表作者观点，不代表中国海员之家立场。其真实性及原创性未能得到中国海员之家证实，在此感谢原作者的辛苦创作，如转载涉及版权等问题，请作者与我们联系，我们将在第一时间处理，谢谢！联系邮箱：cnisu@54seaman.com