I’m building two underwater lights to attach to a kayak for nighttime flounder gigging/fishing down in Gulf Shores, AL. I can machine the housings, if necessay, but I would rather find a host that I can buy off the shelf, or even a custom housing, if not too expensive. I’m thinking something the size of a bike light housing that can hold 3 CREE XM-Ls on 20mm stars would be just right. Does anyone know of such a critter, or do I need to just make my own housing?
Here is what I’m planning on using:
Power source (12VDC) will be mounted in my kayak. I’m using a deep cycle battery (group 27) with 120 Ah.
Each light will have (3) CREE XM-L T6 C3 (neutral white) LEDs that I’m ordering from Ric at CNQG.
I’ll only operate at 3A, so I’ll use a TaskLED H6CC buck driver for each light.
I plan on discharging the battery 50% each time I go out, so the minimum input voltage will rarely be below 12 volts. My max forward voltage will be around 10V in each light, so I think this will work fine with the TaskLED driver, and have very good efficiency.
I’m not sure what to do about optics/reflectors. I want to light up a large area in the immediate vicinity of my kayak, so I think I would need heavy flooding as opposed to throw. Do I even need reflectors? Could I just mount the LED stars directly to the front of an aluminum housing (for heat sink), and then just seal the front up with an o-ring, lens and cover?
I sent a PM to PilotPTK with a few questions. Still don’t know what host I would use. Will probably just make one. If I can use his module, it should be easy to attach directly to the housing interior. I like the idea of having everything on one board….no additional drivers to solder, less space required in the housing, plus it’s a lot easier to attach. If I used separate 20mm stars and a separate current driver, I’d be drilling a lot more holes to secure everything.
I would think that perhaps you would want throw since you are trying to light up the bottom in the area of the kayak.
No reflector would just bounce off the water in all directions. How clear is the water where you will be?
I’m not familiar with flounder gigging however. I’m assuming you are talking about attaching the lights to your kayak. If you are talking about lowering the lights on a rope to the bottom then you probably do what a flood light (although still with a reflector for some directional capabilities).
The water clarity is weather dependent, but I would mostly be going when the water was clear.
The lights will be submerged just beneath the surface of the water. I will be gigging flounder in 18-24” of water most of the time. I will be initially be using 2 lights. I can add more but that would eat up more of the deep cycle battery.
I’m wondering if I would be better off to use no optics (or a wide angle optic) and just point the light straight down. I was playing around with an LED Maglite last night and removed the head assembly. The LED lit up the entire kitchen floor. Or do you guys think it would it be better to use a medium or wide optic and angle it away from the kayak?
I know there will be some trial and error involved, but it would be nice to get close the first time
Also, is there a way to waterproof a Cute-3 optic on an o-ringed housing? Would I need to use a plastic or glass lens over the top of the Cute-3 to seal on an o-ring? Nevermind, I think I see now…the Cute-3 is just that - an optic. Will need to seal everything up with an o-ring in the housing and a plastic lens over the Cute-3.
I’d go with some kind of optic unless you’re going to be working with really short distances (a few feet) and need 360deg illumination. Bare LEDs don’t throw any kind of distance in the air and I imagine it would be even less so underwater.
you don’t need a plastic lens over the Cute-3. An o-ring and a small amount of silicone grease between the housing cover plate and the optic should be more than sufficient at the depths you’ll be using it (plus an o-ring or gasket between the cover plate and the housing). Simplest housing I can think of would be some square/rectangular alu tube of the appropriate dimensions, couple of flat cover plates either end with the appropriate holes cut out, and 4 allen bolts plus some baking tray gaskets either end. LED mounting surface would be another, thicker piece of plate cut to size and pressed into the tube. Add a waterproof cable gland and an appropriate cable (Magicshine 1m extension cables are pretty decent or Trailtech ones off Batteryspace for more coin) and you’re done. Won’t be super pretty, but the fish won’t care and heatsinking/surface area is less of an issue underwater.
Yes, I’m only trying to light up (flood) the underwater area approx. 8-10 feet in front of, and 6-8 feet to either side of the kayak. I’ll be in water that is 2 ft. deep. I don’t know if I can do it with just two lights, but I’ll soon find out. The mounts will allow the lights to be adjustable in all axes. My main concern was whether or not to use an optic. I don’t have any flashlight experience, but I’ll go ahead and purchase the medium and wide versions of the Cute-3 (cheap) and if neither works out, I’ll just build another housing with no optic and locate the LEDs as close to the front housing face as possible. I’m planning on using a couple of the triple XM-L engines from PilotPTK. I just need to decide between his neutral T5 E3, or the cooler T6 1C and U2 1D. I like the neutral white color but I know the other two put out more lumens at the same current, so I’m still undecided.
That’s a tasty treat you have sitting there. That 4 lb. flat fish looks good too
I looked into those type of LED lights a few weeks back. Some of the pics and reviews I read turned me off to the LED light bars. They just don’t seem to cast the light much distance.
Thanks. Yes, I came across those earlier. I’d buy a couple today if they were ready. But as far as I know they are not completed. I read his blog earlier where he was having a small manufacturing problem. Got it worked out though. Looks like the housings have potential. I think I’ll wait till he has them available, than order a couple to play try out.
do you have any opportunity to play with a couple of NW and CW LEDs? I much prefer NW for mountainbiking, but I don’t get rained on enough to know how well they work underwater
The 35mm housing from Easy2LED should work a treat. I’ve built a light for a friend using one of their 20mm housings and it was a pleasure to use.
BTW, what is flounder gigging? I’m guessing it involves persuading flounder into your boat, but how?
Thanks for the input. I ordered a couple of PilotPTK’s modules in neutral tint. Looking forward to working with them. I think they will be easier on my eyes than the cool white LEDs, especially after staring in the water for 4 hrs.
This is flounder gigging You have to have seen the movie “Predator” for maximum appreciation.
Actually, check out some more realistic videos on Youtube to see how it’s done.
holy macaroni, so that’s flounder gigging?! I was going to say something about spear fishing but I didn’t want to sound like an idiot Funny video though, I’ll have to go dig out Predator again.
