Interior and exterior LED install (Image Heavy!)

[MidnightRider]

I did full interior and exterior LED install last year but never got around to documenting it. Thought I'd finally create a post for my install in case it is of interest to anyone. First a disclaimer, I spent way too much time and money on this install but had some ideas I wanted to try so I said what the hell and just went for it.

I wanted to do custom led lights and after searching for something I liked in the sizes I liked, I just couldn't find what I wanted so decided to make my own LED lights using LED mounting channels.
Some wants:
- Custom mounted LED
- RGB all around
- Underwater and exterior accent down lighting
- Multi-zone controller with music sync

I started putting together the vision with a Wet Sounds 4 Zone RGB LED Controller (WS-4Z-RGB). Not cheap, but pretty cool controller.
Has zone control as well as music synch (will post a video of the music synch later)



I made the decision to create an entire wiring harness for the whole system ahead of time so I could run the wiring one time and not have to figure out all the wire to pull for each zone/led branch. I split the zones into (1)"Floor", (2)"Mid", (3)"Tower", (4)"Underwater, Exterior Down Light"
The Wetsounds controller allows me to control each zone separately as far as the zone color and mode (flashing, multi color flash, strobe, etc).



Then I got into creating each light I needed. I cut all the sizes of led lights I needed and split the protective coating to wire in pig tails in the center of each strip. This would allow me to run the pig tail out the center of the LED channel for installation. After soldering in the pig tails I resealed it with silicone. I ended up with four different sized batches.



Next I got into cutting the LED channel down to the different sizes. I used the sliver channel for any LEDs that would install on white gel coat and black channel for any LEDs that would be installed on black gel coat/plastic. Drilled the holes for the screws and for the LED pig tail.




Channels were install in the various locations






The pre-fab'd wiring harness was run through out the boat and then started installing the LEDs into the channels







Lastly installed the channel lens and end caps






I also install an extra long one over head on the tower













EXTERIOR

I installed some down light LEDs along both sides of the boat




I also install a Dagon 5150 RGB underwater 8000 Lumen LED on the transom (no pics - video of it later).






RESULTS









On White it actually makes for a really nice courtesy lighting for cleaning up at the end of the night etc.






The exterior down lighting LEDs

 

[MidnightRider]

Here is a couple of videos.

Music Synch Feature

Transom underwater light

 

[suke]

Woah! That's insane, but amazing.

 

[props2you]

WOW!!! Great install and mod!

, I spent way too much time and money on this install

I think you hit the nail on the head with your disclaimer, at least you had both resources, time & money to do it, it looks amazing. I about had a seizure watching your music sync vid.? And I thought I had an LED obsession! LOL

 

[bronze_10]

Nice LEDs but I want to talk to u about the tent your boat is parked in.!

 

[MidnightRider]

Nice LEDs but I want to talk to u about the tent your boat is parked in.!

Someone else asked the same on one of my other posts, might find the info you want there - if not feel free to shoot me a DM with any questions.

https://jetboaters.net/threads/new-trailer-guides-and-pads.17813

 

[Markk]

Interested in where you bought the LED channel/lens/caps. I’ve used this type of LED strip often, but I’ve never found the channel. Makes for a nice finish.

 

[MidnightRider]

Interested in where you bought the LED channel/lens/caps. I’ve used this type of LED strip often, but I’ve never found the channel. Makes for a nice finish.

