# Light or lights wired to boat



## moneyspent (Nov 10, 2011)

http://postimage.org/image/mdh0pdk7t/


I'm looking to get some assistance with getting lights for my boat. Trying to get the image linked above so let me know if it does not work!

It's a GM350 basic car engine to those not familiar with inboard outboards. It has an alternator and a perko dual battery switch and two marine batteries. I had some red LED's installed inline to the wiring in the boat already. It does have a cigarette lighter right by the dash but I'd like to hook some awesomely bright lights on the bow rail! We head to horn island quite often and sometimes it's after dark when we return.

I see some insanely bright flood lights on some of the shrimp boats tied up on dock and I always wondered how they were powered and the actual brightness of them.

I'd like something to shine right in front of us as the red LED's take care of the cabin and deck.

Couldn't find a retailer that sells the lightforce ml240 which is handheld but from what I read here on these forums it's a great light.

This forum is very technical, keep up the good work guys!

Ray

Your Image didn't work, I would have fixed your link but your image is larger than CPF's 800 X 800 pixels image rule


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## Norm (Nov 10, 2011)

Moved to Transportation-Lighting - Norm


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## Ken_McE (Nov 13, 2011)

moneyspent said:


> http://postimage.org/image/mdh0pdk7t/



Damnit Moneyspent, now I've got to wash all this drool out of my keyboard



> It's a GM350 basic car engine...It has an alternator and... and two marine batteries.



OK, so you are nicely set up to use 12 V DC.



> I see some insanely bright flood lights on some of the shrimp boats tied up on dock and I always wondered how they were powered and the actual brightness of them.



If I recall, they use those lights to get the shrimp to come to them, same as bugs will come to a porch light. The obvious thing to do is to head over to where they dock and talk lights with them.



> I'd like something to shine right in front of us as the red LED's take care of the cabin and deck.



How about a pair of HID car headlights? Since you're on a boat you'd want full redundancy, one on the left, one on the right, each fully independent. You'd want to be able to adjust their aim by hand.

While you're at it, you might want to add some cool white LED lights in the engine compartment in case you need to fix anything, and to the cabin area in case you want to read a chart, pull a fishhook out of somebodies leg, that kind of thing.


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## BVH (Nov 13, 2011)

First thing I thought of are Lightforce driving lights in HID, then read the rest of your post and saw you're already thinking along this line. We don't know your budget? If I remember correctly, their HID model are pricy. Amazon has them in pairs for just under $500. Wiring kits are on top of that. It's their "HID 240 Blitz". Looks like they've bumped them up from 35 Watts originally to 50 Watts now. Those will be very good performers. Be sure to verify you're getting the 50 Watt version if you choose to buy them.

EDIT: Did some checking and looks like both 35 and 50 Watt models are still sold. The Amazon models did not indicate 35 or 50 Watt. The 50 Watt model comes with 5000K color temp bulbs which, in my opinion are the best color. They provide a much whiter colored light than typical Halogen bulbs.


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