Lighting Down Under: The Evolution of Underwater Lights
Since Underwater Lights introduced one of the first recognized underwater lights for the recreational boating market in 1991, the market has expanded with more than a dozen international manufacturers. DeepSea released its first recreational underwater lights in 2003 and UK-based Ocean LED and Australian company Aqualuma released its first models in 2005, helping kickstart the evolution of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for marine use. All four are market leaders in this competitive field. Other leading brand names now include Quick, Lumitec, Bluefin, Perko, Captalupi and Sea Vision
As the name implies, underwater lights work below the surface, so they should be installed below the waterline for optimum heat dissipitation and lighting effect. The light source for virtually all underwater lights today is LED, a rapidly developing technology in lighting.
LED is the most common type of light on the market and far more energy efficient than any other form of lighting, including halogen, xenon metal halide and plasma that are used on larger yachts and superyachts. LEDs are shock- and vibration-resistant and have a life expectancy of more than 50,000 hours. LED manufacturer CREE claims a life of 100,000 plus hours on its lights, but most manufacturers of underwater lights limit this to 40,000 hours due to the operational conditions.
Light Housings
To contain a LED light in extreme conditions, particularly when the light is mounted underwater, requires a superior housing. The choice is either aluminium bronze, which is popular with some manufacturers, or an injection moulded transparent polymer, such as that used by Australian underwater light manufacturer Aqualuma. The material is ideal for underwater lights because it is immensely strong and is durable, lightweight, scratch-resistant and UV protected. The benefit of using polymer is that the housing will never corrode as there is no metal in contact with the water. Therefore, the lights do not need to be bonded to the boat’s sacrificial anode system.
It is probably a good idea to antifoul the exterior surfaces of the underwater lights if they are not made from plastic. Aluminium bronze is a popular material for housings as it is one of the most robust metals underwater. Stainless steel is very good out of the water as its top layer oxidises, but underwater this does not occur and therefore it will corrode. Aluminium bronze has great resistance to salt water corrosion as well as having great thermal characteristics to help keep the light and LEDs cool.
Mounting Options
Underwater Lights can be mounted in a number of ways, from thru-hull and surface mount to attaching them to trim tabs or a separate bracket. A thru-hull fitting installs the hull of a boat. A hole is drilled and the light fitting slides into that hole and is fixed internally. Aqualuma is the only LED underwater light manufacturer with products that can be serviced while the boat remains in the water.
Care and maintenance of underwater lights are simply a matter of cleaning the lens on a regular basis. This can be done with a soft cloth or scrubbing brush. Cleaning is important as if you don’t clean your lights, they may get a build-up of marine growth such as algae or barnacles that will affect the light projection. However, simply using the lights is one of the best ways to keep away barnacles and the like because the heat generated from the lights helps prevent marine growth.
Power and Color
New-generation LED lights are lean on power usage. For example, the Aqualuma 1 Series uses less than 0.2A @ 12V and less than 0.1A @ 24V. The more powerful 12 Series uses less than 1.2A @ 12V and less than 0.6A @ 24V. Most underwater lights are also polarity protected and polarity sensitive so make sure to connect the right wires to the power source, be it positive or negative.
There is no difference between 12 or 24 volts, so when it comes to the power strength, most leading brands are usually dual-voltage capable. The light output and brightness is the same on either 12 or 24 volts. When it comes to color, that is a personal choice and each hue has different benefits. Blue and green light have shorter wavelengths than white and can penetrate through the water more efficiently, making them look brighter. The human eye is more sensitive to blue and greens, which make the lights look brighter. The way light travels through the water is dependent on its color temperature. Blue is the color temperature that penetrates water farther than any other color, so it is among the most popular color choices. This is followed closely by green, which is great in fresh water. White LEDs are bright compared to the dull yellow of halogen lights.
Beam Coverage
There are many factors regulating how far the lights will shine out. The first is how big/bright the light is and secondly the color used. Obviously, the clarity of the water has much to do with it, too. In dirty water, a light may reach as little as 3.28’ (1 m) but in perfect conditions, the same lights may reach out beyond 98.43’ (30 m).
A captain can run with LED lights on, which looks neat, because LEDs are a solid-state light source that is vibration proof. Most manufacturers’ lights are fitted with thermal cut out protection, so if the light does overheat it will shut down. When looking at how many lights to use, Ocean LED’s website sums it up by saying it’s like comparing one big stereo speaker or strategically placing six individual ones. Surround sound is the answer to clever sound and clever lighting design can be done by using more individual lights. If we look at the different brands to see which has the brightest light, it’s not an easy question to answer. However, it’s not always about brightness. The real issue comes down to design, technology and size. So what are your options? There are many brands on the market today, it’s simply a matter of finding the right light that suits your needs.
