LED Madness

[ozscott]

Steve - mate that blokes lights are incredible value for money. He is ScarabChris from thehulltruth.com. Problem is the postage - about $150us from memory for a couple of lights. If you are after nice little spreaders with .08 (yep..point o 8) amp draw try Jarvis Marine. Just put my twin white 600 lumens in and they are very bright and very small (easy) to attach to the Bimini. I will start posting up photos when its all done. I have not used a dimmer mate. I have done a number of separate circuits and tried to make the lighting so it lights up but not direct in the eyes where I can - eg under gunwale and under Bimini. I have also converted 2 Lucky 16w fluros to brighter 6w leds (Ie half a metre/2 of 5050 strip inserted into the Lucky holder). With diffusers on they cut the glare a little...I have installed 10m of led stripping, which if its all on is 10amp, however I have 2 large marine batteries that are about 65amp hours..so one battery fully souped will run all lights at once for about 6hours with residual starting current for the outboard. I am also installing 2 x 60cm strips of 5050 30 led/m in red on the gunwales for packing up light - ie 30mins of cleaning up after a fish before getting under way. I also have the four blue transom lights at .08amps each, a rear stern light in led (bugger all - same as my all round white mast head light), sounder, GPS, VHF, stereo (almost never on)...but they are very low amp draw, so realistically for a night session where only some of the lights are being used at the same time I would be looking at running the same batt all night with no dramas.

Cheers

[deckie]

Thats some serious lighting you're whacking on. I'm still refitting and hadnt planned on doing the lighting till after the new donk goes on..BUT might shunt it up the things to do list. Those JM marine lights look too good to be true for the price...30-40 bux for underwater lights . Are they the same ones you're using for the spreaders as well ? I was just gonna grab one of those 18W jobbies flooding fleabay these days for maybe $40 but definitely gonna check these ones of yours out. Might grab a cpl for the transom...can you wire them without drilling the transom ?..i.e. surface mount. Does the wiriing come out the rear of the unit or the top edge ?
Yepp read nothing but good things about those ScarabChris lights...sounds like over the top postage. Some of the u.s. guys/outlets must just guess postage and add 100% just in case. I guess if its adding maybe $50-70 per light in a multiple order though it might still be worth a sniff if they're THAT good. Those JM underwater ones you;ve picked up look like a no downside option. 600 lumens each for < 50 bux ? Sweet. Done.

I work on keeping minimum about 30% reserve in house agm for recharging/longevity...cant imagine those 5050 lights will be on for long periods or on full blast much anyway...so i'm with you. Beats the old hanging utility light on a broomstick in the rod holder. Like you say most of the stuff we carry draws sweet fa, so might as well use the battery. Adding 5-10A for lighting i'm fine with for a average nights fishin. Bit concerned re the wirng size tho if your getting lots of heat...looks like pissy little wiring on these things for the current draw. How long u had the strips running for so far ?
Steve

[thylacene]

Made a start, bought a string of twenty 3 led modules, cut up the string and have fitted four modules so far.


Still have 16 left, and reckon I will only use 12 and a lamp in each bait tank. Already have cabin lights, so only doing the deck area under the gunnels.

Will now be able to see enough to go out after dark/
Before dawn and chase some night critters.

[Scott79]

This thread has got me keen on a couple of things, hoping someone can advise the suitability of the following:

# 1 metre strip in White (30 LEDs) beneath a hardtop to provide lighting for rigging up etc, surely this would be enough to light up an area sufficiently ~2m x 2m? Or should I just go to 60 LEDs?

# 1 metre strip in Red (60 LEDs) on the back edge of the hardtop, angled at 45degrees to provide deck lighting, to an area ~2.5m x 2m. I don't need it to be a substitute for the sun or anything, but would like to know if it will provide enough light to bait up, clean up, etc. Shadowing may be an issue, but I think I can put up with it as long as the light itself is ample.

Thanks,
Scott.

