Tri-Color LED Lights For Arch, Swim Platform OR Hardtop

Michael T

We have discussed these before but there are a lot of new guys on the forum who are customizing their boats and we are all thinking of winter projects.

This up-grade is cool and not that expensive. The tri-color (red/white/blue) led lights replace the white lights that are oem from Rinker. In fact both my 2013 EC 310 and 2014 EC 360 came from the factory with the tri-color lights already installed.

I am also going to replace the white swim light on my swim platform with one of these so that everything matches. I really like the effects and if you want cockpit lights on while underway the red lighting does not reduce your vision which is cool.

They are very easy to replace on most Rinkers and not even hard to start from scratch, if you have no lights in your arch. They are 2" in diameter and have 2 wires. For some installations they will just be plug and go for others some basic wiring might have to be done.

They are super energy efficient - white light is .46 watts and .036 amps. The red and blue are .26 watts and .022 amps. IMO that is crazy low and won't run your battery(ies) down worth talking about. They produce 20 lumens. The white is quite bright - good for looking for things. The red is very cool as is the blue.

If interested here's the Info:

You can order them from ITC Marine  1-888-871-8860 or any supplier. I'm sure ITC could easily give you à dealer's name for your area. BTW The ITC Marine website is real cool, they make so many great products for many marine applications from lights to taps.

ITC Marine PN:

Stainless Steel Bezel - 69660SS -RBW

White Bezel 69660W1 - RBW

You can also purchase them at Overton's and have them shipped to your door. They sell them for $39.95.  They sell the SS model. You can view them on page 146 of the 2015 Overton's catalogue or on line and contact Overton's order desk at 1-800-334-6541

The Overton's PN is 733104 and they call it an ITC Tri-Color LED Light

For the price it is a huge custom effect - I get so many compliments when docked at different marinas. When I add the new tri-colored light to the swim platform the effect will be even better.

Cableguy Greg

They are cool lights. I put a set in my 280EC. If you hit the switch really fast, you can get the two color effect, one light one color, the other light a different color. They do look good. I changed my courtesy lights to the blue ones since some of my white ones were starting to fail. I think that is why the admiral wants to rename the boat "Blue Light Special". 

Michael T

Greg, we have a beer up North here made by Labatt. It's called Blue Light. Your Admiral is right, if you have enough of them you do feel special - trust me on that! :-) 

Handymans342

You guys with all these lights are turning your boat into a brothel. 

rmrstlmo

The admiral doesn't like the red because of the that very reason.  So mine are usually on blue unless I need a lot of light for something then they're on white.  They were a great little upgrade for not much $$. 

Michael T

.....I hear your Admiral but if I'm running at night and people want cockpit lights on the red does not hinder night vision but blue and white do. My Admiral doesn't mind the red cockpit lights if the red underwater lights are on at the same time. It is a pretty awesome look and always draws a crowd - yes, there are women in the crowd too. LOL

diggin2day1

I was just looking at doing this to my boat too... I have been researching different lights. Was thinking about putting (3)- Lumitec Mirage RWB in my radar arch, but the price is approx $80 each. here is a link to them:  http://lumiteclighting.com/product/mirage-flush-mount-down-light/?application=marine .... Might think about replacing my other deck lights with the ones you posted..... Back to the "researching drawing board!!!"

Michael T

@diggin' those look like high quality lights. and they do have an awesome low power draw! I think ITC makes several models like it. One thought...they are 130 lumens. That is pretty bright if you put two or more up.  If you are going for laid-back mood lighting the ITCs  might be better. I do like the ITCs option to click through three different colors!

diggin2day1

@Michael- The description says (White dimming / Red non dimming / Blue non dimming)... I'm wondering what that 130 lumens is measured off of.... Maybe from the white on "high".... Would the lumens be lower with the red/blue?... Not sure how it works, but I think a call or email to Lumitec is in my near future!!! Lol

Michael T

@diggin' I believe you are 100% correct. They usually measure the lumens off the white which is considerably brighter and you can also see the difference in the power draw. While the draw of the white setting is usually quite low on an LED it may be twice as bright as the red and blue. For a comparison - on the ITC lights I have, the white is as bright as I would want in my cockpit at night. The blue is next brightest and the red is the least brightest. For your reference, I believe the ITCs are rated at 20 lumens. For the Admiral and I the white is plenty good enough to see anything in the cockpit area - also we don't want it so bright that it draws every bug for 10 miles to the boat. The blue is very nice just to sit under and have a drink and draws many compliments. The red is also nice and draws lots of jokes......if you know what I mean LOL

Suggestion ....purchase one of the ITCs and try it in your garage. That should give you come kind of idea before you buy the more expensive lights and start drilling and wiring! If you don't like it send it back. Heck you could even buy one of each to compare and return the one that suits you less?