You can find different style channels at various online stores. I liked the Aluminum “Micro-ALU” Channel - I used black and silver anodized. You can buy different style of lens and end caps - I used the frosted style lens. I ordered from this site:

113 results for 'Channel' | 1000Bulbs.com

America's Largest Online Light Bulb Retailer! Thousands of Halogens, CFLs, Automotive Bulbs, Christmas Lights, LEDs, Rope Lights, and Electrical Supplies.

www.1000bulbs.com

Scroll down in those ^^ search results and look for Micro-ALU channel

 

[Dean P]

You can find different style channels at various online stores. I liked the Aluminum “Micro-ALU” Channel - I used black and silver anodized. You can buy different style of lens and end caps - I used the frosted style lens. I ordered from this site:

113 results for 'Channel' | 1000Bulbs.com

America's Largest Online Light Bulb Retailer! Thousands of Halogens, CFLs, Automotive Bulbs, Christmas Lights, LEDs, Rope Lights, and Electrical Supplies.

www.1000bulbs.com

Scroll down in those ^^ search results and look for Micro-ALU channel

Nice install and nicely detailed. Not to rain on your parade, honest, but are the out side lights legal. Would they get mistaken for navigational lights if they're all red or all green? I placed tiny blue lights on the outside of mine (3/side to let me know if the battery switch was on). Did want to go there.

 

[MidnightRider]

Nice install and nicely detailed. Not to rain on your parade, honest, but are the out side lights legal. Would they get mistaken for navigational lights if they're all red or all green? I placed tiny blue lights on the outside of mine (3/side to let me know if the battery switch was on). Did want to go there.

Actually the US Coast Guard signed off on this entire project!!

No, of COURSE its not legal. In fact technically most color LEDs anywhere on a boat are illegal. Blue is a gray area state by state, some places I've been told I couldn't have them on and other places they don't seem to care, but red and green anywhere I know of, either inside or outside the boat, are illegal except for navigation lights installed in compliance with the US Coast Guard.
When we have these on we are parked/partying in a cove or slip somewhere and boat is light up like christmas tree - there isn't any mistaking that its just sitting there having a good time.
Also, that's what's nice about the zone controller, I can tone it down by just turning on just the floor lighting or overhead light, change colors, etc.

So thanks for raining on my parade.... no I'm kidding. In all seriousness your point is valid even if obvious --- it would very irresponsible and stupid to go flying around the lake with lights on that are confusing to other boaters.

 

[Dean P]

Actually the US Coast Guard signed off on this entire project!!

No, of COURSE its not legal. In fact technically most color LEDs anywhere on a boat are illegal. Blue is a gray area state by state, some places I've been told I couldn't have them on and other places they don't seem to care, but red and green anywhere I know of, either inside or outside the boat, are illegal except for navigation lights installed in compliance with the US Coast Guard.
When we have these on we are parked/partying in a cove or slip somewhere and boat is light up like christmas tree - there isn't any mistaking that its just sitting there having a good time.
Also, that's what's nice about the zone controller, I can tone it down by just turning on just the floor lighting or overhead light, change colors, etc.

So thanks for raining on my parade.... no I'm kidding. In all seriousness your point is valid even if obvious --- it would very irresponsible and stupid to go flying around the lake with lights on that are confusing to other boaters.

Thank you for explaining! That makes perfect sense. You never know who's reading these threads and might copy your mod to have the same affects. Now, they also know the rest of the story.

 

[Jameson Clark]

Incredible install man!! How hard was it wiring the light that is mounted up on the tower? I keep wanting to add some LEDs up there similar to what the 242s have.

 

[MidnightRider]

Incredible install man!! How hard was it wiring the light that is mounted up on the tower? I keep wanting to add some LEDs up there similar to what the 242s have.

Yeah I was a bit intimidated by the thought of doing that as well. In the end it was really simple - its pretty open through the tower. I just put a vacuum at the top bottom of the tower and feed a string into the top hole. Took me all of 30 seconds to get the string through, from there it was a piece of cake to pull the wire.

 

[Jameson Clark]

Yeah I was a bit intimidated by the thought of doing that as well. In the end it was really simple - its pretty open through the tower. I just put a vacuum at the top bottom of the tower and feed a string into the top hole. Took me all of 30 seconds to get the string through, from there it was a piece of cake to pull the wire.

Cool idea with the vacuum! Now to decide on trying to some flush mounts in the crossbars or something similar to what you did... ?