[ozscott]

mate - I am still decking mine out and have fallen behind. I can tell you that 1 metre of 60 led per m in 3030 is not enough to rig up in my view. I will post some pics when I can once its all wired up. The 1 metre strip of reds would do for cleaning up and putting stuff away though. I think for lighting in the bimini you are better to have spreader lights. I used the Jarvis marine lights at $30 odd each and they throw a really good light - fully waterproof and easy to attach with zip ties to the alloy tubing. I have added to that 2 1m strips of 3030 along the gunwale inside but wouldnt turn that on unless required. I have also re-worked a old Lucky dual 16w fluro to be 2 30cm strips of LED 3030 and with the diffuser that puts out a nice light. I also have about 5 metres of 3030 60 leds pm under the gunwales and under the pockets for floor lighting and pocket lighting. I dont think I would want less funnily enough. I have 2 60cm strips of 3030 red leds, but only 30 leds per metre and that is probably ok for cleaning up and not spoiling night vision, but double that would be better...will let you know.

Cheers

[Grand_Marlin]

Hey Guys,

I only just found this thread, so sorry for no earlier input.

We have been doing a lot with LED's.
There are heaps to choose from, a few excellent, some good, most ordinary.
Prices on a lot of them are completely ridiculous.
The downfall with most LED lights is getting a spread of light - most are very directional.
Also waterproofing / quality is ordiary in many of them, even though they claim to be waterproof.
We can light most boats nicely with 3 x 110mm LED's! at $30 each.

For night work, the old days told us to use red ... because we only had two choices - red or white!
Yes, red was heaps better than white.
In LED world, BLUE is by far the best for night vision.
White is best for clear viewing / lighting up brightly.

I have attached a couple of pics of boats we have done recently.
This first boat (Yalta 555) has 3 LED's - 2 under gunwhales and one on canopy frame.
It also has the baitboard lights we have been doing for people as well.

[ozscott]

Nice Pete. Mine will be overkilll but I have carpet on the floor and up the sides and bottom of the pockets and floor so for me I get no reflected light and need a heap to power it up...having said that I have made up a waterproof switch box behind the drivers seat (which is accessable from where I fish) and each main circuit is seperately switched - eg undergunwales and pockets are one..side of gunwales are another, spreaders under bimini is another, reds are another etc. Lots of wiring and lots of switches! I am also spreading the light souces around to make sure I have no shadows (or minimal shadows).

Cheers

[Grand_Marlin]

Two 110mm blue lights on "Plan B"

[Grand_Marlin]

Marty's Noble 7.5

Note: This has boat has both blue and white lights, individually switched... blue for night and nice effect, white lights light up like daylight.

[Grand_Marlin]

Nice Pete. Mine will be overkilll but I have carpet on the floor and up the sides and bottom of the pockets and floor so for me I get no reflected light and need a heap to power it up....

Cheers

I understand where you are coming from, but with the right lights you still don't need many of them.
I did a heap of research / trials to get the best we could find at a decent price.
Take a look at Marty's boat - 4 blue LED's for the 3m long cockpit and still lights up nicely.
It also has 4 white LED's that light the whole area up perfectly. (I will get a photo for you)
Marty has Regupol flooring which doesn't reflect light either.
The lights I use are all available in Brisbane and are waterproof.
If colour is a problem, we can also supply remote controlled RGB lights which you can change colour - red, blue, green, pink, yellow and white!
That way you can have them all in one light!

Cheers

Pete

[ozscott]

Thanks Pete - much appreciated.

Cheers

[Scott79]

Thanks Ozscott and Pete.

Pete, do you have any pics on the 110mm's that you are using? That pic of the deck on the Yalta looks good mate.

Thanks,
Scott.

[Grand_Marlin]

Thanks Ozscott and Pete.

Pete, do you have any pics on the 110mm's that you are using? That pic of the deck on the Yalta looks good mate.

Thanks,
Scott.

Scott,

I will have to take specific pics for you.
Here is a link that shows the 280mm we installed to give you an idea.

http://ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthr...ight=searaider

The 110mm is the same, just shorter.

Cheers

Pete

[bigdonk]

Love those Transom mount underwater LED's.. thats next for sure!!!

[Scott79]

Scott,

I will have to take specific pics for you.
Here is a link that shows the 280mm we installed to give you an idea.

http://ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthr...ight=searaider

The 110mm is the same, just shorter.

Cheers

Pete

Thanks Pete, the 280mm looks like it does the job nicely.
Do you know how many LEDs are on the 110's or 280's?

Thanks,
Scott.