Anyone ever try making their own led lights?

rinker312

With our marina out of commission for a little while. I am thinking that I will have time for one more little project this year. Anyone ever attempt their own underwater lights? These lights are so expensive to buy but the components are quite cheap. So I have been looking around and finally found a place that sells a housing that looks like I can make waterproof. It even has half inch thread coming out the back so i am thinking I can turn it into some sort of drain plug light. I ordered just a plain white led that will put out close to 1000 lumens. So far have like 50 bucks into all the parts. I have some thinking to do about how to put this together and make it safe to use as a drain plug replacement If anyone has any input, ideas, experiences to share on this please feel free

Black_Diamond

You need to be like an IP-68 rating, heat dissipation is a big deal on these too (LEDs). 

212rowboat

How many watts does a 1k lum led pull? I used to compete 24 hour mt bike races and rode night with an hid and then led.. the brightest available at the time was a three cluster 3w which put out about 250~300 lum's.. I knew a 5w single led hit the market, and heard of a ten, but 1k lumens? Holy cow!!

If that rascal will be submerged, I can't imagine sinking it will be an issue, no?

Michael T

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212rowboat

MT, that's gotta be HID, no? They are impressive...

Michael T

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rinker312

Here are some details of what I am getting Cree xpg2 3 up led star. With driver to run at 1000 ma. Narrow optic to focus the beam as it will disperse quickly in the water Housing will only hold the led and optic and it will act as a heat sink since it will always be underwater I think we should be ok as far as heat. We considered running at 700 ma but the guy I talked to said that he would take a chance and try it at 1000 since it will always be cooled by the water. 700 ma only gives me 762 lumens where 1000 ma gives me 1014 As far as water proofing my thoughts are to jb weld the optic in. Then use flow able silicone to fill the entire area between the optic and up to level with the led star. Then jb weld the back in which contacts the back of the led star. I'm open to suggestions here if anyone else has any ideas Then I need to safely connect it to my drain plug and get the wires through. I have a few ideas here but really need to see the parts in order to plan this out. Hopefully they will be here in a few days I will post pics of my progress.

Michael T

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rinker312

Here are some pics of what I have so far.  Man, this thing is bright.  Also much smaller than I thought, what a PIA trying to solder the connections on. I think I am just going to fill the whole thing with epoxy that I am using on my hard top.  That should keep it water proof.  What do you guys think?  I was hoping it would just screw right into my drain plug hole, but it doesn't seem to match up, so I am going to have to make some sort of adapter.  Will post pics of the finished product.

Michael T

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Bruce

The talent on this forum never ceases to impress me!  Great job 312 

Dream_Inn

Looks good 312!  Don't forget when you put that adapter on that you will need some way to put a wrench on it to tighten it.  Epoxy should work, but I would use 4200 (or 5200) to fill in the inside of the adapter where the wires will go that threads into the hull.  Epoxy is great at being water resistant, but the 4200 will prevent the leaks.

rinker312

Here it is.  I wrapped some electrical tape around it to make sure that no epoxy oozed out, then I completely filled with epoxy, I don't think it is really possible for it to leak.  I have had it in a bucket of water for a few hours now, and it is still working.  Can't wait to see what this looks like on the lake. 

rinker312

Hey MT.  How did you put 8 LED's into that flashlight?  It seems that everywhere I look all I can find is a PCB that has 3 led's on it like the one that I used.  I'm just wondering because if this works out I plan to make some more to mount on my trim tabs, and I'd like to be able to do more than 3 LED's and really put out some light.  Thanks.

Michael T

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rinker312

Oh ok. I thought you put that together on your own. I bet that thing is awesome. I will post some pics when I finally get her in the water. I can't wait.

rinker312

Finally got some night pictures of my new LED light.  None while underway, but the one is off the back of the swim platform.  Considering that my drain plug is almost 3 feet under water and there is not much visibility in our lake, I think it is putting out a great glow.  Then check out the other picture, that is what it looks like when you look directly down through the middle drain hole in my swim platform.  As long as this thing holds up through the season, I will be figuring out how to mount a few more of these to my trim tabs.  Then we will really light some stuff up. 

Dream_Inn

Looks great!!

TheSalt

Definitely not home made but this guy was next to us the other night at the lake and it looked awesome!!

 

rinker312

update for new additions this year. My led underwater drain plug worked out great last year and is still working so I figured it's time to add some more. These newer LEDs put out about 2200 lumen each I am mounting two on each trim tab. So total output this year will be almost 10000 lumen. Can't wait to get some pics in the water. 

samp232

Looks awesome! Love to put some on my boat! For the drain plug light, is it on a switch? And then just a quick disconect on the wiring or do u just let it hang while draining water then screw back in?

MarkB

Samp on my drain plug light the cable is molded into the epoxy of the light so it is water tight. I don't think there is a plug, it just hangs.

MarkB

rinker 312, how are you going to mount those lights on the trim tabs.  Are they going on the fixed part of the tab, right up against the transom?

rinker312

I am putting them all on the same switch that I am using for the drain plug one. I have disconnects on the drain plug wiring so that I can unscrew it and take it out. The new ones will mount to the top rear edge of the trim tab. So when underway the lights will be up or down depending on how you have the trim tabs set. But really they are more for use when on the hook swimming. Then they will all be aiming the same way.  Pulling the boat tomorrow. Maybe if lucky I can get some night pics this weekend.  

Dirtythirty

I may have to think about using your idea. The cost of these underwater LEDs is OUTRAGEOUS !!   to say the least.  The concept and materials are so inexpensive...the markup on them must be unreal.  Please post pics when you are done !!

Stodge

My last boat had ground effect lights (plasma?) under the swim platform.  So they were more "at" the water than under.  Not quite the same as having underwater floods, but still looked cool.

Handymans342

Did you see fish attracted to the lights?

Stodge

Never noticed.  It was black light so they may not have cared.

Cableguy Greg

Dirtythirty said:

I may have to think about using your idea. The cost of these underwater LEDs is OUTRAGEOUS !!   to say the least.  The concept and materials are so inexpensive...the markup on them must be unreal.  Please post pics when you are done !!

The price is thru the roof. I went with a little known brand called Coastal Night Lights. They cost less than the big boys, but they work great. I had the DS version on my 232cc and now on my 280EC. I put one on each side of the drive.

Dirtythirty

thanks Greg...I'll check em out

Cableguy Greg

Here is a pic of the lights on my boat.