I built some new LED underwater lights...

mnm99

Well-Known Member
Oct 2, 2015
2,445
Long Island
Boat Info
2004 340 SeaRay Sundancer
Engines
Twin 8.1 Merc
Over this past year I have been working on improving my current design. I came up with this and boy are they bright. These are a little different because they use a LED driver to control the amperage. I feel it's a better way and you can also run the wires as long or short as you want. The LED itself is a 50 watt CREE chip and is bright, as you can see in the pic. These are also on my boat now....:D. I'm selling a few if your interested guys.
check it out..
Led.jpg
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Led and controller.jpg
Controller.jpg
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Without a driver "controlling" the amperage, what is the 12V amp draw of each light? Why not run them unbridled so you get their full potential? All you need is a cable thats of ample gauge for their potential amp draw. No "driver" needed, right?
 
Don't understand your question. These have drivers..Each led only draws 1.1 amps. Separate driver for each. The led is rated for 1.5a , so it's a little under powered. That's ok though. They will last longer. Wire is rated to 7a. You can run lights without drivers, but you have to be careful and know what the voltage drop per foot along with amp draw is. If you get it wrong you can burn them right out. The wire has to be a certain length to act as a resistor.
 
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So its voltage, not amperage, you are trying to control? Are these not able to run on a 12V system? Say safe to up to 16V? Should never see that from an alternator.
 
No, The driver I'm using controls the amperage AND the voltage. You CAN run an alternator..The range is 9-18V input. No matter the input voltage the output will stay the same. That's why these are better
 
Without a driver "controlling" the amperage, what is the 12V amp draw of each light? Why not run them unbridled so you get their full potential? All you need is a cable thats of ample gauge for their potential amp draw. No "driver" needed, right?

I understand what your asking now. No you cant do that with led's. They have to be regulated in some way. Not just hook up 12v and call it a day.
 
So a couple of questions.....
  1. What is the diameter of the light housing?
  2. Any other colors besides blue?
  3. What's the price?
Thanks
Shawn
 
I understand what your asking now. No you cant do that with led's. They have to be regulated in some way. Not just hook up 12v and call it a day.
Correct, a raw component LED is not 12 volt ready. I was trying to understand exactly what your driver is doing and I think I get it know. All the LEDs I deal with are 12V ready, meaning its an assembly thats ready to be wired right to a 12V source, all the resisters are wired in at the LEDs so theres nothing external or upstream thats needed. Your LEDs are what I call raw LEDs and they are wired together in a pod with no resisters. Your resister calculations are just upstream, rather then at the end of the line.

Thanks for bearing with me on the questions, I like to know how stuff is build and how it works.
 
Correct, a raw component LED is not 12 volt ready. I was trying to understand exactly what your driver is doing and I think I get it know. All the LEDs I deal with are 12V ready, meaning its an assembly thats ready to be wired right to a 12V source, all the resisters are wired in at the LEDs so theres nothing external or upstream thats needed. Your LEDs are what I call raw LEDs and they are wired together in a pod with no resisters. Your resister calculations are just upstream, rather then at the end of the line.

Thanks for bearing with me on the questions, I like to know how stuff is build and how it works.
:D..Yup..No problem..
 
led set.jpg
I didn't even mention that I'm also making a few sets with a wireless remote. Just connect the control box to the battery and your done!:D
 
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