KronoReview of the LED Marine Light- Underwater Boat Light. This item was provided by TomTop for review.
^ Marine Light LED product page/website pic ^
INTRO:
I haven’t used or seen a light like this, but thought…wow…this looks like an interesting idea. Instead of drilling a hole(s) in your boat to install an underwater light system, this thoughtful option allows you to use your existing drain plug as the mount. Pretty cool, but does it work? Is it practical? We will look at that in this review. For now, let’s check on TomTop’s published specs for this no-name light:
Regular price: $62.99 (current sale price $41.49).
Features/Specifications (From TomTop product page. NOTE: The broken English is just as it appears on their website ):
This marine light is made to make your sea travel at night more secure and more charming.
Features:
Super-class material: aluminum alloy, highest waterproof standard, makes the light to use in sea water freely.
Usage of Cree LED chip to ensure the high brightness.
Projection ingress IP68, waterproof, shake-proof, lights can work underwater for a long time
Working hours above 50000 hours.
Recommend using low DC12V voltage, secure and reliable.
Highest Waterproof grade IP68, good for underwater boat lights, as well as Docks, ponds, fountains, swimming pool, aquarium, artificial waterfall, surfboat, and any other underwater lighting application.
Specifications:
LED brand: Cree COB
Voltage: DC11-28V
Power: 27W
IP rating: IP68
light color: blue
Luminous flux: 300lm
Wavelength: 470-480nm
Viewing angle: 180°
Material: aluminum alloy
Lifespan: over 50,000 hours
Item weight: 170g / 6.02oz
Item size: 4.6 * 4.6 * 6.6cm / 1.81 * 1.81 * 2.59in ( L * W * H )
Package weight: 233g / 8.22oz
Package size: 14.5 * 14.5 * 10cm / 5.7 * 5.7 * 3.93in ( L * W * H )
Package list:
1 * Marine Light
1 * Fuse
1 * Instruction ( English )
MY ADDED SPECS:
Lens OD: 39mm
OAW/Wrench size: 45mm
OAL: 65mm
Length of Cable: 210cm
Length of fuse section: 32cm
Weight with fuse assembly (w/o battery): 188gms
KRONOREVIEW:
This No-Name LED Marine/Boat from TomTop operates off of a 12V or 24V power supply. It has a total of 9 XP-E blue-tint emitters in a 3s3p circuit. It is listed at 27 watts (3W/emitter). The specifications call it an Aluminum Alloy case, but it appears to me to consist of brass or bronze bolt, bezel, and hollow nipple…all of the same material. There is a Stainless Steel fitting where the wire/cable exits the housing. The installed wire/cable is a 5mm thick cable with red and black wires inside. The wire/cable has a water-tight, O-ring sealed plug/screw-down in-line connector which allows you to remove the plug/light without laboriously having to detach all your cables from the power source. Covering the LEDs is a thick, clear plastic, domed-shaped lens. There is no reflector, and the emitters are mounted to a white MCPCB.
HI-LIGHTS:
●Large, watertight brass or bronze housing.
●Connector (polarity protected) allows easy pass-through of light/plug without having to remove from power source.
●Genuine XP-E Blue Tint emitters.
●Stainless fittings that are also sealed where cable exits housing.
●Variable voltage operation, from 12V to 24V.
●English User Manual.
LOW-LIGHTS:
●Only lights-up rear of boat.
●Internal wires are very thin.
●Available only in blue.
UI:
No separate modes…it is either off or on. Appears to be direct drive.
PICTURES
^ Packaged in white bubble-wrap envelope. ^
^ Standard White Cardboard Box. ^
^ Contents inside box. Boat light and cabling inside sealed plastic wrap. ^
^ Contents un-wrapped. ^
^ Side views. ^
^ Emitter view. As far as I can determine, these emitters are genuine CREE XP-E. ^
^ Mounted to boat. ^
^ Watertight connector with red O-ring, and notch for polarity protection. ^
BEAMSHOTS/NIGHTSHOTS:
^ Light hooked up to 12V car battery, inside my open (unfinished) hydrostatic pressure chamber. ^
^ Light set on truck engine compartment at night. ^
^ Finally light in the water. Will get additional pics later. ^
^ Light mounted to boat and lit up using 12V marine battery. ^
SUMMARY
This is an interesting niche light. I seems to compete with other boat-plug lights, like the ’Diablo’ brand, but I do not have a Diablo to compare this one to. The build quality is nice, and the output is an intense blue. It is watertight, although it still needs to be tested in lake conditions, subjected to motor vibrations, etc (see note below). Whether it will attract fish or not remains to be seen, as my boat is currently out of commission. Edit: While writing this review and taking pics of light mounted in the drain, I figured out what was wrong with my boat (a loose battery wire…derp). It will still be a few days until I can get out on the water. I will update this review when I can attest to how this marine light operates in real-world conditions.
Edit/Note: I was able to get the light out on the lake for some limited testing. Due to some other issues I was having with my boat, we only had a limited amount of time. Light performed flawlessly and looked pretty nice as it lit up the water behind the boat. Our fishing time was very limited due to the mechanical issues with the boat. I will update this review once again after another trip out on the lake/river.
In conclusion, this light looks lake a reasonable and capable option for someone that doesn’t want to alter their boat. The main drawback is that it will only light up a pattern projecting from the rear of the boat. However, I can also see hanging it freely over the side to illuminate directly beneath the boat.
KRONOMETER patented rating: 3.75 out of 5.