Spotlight ? - Forums Archive

bonanza

2012-01-25 19:34:20

First time posting. Looking for ideas for a good 12 V spotlight for night driving to avoid logs,etc. I do carry a 1000 watt portable honda generator and could use that instead as I don't do a ton of night driving. Seems everything I used in the past just wasn't bright enough. Any input is appreciated.

John Murray

2012-01-25 23:43:56

Most folks use sodium lights,but I've seen some boats with what looks like LED's.Spotlight's are good for getting into tighter spots as are decent sodiums.Good going.

Salty

2012-01-26 19:42:36

I just put on Rigid LED amber. Have not used them much yet but seem to be the modern replacement for Sodiums.

Drew

2012-01-27 02:10:59

Those look pretty neat Salty. I see that they have 10" up to 50", what size do you have? What is your impression so far?

Salty

2012-01-27 04:43:33

I had them put on in November and have not used them much, a couple of times at dusk. But, some fishermen that had them recommended them.

I put two up, offset a bit.

Blizzard here with snow and storm force winds rocking the house.

carojae

2012-01-28 17:15:38

LED's for sure. LED's have really advanced lately; have plenty of lumination and use almost no precious power.

Salty

2012-01-28 19:08:46

Carojae has it right. When both of mine are on they use between 5 and 6 amps. Wired right into the 12 volt system which means you don't have to have a big inverter, which I do anyway for other reasons. Expected bulb life is 20-50,000 hours.

kaysea

2012-01-29 18:24:12

Salty, I was just in Sitka last week and was at Murrys. They had a 80 watt LED flood light that they recently started selling and I was told that these are the best flood lights on the market. Is this what you have installed on your boat? I am looking at putting a flood light on my boat and wanted others input on this flood light. The price is pretty reasonable but I want to make sure the 80 watt will provide what I am looking for before I purchase it. Just want some good lighting in the event I need to run during the night.

Thanks, Ed

Salty

2012-01-30 01:28:41

I got mine through Precision Boat Works. Who installed it.

The brand is Rigid. Here is the link. http://www.rigidindustries.com/product-p/marineeseries20.htm.

85 Watt, draws 5.9 amps, 7900 raw lumens.

Have not looked at the one at Murray.

mydona

2012-01-30 15:57:14

These are really great. Although, while in Colorado this Christmas my Father-in law, who is a long haul trucker, stated that he didn't like his LED trailer lights. They produce no heat and was a full time job keeping them clear of ice and snow. This wouldn't be a problem most of the year but I'd keep that in mind when your mounting them.

kaysea

2012-01-31 05:05:54

Thanks for the input guys.

fvsedna

2012-02-14 00:15:02

Last year at about this time I was fairly deep Into LED research. I came across an outfitt In S. Carolina, called Marinebeam, which supplies a wide array of marine lighting specific to different areas of a boat. Which was just what I was Looking for. Besides needing lights sufficient to Increase visibility to safely travel at night, I wanted to upgrade other lighting on the boat. Which I have, & still am. The lights I purchased from them for night travel I can say are not 1000w sodium status, which I knew from my research Is not quite available yet on a civilian bases. But they mostly accomplish what I needed. I mounted two up on the crosstree & If there Is anything on the water I'll see It...logs, sticks, kelp monsters shows up well. There Inherintly Is'nt much reflection off the dark clear water we fish In much of and around S.E. especially open or near open ocean. But any sort of pigmentation In the water supplys a different result. Last November I was traveling late from Vank Island headed for Wrangell where of coarse the silty Stikine dominates the top water lense In that area. I was amazed at the visibility caused by the reflection from the colored water. Anyway, power useage very low 5W ea. 4800 Lumins..( you'll have to do your own research on lumins compared to candles). They are available In spot, flood or eurobeam(combination of both). I got a spot & a euro...Only change I would do would be have both euros. I also changed most all of my cabin lights, deck lights & troll pit lighting to LED. There are cabin lights available that Marinebeam manufactors that come on 'red' when initially turned on, then when turned off & quickly back on come on white. They're wonderful for night time & next to nothing for power draw...you can play cribbage til' late without worring about draining the batteries. They also carry any adaptor for our common light fixtures we have throughout our boats. I should say they are great to do business with I returned one fixture,( It was'nt quite what I expected) An adaptor that had broke & a deck light that got water In It.....replaced or refunded no questions asked.....My 5 cents on LEDs'....Below Is the site address.

Andrew

www.marinebeam.com

fvsedna

2012-02-14 00:27:23

I don't want to Impose the Impression that I am advocating for Marinebeam, simply relaying results from research I did a year ago.Which I should say as fast as this LED technology may be advancing, there very well could be lighting available thats' much better. Maybe the Ridgid fixtures that Salty Is operating now.

2 more cents.....

Andrew