48 LED Uinderwater Lights

Note: These photos are either too dim or too bright - reality is in between:

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48 LEDs ONLY:

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John great pics! Thanks.
 
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John
Nice pictures and a good comparison.
My goal in doing these lights was to build an affordable underwater light yet with good quality that all boaters could afford.
How they all came about: I just could not understand why underwater lights cost so much.
Thanks to all of you for the support and trust in buying them.
 
Ok, lights are going in today..... John how are your lights holding up? Think I will mimic your install with the holes and epoxy etc.
 
Perfect - press. When you mount the lights, begin to insert the wire until you're down to about 4". Then start to goop up the wire and entire area around the center of the light and out to the area where the holes are - no breaks - solid 3M 4200. The goal is to have the 4200 ooze out to the edges of the light backing and into the transom through said hole without any gaps along the back of the light.
 
Don't forget to goop up the screws too. I am using lighted SPST switches in the transom locker - Radio Shack.
 
Alright! Lights are in. Looks awesome. Letting the glue cure and hopefully get some pics in the water this weekend. I mounted two lights rear facing and one on each side. They point at an angle back and across the drive. Looks awesome!

Put a lot of glue around the wire and screw holes. But left the wire alone. If I have a leak I wanna know about it. I do not want to get water trapped in the fiberglass layers and rot out my transom. If the holes leak.... I will know being able to see any water coming in from the out side

These are the switches I used. A lot cheaper then radio shack if you are going to buy a number of them. I needed ten switches for various things I have done to the boat. So it was worth buying them here for me. Radio shack sells the same switch for 4.00
https://www.allelectronics.com/inde...92a403b2f4a37a59384e7ab28f02be1";i:1;s:0:"";}
 
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Fire...

Can't wait to peep those lights! If memory serves me correctly, you went with green, right? Bet that looks pretty sharp! Post those pics ASAP!

By the way, got your request.... I think we're friends now...

That sounds so "elementary"....
 
Pm sent. :)
 
Same switches.

Don't know about your Leak philosophy. Need to protect the transom.
 
John,

I caulked all around the wire and the screw holes really well. Just didn't fill the hole with caulking. That is what I was saying. So if I do have a leak....I will know within minutes of the boat being in the water. So I can pull it out and recaulk it. That is the point I was getting at. Sorry if I led u astray. I agree. No water in the Transom!
 
Firerooster said:
John,

I caulked all around the wire and the screw holes really well. Just didn't fill the hole with caulking. That is what I was saying. So if I do have a leak....I will know within minutes of the boat being in the water. So I can pull it out and recaulk it. That is the point I was getting at. Sorry if I led u astray. I agree. No water in the Transom!
Click to expand...

Umm... What if "the leak" doesn't go all the way through to where you can see it?

This is why people should not drill holes in boats below the water line. That install will leak... a "leak" may not be something you see... Every time I've had below the waterline work done, the yard is so ANAL about epoxy, glassing, etc. on ANY hole because it WILL have water intrusion and rot out the fiberglass or core. But I guess we've discovered that "caulk" is all we need now... yeah.....

But hey... anything for pretty blue lights under the water!!!!
 
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Ahhh, Gary u r killin me!!!!! Believe me, a rotted transom is the last thing I want or need. Yes I have been very hesitant to put these lights in. And that is y I had someone else help me do it. I am pretty good with a set of tools. But I honestly chickened out on this one. My mechanic and I both did the install. Drilled, epoxied and redrilled holes. Used silicone caulking around the back of the light, around each of the screw holes and the wire. Then installed the lights, and screwed them down. Wiped the excess silicone from around the light and letting cure for full 2 days before hitting the water. The boat is trailered and not slipped. I will be watching very close for a while around all the holes for any leaks. I did not fill the holes with caulking just for that reason. I wanna see if there is a leak. Not trapping it in the fiberglass. U r
Right, probably not the smartest move. But with all the precautions taken....I am hoping for the best. And btw, yes I do value your opinion. U usually are pretty straight forward. Whether folks wanna hear it or not. And I like it. Thanks!
 
I missed the epoxy part. I thought you had drilled holes in the transom below the water line and just caulked them. That would not be a good thing. Water is worse than cockroaches in that it will find a way in.
 
Lol. Cockroaches!

Yeah, I asked a lot of questions from Doug and Ron. Then took johns pics and put them to use. As far as the PVC, I didn't do that one..... But his pics definitely were the cats meow on helping me get this done. ( thanks John). Great bunch of guys with a lot of knowledge on here. Two thumbs up!!!!
 
Wow lots precautions and instructions on drilling holes in the boat. Very good info! Thanks all. One questio though, it seems like you are drilling bigger holes and filling them with epoxy then redrilling for the wires, but what about the holes for the screws that hold the lights to the boat. In the future I would like to do something like thIs, but now hearing about the issues that MAY be caused, I will either pass on this or some how mount above water line.

Havig said that I ask about the screws because I have another boat that is having swim platform issues and the screwsare loose and have been wondering about issues that it may cause.

Cool thread!
 
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