Dual purpose LED's

[betterwhenitswetter]

1st post on this forum, was on the other forum... yeah so happy to be here.

I have a 2008 AR230, extensively modified for sound and lighting, but mostly sound, massive upgrades to the entire system. My family and friends complained boats have terrible lighting at night... I told them its for a reason. but you can always go dual purpose.

Figured I would share this, I haven't seen anybody do this yet and can't figure out why nobody use's the LED's for dual purpose lighting using the helm switch, if needed at night, throughout boat lighting why not use them to your advantage, I will admit some people are going to have a hard time with wiring and some won't, everything was installed by me leds were ordered in rolls and soldered with quick connectors for reparability on the fly, and all the wiring is custom to match my boat and speakers, ordered the acrylic rings to size, lots of custom everything including the pucks for inside the upholders. Please ignore the music this video is about 3 years old now.

At points in the video I switch between the color and white modes, I used a 3 position Yamaha switch, added another (nav light switch style) and 1 position is color (LED controller has all the normal settings plus music mode as you seen the video) and the other position is all white, and turns on the normal 2 interior lights located at the port side upholders and starboard side throttles.

let me know what you think, I would like to find a vendor to work with in making a single led controller do this to make the install easier and less complex than wiring up 2 units, however I think a better switch should be used instead of extra Yamaha 3 position requires diodes and more diodes on the controllers as well.

link to the video

https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/s...l3p05DT9IZwP2AMZfjYL4?ref_=cd_share_link_copy

 

[skrip345]

I did this to mine. I used a single controller with a remote. We frequently switch to solid white at night for interior lights if someone drops something, etc. I got a little lost on how you wired your three position switch. My setup the controller does everything. Even sensitive to beat for color changes.

 

[betterwhenitswetter]

The OEM courtesy lighting is well almost useless to me, as you stated if we drop something its nice to have extra light and I didn't want to add extra separate lights or pods, so already having the LED's I tided it to my courtesy system and using OEM swtich/s.

I can use the remote to switch them from color, music, white courtesy lighting , but don't want to I am lazy, I wanted a switch for the white courtesy lighting like the factory interior's lights and wanted a color/music option in addition. I didn't want to cut or add another hole in the helm switch area, so adding a 3 position switch like the nav light switch, have and to added the fuction to use the speaker and cup holder rings, makes it far easier & faster to use, than having to use the remote, my remote is a RF and my controllers are under the helm so I didn't want to open the starboard helm every time I wanted white light, so bam OEM sytle functional lighting. I will admit the wiring is a bit complex for even the normal installer.

 

[txav8r]

many of us have LED lighting. It ranges from complex to simple. There are far more with a single color and added to the courtesy light switch. Many of us have controllers and have RGB lighting. I had that on my previous Yamaha, all custom built and installed by me. I won't add all that lighting again. Having it in the speakers and cupholders as well as behind the swim deck cushions was just TOO MUCH LIGHT. So this time around I will add the RGB strip with controller, and remote for just the cupholders. It is more than enough light for task lighting. I could care less if it flashes and beats to the music, because it was annoying. But it is trick, just not for me. It is a great project but it takes a dedication to complete this mod. Many sell kits that are literally snap together, but they won't make but a few seasons without corrosion. In a boat, you must solder and heat shrink all connections as corrosion on 18-22ga wiring will kill it quick.

 

[betterwhenitswetter]

txav8r, we spoke before on the other forum. I remember your older 230 boat and subwoofer install you did, I also remember your lighting, I don't use the sound beat mode as much anymore I just slowly fade between colors now, its a very old video. I solder everything and waterproof it much as possible and added quick connectors, again for reparability . Was just showing off the helm factory location function of courtesy lighting and color lighting and how easy it makes life with a simple on/off switch, I use the LED's a lot at night to preform little tasks here and there provides more light than a flash light. If I need softer light, I can just switch to the color controller and flip on red or just reprogram my white controller to red instead as its much softer on the eyes, and gives it a sinister look as well.

 

[ar240owner]

Sweet !!!!! Ok @jcyamaharider we need to step up our LEDs , for the
Sand bar party's !!!!

