# DIY - Underwater fishing lights



## RR_TX (Nov 9, 2006)

I have been wanting to put underwater lights on the boat for some time but the cost of the over the shelf models are too much so I decided to try to build one. On ebay you can purchase these 100 watt (9000 lm) LED chips and driver that converts 12V to 36V for about $7 each. I encased a green chip in Marine Grade / UV epoxy resin and have produced my own underwater light for about $25.

Now I need to get the boat ready to test it out.. Let me know what you think.

RR

Epoxy Resin

LED Light

DC to DC converter


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## chumy (Jul 13, 2012)

cool


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## homebrew (Jun 14, 2011)

nice build, wonder if external water will be enough to prevent overheating?

any more details ?


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## RR_TX (Nov 9, 2006)

My first version held up in the pool overnight with no issues so I am hoping the same with this one. I did build some trailer lights using the 10W lights that did have issues with overheating. The LED lights are great, I also built a 100 watt white non-waterproof version where I mounted it on an old computer CPU heat sink and it works great as a utility / fishing light.


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## BigEgg (Jul 29, 2013)

hey guys this post got me thinking seriously about building my own and check this thread i found out!! these look super clean and pretty bright. probably not as bright as the 100watt but with these i dont think you would have to worry about over heating the leds

http://www.supraboats.com/bbs/showthread.php?14950-Building-your-own-underwater-Led


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## RR_TX (Nov 9, 2006)

nice. - the 5050 LEDs are not that bright, I would look for a light with 5630s.. I have a 15 foot strip of those wrapped around a pipe and use it at the beach.. 360 degree light for about 100'. very low draw and almost no heat.

light strip


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## RR_TX (Nov 9, 2006)

*playing around with Epoxy Resin and LED lights.*

My newest underwater light has the DC converter encased with the light so it only requires a 12V source. Heat dissipation is good having the light anchored to the metal bar. cost <$25

The red light is for my trailer guide poles - using the 5050 Red LED. cost <$5

The light connected to the PC Heat sink will used as a flood light on the boat. I got anxious and tried to de-mold it too early and ended up cracking the resin. cost <$10.

The Cross was actually taken just before mothers day. My son wanted to make my mother in law a cross so we made her a glow in the dark one by adding glow in the dark pigment to the resin. I used two colors and poured them into the mold at the same time. Now I have the mold of a cross I produce one each time with the extra resin. My last one has flowers embedded in the resin.


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## homebrew (Jun 14, 2011)

nice,now make some ever last trailer lights that are really waterproof


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## JTTMI (Jan 19, 2005)

What did you use for your molds?


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## RR_TX (Nov 9, 2006)

smooth-on 30 silicon - used to created the mold of the cross. the other lights used laundry detergent bottle cap, soup bowls as the mold


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## Gottagofishin (Dec 17, 2005)

RR_TX said:


> I have been wanting to put underwater lights on the boat for some time but the cost of the over the shelf models are too much so I decided to try to build one. On ebay you can purchase these 100 watt (9000 lm) LED chips and driver that converts 12V to 36V for about $7 each. I encased a green chip in Marine Grade / UV epoxy resin and have produced my own underwater light for about $25.
> 
> Now I need to get the boat ready to test it out.. Let me know what you think


The only issue I see is that the bracket you are using doesn't look like SS or aluminum. If not it won't take long for it to rust through.

Otherwise, it looks great.


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## RR_TX (Nov 9, 2006)

Gottagofishin said:


> The only issue I see is that the bracket you are using doesn't look like SS or aluminum. If not it won't take long for it to rust through.
> 
> Otherwise, it looks great.


You are correct - I was more doing proof of concept with items found in the garage. My next batch have brackets made for the salt.


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## RR_TX (Nov 9, 2006)

Youtube video of the first test of the boat light. The water was still murky from the recent rains but I was happy with how much it lit up the surrounding area.






I do believe that there is something to these lights so as I decided to start a kickstarter campaign; I had built a pair of LED guide post caps and within a few weeks they were stolen off the boat. A good sign that someone wanted my lights but I need to harden the design to make it more difficult to lift. To you who stole my lights - you cant outrun Karma..


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## cacauba (Apr 13, 2012)

wow, your light is awesome. sorry the kickstarter didn't work out. now that is been some time since your last post, how have the green lights held up? curios how the led's faired with incasing them and the heat sink in the epoxy. would have thought it better to at least leave the fins exposed.


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