H.I.D Lights for Boats

[Roy M]

I am searching for alternative suppliers for High Intensity Discharge deck lights. I have installed them on customers' boats and am very impressed. For those unfamiliar with this technology, they are the REALLY bright headlights you have noticed on the highway. They put out 2 1/2 times more light intensity than conventional incandescent or halogen bulbs, yet consume 30% LESS current. Put a 35 watt HID deck lamp next to a 55 watt deck lamp and marvel at the difference. At inital startup the lamps are only a bright glow, but within a few seconds they are dazzling.

I have been using lamps by Pyramid Technologies, but have noticed new brands coming to market. Among these are:

HELLA Part # 1GA 996 142-201 http://www.hellamarine.com/site_reso...20Section5.pdf

MAGNALITE Part # HID-66-W-F (1742) http://www.magnalight.com/pc-1344-11...125-x-125.aspx

http://www.magnalight.com/pc-341-120...on--white.aspx

http://www.magnalight.com/pc-1742-12...40--white.aspx

The cost for these ranges from reasonable to quite high ($600-700 list).

Another interesting lamp is the high intensity LED array by MAXILLUME (LUMITEC) Part number 101031. Also, quite costly, but very bright. http://lumiteclighting.com/maxillume.html

The most interesting, from the standpoint of cost and cool-lookingness, is the ELECTROSPORT Part # ESH9PL-SB, for about $200. They tell me that they will have a floodlight configuration next month for the same price. http://www.electrosport.com/products...etail-2190.php

I will be using using these lights as deck spreader lights on my 40 Searunner trimaran, with the lights positioned to JUST illuminate the deck, and for the majority of light to beam just outboard. I installed a similar arrangement on a Catana catamaran and the effect was amazing. I'm going to be ordering a set of the Electrosport flood lamps, when they are available, on a 26 foot sportfishing boat for a customer.

In addition to being amazing lights for docking and manuevering, when hooked to a relay (because I have them independently switched) and a "Panic Button" next to my bunk, you can bathe the entire boat in bright light should you hear a mysterious bump in the night. Bad guys, like the vampires they are kin to, hate being exposed to much illumination. These lights come the closest to daylight (if using the 7000 degrees Kelvin color temp bulbs).

Anyway, if anyone hears of other alternatives, I'd be very happy to consider them for use.

[johnar]

here is a little tip you may not have thought of, you can buy the light fixtures (fog light)cheap around $35 and replace the bulbs they are also cheap. I use them for my flood light.

Dutch

[Roy M]

Thanks, Johnar! I had considered that option, earlier, but the fixtures that I saw were highway type, not marine grade, and appeared not nearly as substantial as the units I eventually purchased. My concern, for my own boat and my customers', was that the aluminum casings would not bubble, nor would moisture be as likely to invade the electronic ballasts, on the marine units. I took the fog lights apart to see how well they were protected from moisture incursion, and, though good, they didn't match the marine version. My customers take it personally when gear fails just after the warranty expires, so I try to reduce the chances of that happening. I suppose, if the foglamps were Mil Spec graded, they would be able to hold up to severe service. If you hear of any, I'd sure be interested. Thanks, again.