A New Beacon For An Old Lighthouse

CHATHAM – Keeping guard over the harbor since 1877, Chatham Light has just been equipped with a modern LED beacon, replacing inefficient World War II-era lights that have been failing with increasing frequency.

 The new $15,000 unit, installed in a single day by the Coast Guard’s Aids to Navigation Team (ANT), is markedly smaller than the old drum beacons, which were initially designed for use at wartime air bases. 

 “It will provide the same, if not better, visibility offshore,” Station Chatham Commanding Officer Ross Comstock said. The old beacons relied on 1,000-watt incandescent bulbs that burned out regularly, costing $150 each to replace, he said. It’s no longer possible to get spare parts for the old DCB-224 lights.

 “The Coast Guard kept an inventory of the replacement parts including different speed gear boxes, CG-2 P brushes, rings, electric motors, etc., however we have since depleted our inventory,” said Chief Petty Officer Matt Provost, who leads the Woods Hole-based ANTs.

 Using less electricity than a 100-watt incandescent bulb, the LED beacons can be seen more than 25 nautical miles away. 

 “This was completed because the equipment including the DCB-224 was starting to fail,” Provost said. “My lighthouse maintenance team has responded and repaired numerous discrepancies every month or so.”

 The installation of the new unit last week was postponed because of staff shortages related to the government shutdown, though the procurement of the light itself was not delayed. Similar beacons have been installed at other area lighthouses, including Sankaty Head on Nantucket and Gay Head on Martha’s Vineyard. At the latter location there was some initial pushback from neighbors.

 “The problem with Gay Head’s lantern was it rotated counterclockwise instead of clockwise. Believe it or not, we received reports that the light was hitting the south side of the local houses instead of the north side like the previous DCB-224 did,” Provost said. While the flash pattern was unaffected, the change was too much for some. “Fortunately we were able to work with the [manufacturer] and change the settings to the correct rotation,” Provost said.

 Additional improvements are expected to be made at Chatham Light, but details are not yet available.

 Hoisted gently to the ground by the ANTs, the old beacons are expected to be preserved. Provost said his team is working with the Coast Guard in Boston to transfer them to the Nauset Light Preservation Society.