Underwater lights - recommendations?

G

Gary B

Active Member
May 20, 2015
317
Long Island
Boat Info
2007 52 Sedan Bridge
Engines
Cummins QSM 11
Thinking of adding underwater lights to our 52 sedan bridge with hydraulic extended platform. The boat has 4 factory installed lights (above water) under the molded swim platform. The lights do not light up the water behind the boat all that great. Was thinking of adding additional underwater lights.

Any recommendations/experience with the lights that attach to the trim tabs?
If not trim tab mounted lights which brand of surface mount LED lights do you guys recommend?
 
As far as led's I like the Lumitec SeaBlaze X. You'll want 4 across the transom. I have the same boat/configuration as you. I have 2 through-hull HID xenon's on it. Nothing can compare to the brightness and how far behind the boat they illuminate. They're pricier than led's but they sure do light up the marina.
 
If my memory is correct I have 4 ocean Led brand blue. Across the transom they look great but when I throw the switch my amp meter increases greatly.
 
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Had 4 Vision X, across the 330, was very happy with them, will be adding either 4 or 6 to the Riviera when I get her home


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Im looking to put Underwater leds on the 390DA after closing..
Lumitec SeaBlaze X just not sure how many i need and exactly best location to put them..
 
I too had Lumitec Seablaze on my previous boat and they were the brightest lights in the marina.
 
Pony Racer said:
Im looking to put Underwater leds on the 390DA after closing..
Lumitec SeaBlaze X just not sure how many i need and exactly best location to put them..
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For a typical transom, I suggest a pair. Low on the transom and far to the outside as possible. For overwide boats, id suggest three. For twin screw boats, I suggest 3. Having that 3rd in between the drives, eliminates the shadow they would create with only a pair. Take a straight edge to the transom to check the radius. rectangle lights may not seat as flush as a round light assembly.
 
We have 3 Lumitec SeaBlaze X too and as everyone else here as stated they are just great.
 
I have 3 Ocean LED 16 ProXtremes and am very happy with them bang for the buck. They are down to $995.00 each but only 4800 lumens. There are others that are more out put but at a big jump in price.

IMG_0927.jpg
 
A manufacturers stated lumens can be hard to compare from one to the next. I like to use current amp draw. With that said, the Shadow-Caster SCM-10 has a 12V draw of 3.5A and retails for $599 ea.
 
Wylie_Tunes said:
A manufacturers stated lumens can be hard to compare from one to the next. I like to use current amp draw. With that said, the Shadow-Caster SCM-10 has a 12V draw of 3.5A and retails for $599 ea.
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Unfortunately that measurement your using doesn't work either, as current draw will not equate to light output with LEDs.

It is almost an impossible field on paper to distinguish, because as you said each manufacturer, sets there own measurement parameters for Lumen testing, there are industry standards, but they don't abide by them.

The difficulty with the current draw....wattage of the LED, is it depends on the efficiency of the LED, as to how much it converts into output, Lumens.

When they manufacture LEDs they test and grade them, I have watched LEDs being manufactured several times in several different factories, one process I watched was running around 10 bins, so say A grade through to J grade. So depending which grade LED they purchase, depends if the LEDs are within 5% of specification or up to 50% variation.

The important point above, is all the LEDs will require the same current to drive it, say 1amp, but the A grade may generate 1000Lumen, the f grade may generate 400Lumen but still requires 1 amp to drive it.

Hence, look on flea bay, at LED driving lamps etc, you will see all these cheap lamps out of China, they will highlight the fact that they are running 'Cree' or 'Osram' LEDs, they will not tell you they are running the bottom grade LED, which is costing them less than a Quality Chinese LED.

Then you have amplification technology of LED lenses.

We have given up going off specification sheets from manufacturers, to decide what we will recommend in lighting, we use a dark room, and our eyes, and yes if needed we have a calibrated lumen meter.

I manufacture an LED lamp for a road signalling product we manufacture and sell, so I spent a couple of years working through this to achieve a certified lamp.

We also sell, automotive work lamps and marine work lamps.


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We have given up going off specification sheets from manufacturers, to decide what we will recommend in lighting, we use a dark room, and our eyes, and yes if needed we have a calibrated lumen meter.
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Thats my point. If you are doing your own lumen testing, then it absolutely levels the playing field. For that that cant run them side by side to see for themselves which is brighter, ive found that current draw is a better qualifier for the consumer, then a lumen spec from the manufacturer. is it fool proof, no, is it exact and can take into account qualuty, grade and efficiency of the different LEDs, no. I just think its a better benchmark then lumens.
 
Unfortunately if you read my full post the wattage of the LED, which means current draw, is not an effective specification of light output, far from it


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IanBat said:
Unfortunately if you read my full post the wattage of the LED, which means current draw, is not an effective specification of light output, far from it


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And how are lumens, when done with different equipment under different conditions by different people? Your post made my pint about lumens.
 
Thanks everyone for the recommendations! The info from IanBat is an eye opener. Did not realize there were such variations in the way the outputs are advertised by the manufacturers. Makes one realize recommendations and a reputable manufacturer are important.
I think we had Lumitec lights on our last boat (400 EC) and they were good. Underwhelmed by the factory under platform lights on our current boat in comparison to underwater lights.
 
We sponsor a Fishing Forum over here, and we are involved quite a bit with Marine wiring etc.
I bought out some samples from a Chinese manufacturer 3 years ago, I gave some to Rob here for his 58, you may remember, one crapped out in 1 day, the other had all died by 8 months......luckily we sold none, I was embarressed enough that I had given Rob 4.
We have someone we know who sells a light, we presume Chinese, every report we have seen, they fail in 6 months, just saw a photo of some after 12 months in the water.....the lenses had fallen off....and they are not what I would consider cheap.
One of our suppliers has a cheap light.....not to be used on moored boats! Really!.....that tells you the quality.
The vision X we fitted to my boat and tested for 12 months before we would recommend
All the brands above that I have seen mentioned are good brands. My main advice, just don't shop on flea bay, and don't buy cheap. Unlike a deck light etc, if they fail, it's wait until haul out


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I just finished year 2 with 3 lights from Coastal Night Lights with no problems. The owner Chris is a one man operation located in Fl. He makes the lights, markets and ships them himself. He is a member on the THT forum (I know that's not good) but he makes a quality light at a very decent price. Spending many hundreds or thousands for underwater lights is for rich folks.
 
hottoddie said:
I just finished year 2 with 3 lights from Coastal Night Lights with no problems. The owner Chris is a one man operation located in Fl. He makes the lights, markets and ships them himself. He is a member on the THT forum (I know that's not good) but he makes a quality light at a very decent price. Spending many hundreds or thousands for underwater lights is for rich folks.
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If I may ask, which model of his lights do you have and do you feel they are "bright" enough? Could you share a picture of the lights in operation?
 
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