Best Underwater Lights

No, you can change out the fixture in the water on the external mount, if you don't mind swimming. Usually it's just a couple of screws holding them on, just unscrew the old one, put a little 5200 in the holes, screw in the new one and fish the wires through the transom. They're close enough to the waterline that you don't need any scuba gear.

Well that is really cool. Thanks.

Just watch out, some surface mounts say they are metal yet advise you not to use 5200 because it will eat it up (which means it is plastic or the wires are not sealed around the mount plate)! So you will have to use silicone, you don't want those to leak on you!

Cheers.

Roger. Thx

This thread has a link to site that sells trim-tab mounted lights:
http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/carver-yacht/19796-water-hull.html#post161537

Not much light and in my opinion are not so worth it, though I have not tried them personally, higher in price than surface mounted lights, so if you want your own prototype, stack the surface mounted light on a water proof box to seal the backside where the wire enters the unit and mount is where ever you desire, the wires will run outside, and I guess it will be cheaper than the ones already rigged for tab mount.

Tell us how it goes with you. (Pictures are always welcome here! )

Cheers.

Epoxy a spacer on transom, thick enough for the screws of a surface mounted light. Cut a groove in the spacer from the center to the top to run the wire up the transom and come in above the WL

That s the best way to mount transom lights in my opinion

Here's a link to a trim tab and a transom setup (should not be too difficult to improvise):

Hurley Marine | Underwater HID Trim Tab Lights | Underwater Lights for your boat

I was not happy with OceanLEDs

Admin Edit: This poster has been banned.

I was not happy with OceanLEDs. I paided $800 each ($3,200 total) + installed them. I would be stretching it if I said they lasted one year. They were all burned out. I tried to contact their warranty department, and got machines each time. I finally sent them back and have been waiting six months. My buddy told me about a US company, AquaLEDs, and I figured, for the price, I would give them a try. VERY HAPPY!!! They are all brass, and even after months of my SeaRay being in the water, there wasn't a single barnacle when I hauled my boat. They are as bright as the Ocean Pro12. I would highly recommend!!!

I had to search in the shadows, but I finally found the light...

Gene, you were warned multiple times in YF's registration process NOT to pose as an independent 3rd party; promoting a product or a service. You were warned that we would expose you, but you disregarded the warning.

Now it's our turn... let this be a warning to anyone reading this thread that "AquaLED" engages in clandestine, fraudulent tactics. You have disparaged a competing manufacturer. This type of conduct is the lowest form of scum and we will not tolerate manufacturers attempting to mislead our readers.

Congratulations Gene, this thread tops a search on Google...

And how did I know it was you? Because STUPID criminals are the easiest to catch...

To anyone considering AquaLED, be aware this marine business appears to be funded by a network of porn websites. The domain extension, the same as Gene's screen name, has been flagged by Google for malware. It's a reported attack site.

The underwater lights on the 65 Donzi "Sea Deuce" are made by Ocean LED and are the older 12 bulbs units facing aft (three units) and two older 6 bulb units facing down. I put the bottom ones behind a thru hull scoop which protects them- Ocean LED's site says they should not be installed in an area of high water speed (last time I checked). I installed the lights myself without issues. I've had the lights on nearly continuously for about 3 years. One light now has 4 bulbs burned out but otherwise no problems. Another boat at my home marina has the same units and both burned out and the captain told me he's had little luck with the getting new ones. YMMV. Next time around I'll probably use the newest versions from them. I like the low power requirements of LED and ease of installation for a fraction of the cost of factory installed UW lights. LED lights above the water have been installed in many places on the boat as well- again at a fraction of the cost of a factory install.

************************* let me help here to demistify a little the subject ....... *************

* nothing, read again, nothing last more than a LED diode.
LED has a life than may reach hundred of THOUSAND of hours ...
many of us will DIE before a LED light fails ...

* LED lamps require MUCH less energy, BUT also produce heat, and that heat, if not properly drained, KILL the life of the LED lamp a lot . So, this is not the led diode failing, is the heat killing the semiconductor .. (Quite different)

* Some xenon, halides, and other discharge technologies are brighter than led lamps. However, produce tons of heat, uses TONS of energy and last few hundred hours ...

* An underwater metallic enclosure , will help a LOT to dissipate the heat generate by the led lamp. That is why a metallic enclosure is appreciated.

* I have seen $90 lamps, very very well built, but I cant recommend or suggest anything. Famous brands abuse on the price a LOT. If somebody knows a good quality, medium price brand, would be great to hear the feedback.

sorry my poor English,
ELoy, Miami
(I am electronic engineer and led fan for decades)

I just went with Abyss external mount lights on the last boat we had them installed on. They have stainless steel housings, are LED, and they provide a very good amount of light and so far I've been happy with them. I steered away from Ocean LED because I've heard they really do not like to honor their warranty.

Good luck... Our Abyss have never lasted more than a year or two. First batch was replaced after they admitted having a bad batch of resin which corroded the LEDs, next failure was "unexplained" and the latest one was blamed on the exposed wire which is supposedly not water proof.... Not the SS though but the bronze model, S1515... I hope for your that the New SS model is better

people abuse on 5200 !!!
i love 52000 !!!
but 5200 is NOT for many plastics, NEITHER for metals ...
5200 is for some specific applications .. is not a UNIVERSAL SEALER !! hehehe ...

3M 4000 is way better than silicon, not bad residue, more flexible, more adequated, moderate adehesive capabilities ... use 3M 4000 for MOST of the job and your are pretty fine there .... 5200 can make sometimes more damage than help ... for a small fixture light this (and most of the boat items) 3M 4000 is more than adequated !! my 2cents !! sorry my ****** english !!

On the other hand, I've installed OceanLEDs on several boats. Including 6 of their 3010 XFM HD lights I just installed on the boat I'm currently running. And I have found them very easy to work with on warranty issues.

I hope this doesn't turn out to be the case.........