Aqualuma
Designed and manufactured in Australia, Aqualuma offers five underwater lighting options starting with the 1 Series, a powerful and cost efficient light for smaller craft up to around 21’ (6.5 m). Designed for tenders, RIBs and smaller pleasurecraft, the 1 Series is built from the aforementioned high-impact polymer material. Like all Aqualuma lights, the 1 Series is fully serviceable and upgradeable and without the need for haul out and only requires a 12 or 24 volt DC power source. The Gen 1V Series is available in 6 Series for boats 20’ (6 m) to 43’ (13 m), the larger 12 Series designed for boats from 39’ (12 m) to 66’ (30 m) and the 18 Series intended to illuminate the world’s largest superyachts.
This is also available as the Gen 1V Tri Series, which combines the blue and white lights with the body of the 12 and 18 Series and offers customers the choice of two colors (9 blue and 9 white LEDs) in the one housing. Aqualuma also offers the Luma-Vu, a hull-mounted underwater camera manufactured with Aqualuma’s corrosion-proof, injection-molded polymer housing. This high-resolution color CCTV camera is virtually bullet proof and shark proof. Luma-Vu will connect to any video input.
Other underwater products include the Dock Light. This has 12 high-powered LEDs and new optics with no metal parts in contact with the water and its leak-proof construction eliminates corrosion worries. There is also the Gen 4 FF12 Surface Mount light that offers the ultimate performance where a surface-mounted underwater light is the only option. All Aqualuma lights carry a six-year housing warranty with a three-year warranty on the internals.
Bluefin LED
Engineered and manufactured in England, the Bluefin LED range of underwater lights includes 15 models in surface-mount or thru-hull style. Their lights are available in white, blue and green and RGBW color-changing options. Bluefin LED`s range of surface mounted products comprises eight models, ranging from the Piranha P3, a small yet powerful underwater light producing 1300 fixture lumens.
Compact design and a low profile make the Piranha P3 the perfect choice for all types of boats and is suitable for transom and side mounting on all hull types. The top of the range is the Hammerhead H48 RGBW color change LED underwater light, that produces up to 11,000 fixture lumens. This unique color changing surface-mount light is suitable for all hull types and is constructed from billet AB2 marine-grade bronze.
Almost unlimited color options that can be strobed, dimmed or sequenced let a user pick the best color to compliment an environment or create a custom party theme with a light to sound function. The new surface mounted Piranha P12 is the most powerful member of the range producing 5500 fixture lumens. Like all Bluefin LED underwater lights, it is an ultra-low-profile design that’s suitable for transom and side mounting on hulls. There are three models in the standard thru-hull range, plus four in the interchangeable series. The interchangeable range offers a removable cartridge that can be serviced or upgraded from inside the hull, so no hauling out is required. All Bluefin LED underwater lights are constructed from billet AB2 marine-grade bronze.
Cantalupi
Italian company Cantalupi calls is underwater light range Sealed and has 13 different models designed for the big boat market. The Sealed MY series introduces the widest and most innovative range of underwater lights for megayachts. All Sealed lights are serviceable from inside the yacht for quick, easy inspection of the light body. Sealed MY lights have three barriers between the hull and the inside of the yacht to ensure watertight protection in respect of the marine certifications. They are available in RGB+W with Bus multimedia control to offer a versatile, easy-to-use experience through a variety of standards and devices such as smartphones and tablets.
Constructed of .6” (15 mm) tempered glass and aluminum, they are protected from the environment by a film of sprayed metallic paint. The light body secures with screws and O-rings for mechanical holding. Cantilupi also offers MYA Adjustable lights with an innovative trim-and-lock system. This offers a solution for angled hulls up to a range of 50 degrees for a flush-mount fit all around the yacht. The Sealed MYA are also available in RGB+W with Bus multimedia control. The Sealed FY is a low-profile stainless steel AISI 316L flush-mount light specifically designed for fibreglass hulls. All Sealed lights are serviceable from inside the yacht.
Lumitec
SeaBlaze, Lumitec’s underwater lights, offer some of the highest lumens per dollar. They are designed to run cooler, consume less power and last longer than other conventional LED underwater lights. There are four models in the SeaBlaze range, from the Mini LED through to the SeaBlazeX Spectrum. Depending on the model, they are constructed in bronze or anodized alloy. The SeBlaze X Spectrum delivers full-color underwater lights, with nearly infinite color output options and user-selectable modes, easy surface-mount, two-wire hookup and no external control boxes.