 

[jcyamaharider]

My led's look almost exactly like that boat minus the speaker rings. I don't think I would use the sound feature as much either. Looks cool though.

 

[txav8r]

I have to say having adequate lighting is a real Plus and we loved the different colors, and your boat looks great.

 

[ar240owner]

My led's look almost exactly like that boat minus the speaker rings. I don't think I would use the sound feature as much either. Looks cool though.

I could see the
Sound feature being awesome on the sand bar parties !!!! Hook up your tower light to it , it would be like a club !!!

 

[txav8r]

The lighting outside the boat for our boats will be the seat back cutout vents or speakers on the tower. Any internal downward facing lights won't be seen, nor will lights in the boat, for sandbar parties (except that even interior light looks like a light volcano from the distance out of a boat). Since most sandbar parties happen during the day, you can't get much effect from the lights unless you walk up and look right at them. Now at night, it can light up the marina! The thing we discovered is most of this is just a feature that is neat, just not something your going to use too often. The lighting in a mode that is useful is more worth the money than the fad part of it, at least IMO. Now if you regularly boat at night and "party" is your middle name, my guess is that you would love the "disco" lights! The other part of this is that flashing lights attract attention, and it isn't always the attention you want out on the lake at night. Seriously, not trying to be an old stick in the mud or knowitall...just food for thought. They are very cool what you can do with them, but we mostly would select a nice swimming pool blue/teal dimmed color and enjoy the ambiance while listening to music or talking. The lighting is great but the darker it gets outside, I found I couldn't dim them as much as I would have liked. So when I do it again, more indirect and less direct lighting will be in order. The dang RV mods are taking all my time these days and I can't get to my boat mods. But the boat is going to get some use in a few weeks...ON LAKE POWELL! Before, I have to repair a wheel bearing on the bus, install the new washer dryer combo, and repair a day/night shade...and 52 other small jobs. I will be putting in more LED lighting in the bus too.

 

[betterwhenitswetter]

Txav8r,
I agree with the most part about the lights its nice to have when you need it, but I am much younger and our youth loves the lights, like I said I use the slow fade today, the video was to show the helm switch from white (or what every color you want, and then back to color mode) its far faster than digging around for a remote.

What are the laws about the lights when partying, never had it out at night, I build it for night party's but don't go out I am in the club of no friends with boats, they all have kids, I know the nav lights have to on at night, just don't want to get pulled over at night since I am literally a beacon of light.

I don't have any pics on this computer at work... haha. but I been working with newer materials that help reducing the hot "brightness/sharpness" of the LED's, really like HDPE but it doesn't hold up on boats but it does have some nice neon glow options and looks 10X than frosted acrylic. I am not liking acrylic anymore, the LED's are far to bright for my taste, I prefer nice lower glow, I have found some new materials other than HDPE, been working to get some rings made from this newer material. below is some of my work with HDPE, all hand cut by me. the goal is to reduce or eliminate hot spotting

Sony Remote commander rings













if you wondering what this was for it was my small proto type before I did the whole install on my boat

echo 1 "cooler"









My JL M880 rings













I have some working prototypes for cup holders, let me know what you think.

note: you will see hot spotting on the cup holder rings, I can't get them thick enough to glow neon like the standard circle speaker rings.














some additional prototypes for RF 6.5"

 

[txav8r]

You might try black acrylic, it cuts the glare and limits the light, but it gives a very nice ambiance. I get the desire for the lights and if I were putting on the disco I would be all over it.

I don't think the law can critique you for what light is emitting "inside your boat". But tower speakers rings are on the fringe and could attract attention. It really isn't the fight about the light, but the attention and inspection it gets you...and if your "partying"...you might want to avoid the inspection. But when moving depending on local rules...the only light you can and must project, is a 1 or 2 mile visible 360 degree white light on the stern or top of the boat, and the red port and green starboard bow navigation lights. Any other light can destroy another boats ability to see which way you are going, so that is why other than at anchor, you have to consider lighting. I turn all my interior lights out when underway anyway, because it wrecks your night vision, and only run my nav lights and 360.

It looks like you did a nice job on those. I didn't necessarily like having to use a remote either, and the single switch is easier. But the controllers to do that get expensive vs just using the remote.