# HID or LED for Underwater Boat Light?



## Gannz (Jun 25, 2012)

Most important: Brightness. I don't want to jeopardize the integrity of the fiberglass hull with excessive heat but, aside from that, I want the brightest light for the lowest upfront cost. 

Budget: I'd love to be around 1-200 but I don't think that's realistic for the kind of output I'm looking for so I'd like to stay around 4-500. Max is 700.

LED pros: Easy install (surface mount), longevity, less heat then HID, low battery usage
LED cons: Expensive per lumen cost compared to HID

HID pros: Best bang for buck
HID cons: High battery usage, much hotter then LED, harder install

This is a trailered boat that spends 98% of her time in fresh water so corrosion resistance or easy to clean lens is not a factory. I'm only going to use the lights 1-3 hours per outing and maybe twice a week for about 30 weeks per year. So, a 10,000 hour LED unit would last about 55 years. I'm pretty sure the boat won't last that long and I'm positive I won't.

Installation is not a big deal. I'd prefer the easier install but I have the space, tools, materials, and skills to do a thru hull install.

The options:

1. 4500 Lumen Generic 55W HID Xenon Thru-Hull @ $687
2. 3800 Lumen Generic 35W HID Metal Halide Thru-Hull @ $400
3. 1300 Lumen OceanLED A12 Pro (22 watts?) Surface Mount @ $500

The output is per light and the prices are out the door for a pair. The A12 Pros are a great price but they are used... mint condition and not used very long but still used and no warranty. The A12 pro also claims to be as bright as a 50w Xenon... I'd buy that but the devil is in the details so I'm assuming they're not comparing it to a 50w HID Xenon.

The lumen claims seem a bit high on #2. I'm thinking it's probably closer to 2800 lumens which I'd still be happy with.

The first unit is the nicest and brightest but also the most expensive and it will take a while to receive them (think DX). It has good reviews on eBay though and they do show the ballast that comes with the unit. The thru hull design is similar to those used by high end manufacturers of similar light... except they all use bronze instead of stainless (is this for corrosion resistance or for a better heat sink?).

The second unit seems adequate but not nearly as well made and designed as the first. Also, I can't find any reviews or feedback online and they don't show the ballast. 

Do I even have enough juice to run the 55 watters? The 35 watt version says it needs 12.7 volts to start. What would the 55 watt need? I carry two batteries on the boat and one is a backup that I can use for lighting and backup only. I also have room to add a third battery if necessary.

Any thoughts, comments, answers, or other input from the lighting experts on CPF are greatly appreciated.


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## Optical Inferno (Jun 26, 2012)

A friend of mine just put some OceanLED lights on the hull of his 45' SeaRay. They look great in the water and were relatively easy to install. He was considering the HID's like you were but opted for the larger Oceans based on the power requirements and ease of installation.

The HID will draw a bit of current to start up but as the ballast is rated for what looks like 12-32V you should be OK as you have 2 batteries. It really comes down to your installation preference. They are all similarly priced and their light output is similar. The larger HID's require a 3-1/2" hole to install which is huge!!! I'd go with the smaller HIDs or the LED just for the simple fact that it is less invasive to your hull.


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## Gannz (Jun 26, 2012)

Your friend probably spends 2x my lighting budget just to fill his gas tank.  With that kind of bankroll, I’d have already had the marina install me a set of 60W color changing Lumishore LED’s. :thumbsup:

It’s about 6-7 cents per lumen with the HID and 20 cents per lumen for the LED… and that’s a great buy on a used set of LED’s. New, the cost is about 52 cents per lumen for the A12 pros. I wouldn’t buy those new though… if I had to pay new prices for LED’s I’d go with Lumishore, Shadow Caster, or Lumitec. OceanLED’s are very good but I think the others offer a better value.

I’m leaning toward the 35w HID. They only require a 2” hole so the housing is rather small for a 35w HID. I would have pulled the trigger on them already but I’m a little concerned that they’re not that well made and/or they may have overheating issues. Most thru hull HID’s start at around 1k so these have that “too good to be true” vibe. But, most boat parts are way overpriced anyway so $200 each seems like a reasonable price for a stainless steel 35W HID fixture w/ lamp and ballast.


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## MarkLB (May 27, 2014)

I came accross a very interesting website with more info on this product: www.nauticexpo.com/boat-manufacturer/underwater-light-19534.html


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## ChinoLED (Oct 21, 2014)

What did you finally settle on? Do you have any pics to share or youtube video? I saw that the $687 light you wanted is now going for around $200.


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