Ocean LED install


twarble

twarble

Member
hey all,
i wanted to pass along something about my underwater LED install for anyone else that decides to go that route. i have a 40PC with a rather large swim platform, and i boat in the Chesapeake area which isn't exactly the clearest of water. :) so, when i got some lights last year i decided to upgrade from what the factory was doing, and go with the Ocean LED Amphibian Pro, A12 Pro Blue LED's. they are supposed to be 75% brighter, so I thought they would be much better. unfortunately, or maybe fortunately depending on how you look at it, i decided to only do the dual light install like they do at the factory.

the problem is that at the factory they like to install the lights just above the trim tab's. the surface of the boat at this location is about a 30 degree down angle. so, your light effectively shines down into the water. the result for me was a light that made it about a foot out from under that big 'ol swim platform.

so, since my boat's been out of the water for a few weeks, i decided to try and fix this. i got another light taking me to 3, and i had a local plastic shop make me a custom wedge for mounting the light. the result is a light that shines perfectly parallel to the swim platform. after mounting it and turning the lights on while sitting on the hard, the third light makes a huge difference. i'll hopefully be getting wet tomorrow, so i'll let you know if it helps with the water penetration.

i got some pics for you guys to check out too. if this works as well as i hope it does, i may consider trying to remount the other two lights...

the first pic is of the original light install above the trim tab. this is similar to what the factory does.
 

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I;m looking at installing the amphibans 2- A6 and 1 A3 models will this be strong enough light to see from under the swim platform?
twarble how does your system look ?
 
how well they will work probably depends the most on what your water is like where you boat. i'm on the potomac river which is a fairly muddy river. so, the light doesn't penetrate all that easily. also, the depth of your swim platform should be a concern as well. in my original post i stated that I wasn't too happy with the effect of two lights that pointed down...hence the third that points straight out. finally, the color of light you choose will also have a big impact. i went with blue because i'm in pretty murky water.

all that being said, i'm really happy with how mine are nowadays. as the name implies, the 12's are much larger than the 3's, and twice the size of the 6's, so i'm not sure how well they would work in my application. i get about a few feet worth of penetration beyond the swim platform which is about 4' wide, so i'd say it's pretty good.

good luck with your install...and let me know if you have any more questions.
todd
 
The water is cold and clear in my marina so I was going to use the blue and the I have to decide on A3 A6 or A12. Todd do you think I will need the custom wedge?
 
i would contact the local dealers for OceanLED and see what they say about the installs in your local water. i talked to two different dealerships, and polled a couple of guys around my dock to figure out which models worked best, along with which colors. they also helped me figure out how well the light would penetrate. if your water is relatively clear, then i'd say no, you won't need that wedge that i had made. also, you can always call the folks at OceanLED directly. they're really nice, and were great at answering questions. i'm sure they've done some installs in your area as well, and can also provide some great feedback.

good luck!
todd
 
todd, castines
thanks for the feedback i called OceanLED they recommend the A12-Pro and like you said the 34 transom is flat so i should be good to go. Castines I wish i had the guts to put your style in they look fantastic but i know my limitations.
 
don't let fear and common sense stop ya ;D ;D. those do look good. i wonder if it would be a little easier to install in mine since it has v-drives ???
 
i'm fairly certain the ones that Castines used are the same ones that Formula has been using on all of the factory installed setups. i don't think you can even buy that light any more unless you luck into some old stock. the A12 Pro is supposed to be *much* brighter than the older A12, and way brighter than these, plus if i remember correctly they use less electricity, and they have a much smaller hole to be drilled through the hull since they are self contained. all in all, i would recommend sticking with the A12 Pros....a very good value considering. you guys are lucky you don't have that angle to deal with!
 