It's all good fun, right?

Dirtythirty

One of the best things Ive accomplished since I bought my boat, was to change the lights out. It gives a really cool effect at night either static or under way. I also find that the blue doesn't draw the mosquitos in as much as the white lights. The white incandescent lights have a tendency to be harsh on the eyes sometimes. I think you mad a good choice !

luckydog

Our swim platform there also on board and in the cabin

diggin2day1

Dirtythirty- what brand/model lights are those?

Dirtythirty

they are nothing more than the "off the shelf " blue LED fixtures that they sell in WestMarine.  They are $18 each and are a PERFECT replacement for the factor ones...they give you both trim rings, chrome and white...I used white

diggin2day1

I just got done installing(in 22 degree weather!!) Lumitec Mirage Full Spectrum lights in my radar arch. The previous owner had large led flood lights mounted in bright white 1/4" Starboard. The floods were extremely bright and I just couldn't stand to look at them for another season. I bought a piece of 1/2" Seafoam Starboard(matches perfectly now) off eBay, cut to similar shape and rounded the edges with the router. Cut a 2" hole with a hole-saw on the drill press(that got entertaining as the Starboard started to melt to the hole-saw!!).
I also ordered a BlueSea dimmer module(which I didn't install yet)... The Lumitecs are controlled by a regular on/off switch. When you initially turn them on, they're white and ramp-up in brightness... A quick flip (off/on) of the switch and you can select the brightness that you want. If you let them ramp-up all the way, then give them a quick flip (off/on) then they go into color changing mode(constantly changing). With a quick flip(off/on) they'll stay on that color. I am going to wait until it gets dark outside and see just how bright the "colored" lights are... Might just return the dimmer if they're not too bright. Here are some pictures of the lights(they're a bit dirty... Will wipe them clean when the cover comes off!!)...

old lights:

New lights:

Cableguy Greg

Very nice. Much better than the what the PO had installed.

aero3113

Nice job Diggin, looks great!

Michael T

BEAUTIFUL!  If I owned Rinker Boats I would have a website that showed all of the custom work done by owners so that potential customers could see the AMAZING customization possibilities for Rinkers. Then I'd award free Rinker gear to owners who submitted pictures based on categories such as lighting! 

MarkB

diggin2day1

MarkB- looks awesome! What type of underwater lights do you have?

MarkB

I used an LED drain plug light. I didn't want to drill any holes.  I've had it for 3 seasons and it works great. 

http://www.theliquidlite.com

All those lights (spreader and transom lights by ITC didn't take more than 30 minutes to install, less than 10 minutes each.  That's what I like the most about them.

I can switch between white, blue and red by toggling the switch on and off.

MarkB

Michael T

Two thumbs up for the ITC lights,  I have hem too.  With the Ocean color-changing LEDs I can also match the underwater color to the hardtop cockpit colors. 

randy56

Thats hot! changed mine out last fall to blue, thought I was doing something, did'nt know about those sexy ITC lites, a little mood music, a refreashing beverage, and she will be ready. 

Michael T

@R56....oh yeah! 

jme097

I just bought the Lumitec Seablaze Spectrum underwater lights for my 280. Didn't know they had these too. Scooping these as well! haha. Projects keep piling up haha. Thanks for posting this OP!

Michael T

@jme097  like me you will be able to have your underwater lights match the three colors in your cockpit and swim platform by selecting a color with them then matching it with your Lumitecs. I do this all the time and it looks amazing! 

jme097

@Michael T I am stoked haha. Now my problem is how do I want to wire them up! Wire them so they turn on with the underwater lights or do them on a separate switch haha!

diggin2day1

Put them on separate switches due to the white light/dimming feature on the mirage down lights. It will be easy to match the colors anyway, when the LEDs transition through the color spectrum it happens at a very slow pace. 

jme097

Very true @diggin2day1 !

Michael T

d2d1 is correct,  from experience I can tell you that it will be much  easier to sequence the lights if wired separately.