Red light in submarines

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Eden Zhang
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Red light in submarines

#1

Post by Eden Zhang » 06 Jun 2004, 14:07

Hi there.

No, the red light is not referring to the sort of district where one can purchase company for the evening :)

I'm referring to some parts in the movie Das Boot where the captain of the submarine gives the order for all normal lights to be turned off, and in its place a dark, red light comes on.

I was just wondering what the purpose of that was. Was it to conserve electricity? or some other reason?

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Tom Houlihan
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#2

Post by Tom Houlihan » 06 Jun 2004, 14:45

Using red light helped night vision. If they had to go topside, having been in red light made it easier to adjust to seeing outside at night.


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Andy H
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#3

Post by Andy H » 06 Jun 2004, 20:08

It takes the human eye a full 40 minutes on average to be fully orientated to night vision.

Soldiers, snipers especially (if no night vision equipment is available) are taught to keep one eye closed/covered when viewing light objects.

Andy H

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Andy H
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#4

Post by Andy H » 06 Jun 2004, 20:09

It takes the human eye a full 40 minutes on average to be fully orientated to night vision.

Soldiers, snipers especially (if no night vision equipment is available) are taught to keep one eye closed/covered when viewing lighted objects at night

Andy H

Vlaanderen
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#5

Post by Vlaanderen » 07 Jun 2004, 00:04

On this website the benefits of red light for night-vision are explained:

http://science.netfold.com/dim_red_lights.htm

Vlaanderen

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Madsen
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#6

Post by Madsen » 07 Jun 2004, 00:13

Andy H wrote:It takes the human eye a full 40 minutes on average to be fully orientated to night vision.

Soldiers, snipers especially (if no night vision equipment is available) are taught to keep one eye closed/covered when viewing lighted objects at night

Andy H
And if you view a lighted object with night vision eq you will loose your night vision. when we used that in my time in the military we observed only by one eye even with night vision

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#7

Post by Gespenst » 07 Jun 2004, 13:53

Also "war lamp" is used today on some vehicles, i guess that it has to do with avoiding detection. If the vehicle has normal white light inside and the door is opened, the white light goes off and a blue one goes on.

Same might be somewhat true of submarines. It would be much more comfortable if only red light would escape the sail hatch when some officer or lookout goes out, but this would only concern one hatch.

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Karwats
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#8

Post by Karwats » 07 Jun 2004, 15:28

Hi Guys

In our boats Red/White lights also indicated day/night. Got a little confusing for crew after a few days without surfacing. Sunrise and sunset was worked out correctly for our position and lights switched on and
at the right time. Mostly for practice and I suppose habit.
Luckily Watchofficers got to use the periscope so we normally had a good idea if it was Day or Night :D .

We also used some red goggles before surfacing, to keep time to aquire night vision to the minimum.

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#9

Post by varjag » 08 Jun 2004, 01:24

I understand that night-fighter pilots during WW2 were also routinely in a red-light environment pre-flight to improve their night vision.

gabriel pagliarani
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Re: Red light in submarines

#10

Post by gabriel pagliarani » 18 Jun 2004, 08:27

Eden Zhang wrote:Hi there....I was just wondering what the purpose of that was. Was it to conserve electricity? or some other reason?
No among you was a submariner, but I was... :D Very simple. An open outlet amid black ocean is a marker beacon visible from enormous distances. Better avoid it.

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Karwats
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#11

Post by Karwats » 19 Jun 2004, 10:18

Hi Gabriel
No among you was a submariner, but I was...
Actually, me too Weapons/Detection Officer on Daphne' class SSK.
And yourself???

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#12

Post by gabriel pagliarani » 19 Jun 2004, 11:39

Karwats wrote:Hi Gabriel
No among you was a submariner, but I was...
Actually, me too Weapons/Detection Officer on Daphne' class SSK.
And yourself???
Marina Militare Italiana, 2 "deep wet" turnaments 45 days each during 1982-3. Sottomarino d'attacco "Carlo Fecia di Cossato" (hunter-killer S-519). Rank:Sottocapo armiere attendente ai siluri Whitehead 290 di prua. (Unterfeldwebel gunner at the front Whitehead 29O self-homing torpedoes):D Yes, I served more than 20 years ago: now I am obliged to salute you as first, as Officer!
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/aj.cashmore/i ... ssato.html

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Karwats
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#13

Post by Karwats » 19 Jun 2004, 14:08

now I am obliged to salute you as first, as Officer
No saluting please :lol: :lol: :lol:
I am "retired" now, but always have time for gunners (torpedo men).
Especially after loading the stupid things :D

Maybe we an start a thread comparing our boats to yours and maybe look at the "fish" too. We had E14,E15 and L3

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#14

Post by gabriel pagliarani » 19 Jun 2004, 14:23

Karwats wrote:... We had E14,E15 and L3
Torpedoes, tethered torpedoes, smart mines. A NATO std.! Can I have a shot of the vessel?Is it German?

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Karwats
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#15

Post by Karwats » 19 Jun 2004, 17:45

No French boats, Daphne' very similar to Narwhal

Our new ones are German 209's -very nice :D

Here is Pic of "Johanna" my boats sister.
Image

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