Lights

[Justbass11]

Do you find that the LED color lights that they are putting on Bass boats today are really worth it? Idea has struck me that maybe in the future that it would be a good idea to put them on my tracker. What are your thoughts on the subject? Thanks for your input

[MN Fisher]

When I rebuilt the F-9, I used LED hull mounted for the bow instead of the dome style. Several people, including a DNR EO commented that it 'looked cool' - and the DNR EO even mentioned that 'Yes, we know that they're valid and legal'.

[airshot]

Led lights are brighter, longer lasting and draw far less power off your boat battery.....so what would be bad?  When I find them I am gonna replace my running lights with led bulbs.  Already reolaced the trailer ligjts and they are so much better!  Even replacing my home lights with led bulbs, already saved over 30% on my electric bill.  As I stated...what could be bad about them ??

[casts_by_fly]

If you mean built in for navigation lights I would do it in a heartbeat. I put them on my autopilot in the front and put a flip up in the back. In a bass boat with power poles I’d have led strips up front and a power pole mounted white light in the back. Then you never bother with checking separate poles, putting them out when it gets dark, etc. just flip a switch and you’re good. 

[GreenPig]

My bass boat didn't come equipped with LED's. But I like them.

[A-Jay]

12 hours ago, Justbass11 said:

Do you find that the LED color lights that they are putting on Bass boats today are really worth it? Idea has struck me that maybe in the future that it would be a good idea to put them on my tracker. What are your thoughts on the subject? Thanks for your input

If you're referring to interior vessel lighting, go for it.

If this is in reference to any exterior light, especially anything that is in addition to what is required for your vessel, know that depending on the body of water you're operating on, there ARE local, state and or Federal regulations the cover what is called 'conflicting lighting'.

Meaning anything that can interfere with another operators ability to distinguish your vessels disposition at night.  Properly displayed navigation lights tell other operators in the area  your rigs size, heading, and if your anchored or making way.  It also indicates the actions operators are required to take during a meeting, crossing and or over taking situation at night.

While it may be getting better, IME very few recreational boaters know these rules or that they even exits.  But that doesn't relieve any of us from the responsibility of knowing them & actually following them.  There's liability issues that are included in every boating accident investigation (especially when there are injuries or fatalities) and Navigational rules are part of that; which includes a vessels lighting.

So while a bombing down the lake lite up like a Christmas tree may seem pretty cool, to those tasked with enforcement, it's the sure sign of an uninformed or novice operator. 

Perhaps before making any alterations / additions to your rigs lighting,  check with the governing bodies that have the latest and most current regulations on this. 

Stay Safe

A-Jay

 

 

 

[MN Fisher]

12 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

If you're referring to interior vessel lighting, go for it.

^ Listen to the man where part of his job was enforcing boat regulations on the 'high seas'...he knows what he's talking about.

[gim]

9 hours ago, airshot said:

already saved over 30% on my electric bill

You saved 30% off your electric bill solely because you switched your bulbs to LED?  Not sure I buy that.  There must be something else to this.

 

I'm all for using less electricity or power and making something last longer.  Can't argue with that.  I'm just skeptical there wasn't something else at play with your electric bill.

[Darth-Baiter]

Boat or Kayak. I think I would go with those Guardian Angel lights.  so simple and self-powered.

 

 

[Dogface]

3 hours ago, gimruis said:

You saved 30% off your electric bill solely because you switched your bulbs to LED?  Not sure I buy that.  There must be something else to this.

 

I'm all for using less electricity or power and making something last longer.  Can't argue with that.  I'm just skeptical there wasn't something else at play with your electric bill.

 

Thirty percent would be about right. Most LED bulbs draw about 1/4 of the wattage needed for a standard incandescent bulb. 

 

Another interesting tidbit about LEDs. Last year we had a storm that knocked out the power in the neighborhood. A transformer had been hit by lightning. All my neighbor's lights were out except mine. I have mostly LEDs. Mine were putting out much less light than normal but enough light to get around. Every other appliance, TV etc. was down. It seems that a small current was leaking through the damaged transformer and it was enough to cause the LEDs to "glow". 

 

I have LED nav lights on both boats and trailers. Not only do they draw less wattage but they are brighter and last much longer. In fact, I cannot remember ever having to replace one. 

[Bankc]

18 hours ago, Justbass11 said:

Do you find that the LED color lights that they are putting on Bass boats today are really worth it? Idea has struck me that maybe in the future that it would be a good idea to put them on my tracker. What are your thoughts on the subject? Thanks for your input

They last longer and consume less electricity.  So once you install them, you'll probably never have to replace them.  But on the downside is the cost and hassle of replacement.  Plus environmentally speaking, you'd need to go through a bunch of old-style light bulbs before you balanced out the carbon footprint of throwing out the old light housings out and installing new ones.  

 

So I'd say it's probably only worth it if you really want to do it.  You might be able to install brighter lights, if that matters to you.  Or if you think you might actually benefit from the power savings if you've had your battery die on you before. 

 

So if you ever had to replace the housings or the lenses, I'd probably take that opportunity to upgrade to LED.  But otherwise, I probably wouldn't.  Unless it's a real pain to replace your old bulbs, in which case I'd do it the next time you need to replace a bulb.  

 

 

[slonezp]

Interior lights are great as long as they are in amber. It's easy on the eyes. Navigation lights should follow regulations. 

[airshot]

12 hours ago, gimruis said:

You saved 30% off your electric bill solely because you switched your bulbs to LED?  Not sure I buy that.  There must be something else to this.

 

I'm all for using less electricity or power and making something last longer.  Can't argue with that.  I'm just skeptical there wasn't something else at play with your electric bill.

Yes, absolutely true....  We live out in the country, no street lights, so I use motion lights all around my buildings. My power company is not one of the cheap ones. I have about a dozen outdoor lights, and numerous indoor incadesent lights. We are older so brighter lights are a must. My research shows an average 100 watt bulb uses a couple dollars each month in power, wgere an led uses about one dollar per year in power.  I also read my own meter every other month because the power company over estimates my bill on the odd months. I switched over to all led bulbs about over two years...almost three years back.  My average electric bill in non air conditioning months averaged 150-160 each month, after the total conversuon to led bulbs I now average 100-110 per month..  Just paid my feb bill...106..!!

I also only replace a couple bulbs per year where I was replacing 6 or more regular bulbs each month. We used to have 75-100 watt bulbs but now use only 40 watt " daylight" led bulbs and they are brighter than the old 100 watt bulbs.  Most everyone we know has changed and are seeing similiar reductions in their electric bills in our area.  I have definetly become a believer !!  We even replaced all the 12v bulbs in our motorhome with led bulbs.  We camp without electricity often, we have a generator if needed but we doubled our battery life going with leds bulbs.  We were getting almost two full days on twin deep cycle house batteries before switching over to led bulbs. After the switch we could get almost three days on the same two batteries.  LED bulbs only use about 10-15% of the power a regular bulb uses.  Try them you will see !!

[@reelChris]

If you're talking about lighting the interior/deck with colored LEDs, they're pretty fun.  They're generally not bright enough to retie without an additional light source, but they are great at keeping you from inadvertently stepping off the boat during night fishing.  They're also pretty good at stopping party pontoons from crashing into you in the dark.  

 

White attracts bugs.  Red does not, but I believe that neither does green and green LEDs are much brighter.

[GRiver]

I put leds on my boat, they last longer and use less power. I didn’t do any bling lights, just nav, small light for tying hooks and one flood up front, for when you gotta light everything up.

I do want to put red interior lights, just to see walking around.