The diminutive SeaBlaze Mini packs a surprising punch. SeaBlaze Mini leverages many of the technologies utilized in the SeaBlaze3. With an output of nearly 900 lumens†, they could be good for smaller trailer boats. SeaBlaze3 is available in four output options, including two colors and are self-contained with no external driver boxes to mount. The SeaBlazeX LED underwater light has an output of 4000 lumens and is surface mountable. Housing is bronze alloy with an underwater service life of more than 50 years. The circuitry is self-contained and tested to military standards for EMI, transient voltages, temperature extremes and mechanical shock and vibration. It has a lower profile and smaller footprint than most other competitors LED underwater lights.
Lumishore
At the heart of each Lumishore underwater light lays the compact, powerful Lumishore HICOB (High Intensity Chip On Board) 3rd Generation LED system. The Lumishore HICOB LED array produces the equivalent amount of light to earlier generation LED products but at one-third the size. The reduced size of Lumishore underwater lights allows for a fixture that is compact, yet without any compromise in optical power. The HICOB format makes use of the latest ceramic substrate materials and flip chip technology to increase output efficiency. The HICOB array solution can be configured to many power levels over a range of wavelength color combinations. Lumishore is a pioneer in the field of color change LED technology. It manufactures a variety of innovative color units, from single brilliant hues to fixtures that change shades to any wavelength in the visible spectrum.
There are three models in the range; Ora, Supra and Eos. Lumishore’s ORA Series surface mount (SMX) are one of the world’s smallest interchangeable thru-hull units for small to medium size boats. Both models are compact and low profile and feature a focused 60° beam of light. The Supra Series provide ‘2-lights-in-1’ and is available in a surface mount with a 90° beam angle, and thru-hull standard fit and interchangeable models with the widest available beam angle of 110°. The EOS Series are color-changing surface-mount LED lights that connect the EOS SMX Lumi-Hub to DC power. Sound-to-light entertainment can connect audio output to the EOS Mini Controller. They are available in standard fit thru-hull and interchangeable thru-hull, for no-haul servicing and easy upgrading in the future.
OceanLED
OceanLED produces a broad range of underwater lights suitable for trailer boats to superyachts and everything else in between. There are around 20 different models in the Sport Series, Extreme Trailer Series, Xtreme Pro Series, Allure Series and Pro Series. The Xtreme Trailer Series (XT16) is designed to light up a wake, create nighttime lighting effects and attract fish and bait. The Xtreme Trailer Series has a higher lumen output than previous models with a sleek bezel design and a robust body that is highly impact resistant.
It is exceptionally easy to install on the transom, hull or above water on a T-top, engine brackets or cowling, under your gunnels, in your engine compartment and even on a trailer or tailgate for night launching.
The Extreme Pro S (XP4) has a higher lumen output than previous models with a sleek 316L stainless steel bezel design and a built-in driver, ultra-low power draw, with no start-up current required and reverse polarity protection. The XP8 and XP16 are available in color-change models that let the user cycle smoothly between red, green, blue and white and choose virtually any color to display. The Pro Series HD Gen2 has the smallest hole cut-out for a thru-hull light at 1” (2.54 cm) and is 67% brighter than its predecessor. This has been achieved by exploiting the next generation of high definition LEDs from Cree. With 7,000-fixture lumen brightness and a 1” (2.54 cm) profile head, the 2010TH model is the ideal underwater light for transom mount applications and is suitable for all hull types up to and longer than 65’ (20 m) using 2-6 lights.
Perko
Perko introduces simple-to-install trim tab surface mount lights that have all the benefits of underwater illumination without drilling additional holes in the transom. They mount directly on trim tabs. The beam of light can be adjusted by simply transitioning the trim tabs up and down. Available with blue or white LEDs, the energy-efficient trim tab surface mount lights produce less heat and use 1/10 the power of standard bulbs. With a 15-degree beam angle, the white version produces 75 lumens, 324 CP, while the blue supplies 27 lumens, 207 CP. Rated for a service life of 50,000 hours, the 12V, 7W lights feature a completely submersible, non-corrosive, molded black polymer housing. They come with 2.5m of electrical cable, as well as removable brackets for horizontal or vertical installations.
A mounting riser is included for lipped trim tabs. Quick Pic 12 Quick have two variants in their underwater light range, the Xyper and the new Challenger Series. The Xyper is a 15w through hull grp unit that radiates a cool white light and output of 980 lumens. The new Challenger Series comes in four sizes, 15, 30, 45 and 60; that relate to their specific wattage power consumption. Constructed of stainless steel, the four through hull lights are available in either white or blue light output.