# DIY Underwater Lights



## Shannon Foye (Aug 15, 2005)

Ballast is necessary to run the 175w mercury vapor bulbs that are used for underwater lights. Metal Halide ballast will run mercury vapor bulbs. You can find ballast for $30 to $40 on the internet. I ordered from a company in Texas to make sure that I received them by Memorial Day weekend. Their Venture ballasts (BV-V90D6112K) are $37. The shipping for three ballasts was $10. http://www.1000bulbs.com/175-Watt-Metal-Halide-Ballast/

The Venture ballast is wired for 120, 208, 240 & 277 volts. Cut off and seal the 208, 240, and 277 volt wires. Run the orange 120 volt wire and one of the white COM wires to a GFI outlet. Run the other white COM wire and the wire from the capacitor to the bulb. If you order from somewhere else, make sure that the ballast comes with a capacitor. You do not need an igniter. The Venture ballast came with the capacitor already wired to it.

I soldered the extension cord to the bulb with a cheap butane pen. Solder one wire to the side of the bulb and another wire to the bottom. Cut off the third wire. Lowes carries clear glass bulbs. Home Depot's bulbs are colored white. I sealed the bulbs in the PVC with marine silicone. I originally filled the PVC with silicone, put in the bulb, and let it sit for a day. A week later I was curious if it ever completely cured. I unscrewed the end cap and the silicone was still as wet as it was when I pured it in. I left the two parts open to cure. I'll add a little more silicone and screw them back together.


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## Aggieangler (May 28, 2004)

Looks like an interesting option to a 4 foot green light.


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## Vick (May 10, 2006)

Pretty awesome! I will buy one from you! LoL


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## katmunford (Sep 17, 2008)

*Epoxy*

Instead of using silicon sealant, you might try 2-part epoxy. Epoxy should cure in the absence of air. This way you woulld not need to pull it apart to see if it is dry. I may try this myself. Thanks!


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## Shannon Foye (Aug 15, 2005)

I'll take back my suggestion of using marine silicone. One of my bulbs that I sealed with silicone is loose. Fortunately it hasn't been in the water yet. I'm going to use 2 part epoxy instead.


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## netboy (Dec 12, 2006)

Yup, 2 part epoxy is the only way to go!


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## carryyourbooks (Feb 13, 2009)

*lamp?*

where did you buy the green lamp?


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## netboy (Dec 12, 2006)

The bulb used in these setups are 175 watt mercury vapor bulb with clear glass.


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## Mako232 (Sep 16, 2005)

You need a 2 part epoxy that will not shrink when dry, there are some available, check the net.


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## carryyourbooks (Feb 13, 2009)

what makes the green color? is it the epoxy, the ballast, or the lamp? thanks.


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## aporcarello (Sep 20, 2012)

*green light*



carryyourbooks said:


> what makes the green color? is it the epoxy, the ballast, or the lamp? thanks.


If I'm not mistaken the green just comes from the fact it's a mercury vapor light and when placed underwater is glows green.


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## BBKing (May 22, 2010)

It's cheaper to buy an outdoor mercury vapor light from Lowes or Home Depot and use the parts you need. Silicone will not work!!! Been there done that. Epoxy works great. Is there such a thing as one-part epoxy?


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## aporcarello (Sep 20, 2012)

*green light*

oops


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## padrefigure (Aug 22, 2006)

The picture makes the bulb look green--it is really white. The green light underwater thing is over-rated. You really get less scatter from green light in the water, so it is easier to see stuff. But a white light will attract bait and predator fish just as well.


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## bg (May 21, 2004)

Mercury vapor gives off a blue-green color anyway. That's the reason I don't like it for landscape lighting, the color temperature makes me nauseous. For fishing it would probably be great but I think you can get a brighter and more energy efficient metal halide lamp. Mercury vapor is tremendously inefficient. Of course, the par 64 lamps I use aren't very efficient either...

Good job on the build. Epoxy is definitely the right choice for underwater stuff.


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## Scott Harrison (May 16, 2006)

I would like to pay someone to show me how to build a underwater light. PM my if you have time to teach someone. Thanks Scott 281-507-3956


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## aporcarello (Sep 20, 2012)

*Green Fishing Light*

Actually I've built a couple on my own, I used a self ballasted 250W MV lamp cost for the lamp was about $20 with shipping, 100' chord about $17 ceramic holder $5 PVC $3 and the marine expoxy from West Side Marine $22, so around $70 total and it works great, I bought a bulb online that has the small base rather than the large base, because the ceramic holder for the large base is about $16 the base for the small one is about $4 or $5 and of course by using a self ballasted lamp you don't need a ballast, not using a electric eye yet just plugging it in. I'll either build myself another one with a dusk til dawn eye or just modify the one I've already made, like I said It works great and it beats the heck out of paying upwards of $250 that some of these yahoos want for green fishing lamps..
good luck, give it a try all it takes is just a little money and a little time.


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## aporcarello (Sep 20, 2012)

I've built 3 so far, and they all work great, I used Marine Epoxy from west side and that is the way to go, I also used a self ballested bulb....that's for all the usedful info Shannon,


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## Camcopelin (Dec 10, 2012)

Nice!


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