OMG!! i just googled these lights. over a grand?? is that for one or a pair? they look awesome but that seems ultra expensive to me. am i looking at the right thing? ocean a12 pro?
 
if you dig really hard, you can probably find them for about $800. and yes that's one. :) funny how expensive these toys get eh? :D
 
GULP!! yeah that is pretty expensive. i have some water proof flashlights and some duct tape. maybe i can rig them up to look pretty good lol :D
 
THE OCEAN LED'S ARE READILY AVAILABLE. THE 2010'S ARE WHAT CASTINES USED, AND ARE EXPENSIVE. WHEN PUTTING ANYTHING BELOW THE WATERLINE, AND DRILLING HOLES, YOU DO NOT WANT TO CUT CORNERS, OTHERWISE YOU WILL BE PULLING YOUR BOAT OUT FOR A LEAKING LIGHT.
OCEAN LED'S DO NOT NEED WATER TO COOL THEM, LIKE MOST OTHERS. WHEN YOU GET UP ON PLANE, AND FORGET YOU HAVE THEM ON, THE CHEAPER ONES OVERHEAT AND KICK OUT. WHEN YOU GO TO BOAT SHOWS, AND THEY HAVE THEM ON DURING THE DAY, OUT OF THE WATER, YOU WILL SEE THAT THEY STAY ON, AND LAST FOREVER. OTHER CHEAPER LIGHTS CANNOT BE ON OUT OF THE WATER.
IF FORMULA USES THEM, YOU KNOW THAT THERE IS NO COMPROMISE IN QUALITY.
 
so you are saying my water proof duct taped flashlights are a bad idea ???

Seriously though, i am not familiar with any underwater light. i wonder why if they are LED thay have to be cooled? is it because they are air/water tight? i'm not sure i understand all i don't know about these.
 
I DON'T KNOW THE PARTICULARS, BUT I BELIEVE THEY HAVE AN INTERNAL DRIVER THAT POWERS THE LIGHT EMITTING DIODE, AND CONTROLS THE OPERATION OF THE LIGHT. OCEAN LED HAS ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY TO NOT NEED COOLING. OTHERS DO NOT. OCEAN LED ARE THE BEST OUT THERE. THEIR BRASS OR BRONZE DOES NOT CORRODE, THE GLASS IS THICK, WHERE IT WILL NOT CRACK. IF I WERE INSTALLING, I WOULD DEFINITELY USE THE OCEAN LED. BUT THEN AGAIN, I OWN A FORMULA, NOT A RINKER OR SEABAG.
 
so, to be clear, they do need cooling. they self cool through the metal band on the outside of the light. if you're up and running for a really long time, they can shut themselves off to protect the circuitry, but i have never had mine shut off either. supposedly they'll turn back on once they cool themselves down too. they're just really good lights...and i agree with GSENT...i'd buy Ocean LED again in a heartbeat if i had to.
 
HEHEHEHE :D Gary said SeaBag ;D

so IF a guy wanted to maybe do something similar, what about the LED's that you can mount on the trim tabs? anybody have any experience with them?
 
Looking at the lights I have above water when on the hard is like looking into the sun!

Blue dot burns for over an hour will never do that again. Ditto on what GSent said. They are also libor rated! Thinking of a 3rd in the middle for this season since I can't get a new boat!
 
I got the Ocean LED Amphibians. I installed 3 of the A6's and 2 of the A3's. You can see from the photo, installed 2 of the A6's between trim tabs and outdrives, 2 of the A3's between the outdrives, and 1 A6 down low, just above drain plugs.

These Amphibians are the most economical, bright enough, do not need to be in the water to run them, and are very easy to install.
* I paid $ 300. each for the A6's and $ 150. each for the A3's.
* They always look good in different water types/colors.
* They can be on when you are on plane- The Amphibian Pro version or the other Ocean LED have to be underwater to run.
* They only need a 3/8" diameter thru hole in your transom, and easy to wire. Hardest part is finding the matching rocker switch.

IMO, these are the biggest bang for the buck out there.

Here is a photo :
 

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I apologize for not having a photo (not sure it would do it justice anyway), but I only have a single Amphibian A3 (the type that mounts as a drain plug), and I've been impressed by the results. The only problem is the light is somewhat limited by the outdrives on either side. I plan to get one more A3, and probably a couple of A6s. I'm thinking of putting the A6's on the side of the boat near the stern. Has anyone tried this? Do you know if it is safe (i.e. will they stay on?)?
 
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