Portable lights vs hardwired

bassangel · 04-09-09, 09:37 PM

Hi guys...I want to put lights on my 15' Smokercraft and I'm torn between the easy way of the portable LED clamp on and the time consuming hard wire plug-ins. The price seems around the same but I don't know the pros and cons of the portables. The LED's say they will run 100 hours on the batts and that seems like a lot of time. But I'm new to having my own boat and I'd like to have lights in case I get caught up fishing and the sun goes down on me or I decide to do some night fishing.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks...Meri

zooker · 04-09-09, 10:02 PM

i have the mount on lights..not the clamp on..you should run your lights anytime vizabity is low... i use perko mounts and lights..fairly easy to wire up and rig a toggle switch...

zooker

bingham · 04-09-09, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zooker

i have the mount on lights..not the clamp on..you should run your lights anytime vizabity is low... i use perko mounts and lights..fairly easy to wire up and rig a toggle switch...

zooker

how much does sumn like that cost? my lights are shorted out or somethin i cant figure it out

WTL · 04-11-09, 05:58 AM

I wanted to wire mine in so that I could turn them all on at a centrally located switch.

Being the cheap guy that I am, I went to walmart and got single LEDs designed to light car tags, they are only 3 bucks for 2, and I have those wired to shine on my deck from all directions. They are very bright and use very little juice.

I do have 1 battery mounted LED in the boat, also bought at walmart for 7 dollars. It is round with 4 lights, powered by 3 AAAs and it attatches to the gunwhale via velcro. Its handy.

Edit: Maybe yall were talking about navigational lights, I am talking about interior deck lighting. I still have my nav lights hardwired, I think its better for the same reason.

bassangel · 04-11-09, 04:00 PM

Yes, I was talking about navigation lights and tho I didn't get a lot of feedback, I will go ahead with the hardwire.
Thanks guys...Meri

woody · 04-11-09, 05:17 PM

Welcome to the forum Meri.

I would do the same and hard wire in the lights, for the obvious reasons of reliability, durability and in my opinion they look better than the -clamp on lights-

~Mark

04-09-09, 09:37 PM	#1
bassangel BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Crescent City, CA Posts: 4	Portable lights vs hardwired Hi guys...I want to put lights on my 15' Smokercraft and I'm torn between the easy way of the portable LED clamp on and the time consuming hard wire plug-ins. The price seems around the same but I don't know the pros and cons of the portables. The LED's say they will run 100 hours on the batts and that seems like a lot of time. But I'm new to having my own boat and I'd like to have lights in case I get caught up fishing and the sun goes down on me or I decide to do some night fishing. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks...Meri

04-09-09, 10:02 PM	#2
zooker BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: denton nc Posts: 13,441	i have the mount on lights..not the clamp on..you should run your lights anytime vizabity is low... i use perko mounts and lights..fairly easy to wire up and rig a toggle switch... zooker __________________ the godfather.. aml in remission since 7-20-09

04-11-09, 05:58 AM	#4
WTL BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Huntsville, Al Posts: 7,466	I wanted to wire mine in so that I could turn them all on at a centrally located switch. Being the cheap guy that I am, I went to walmart and got single LEDs designed to light car tags, they are only 3 bucks for 2, and I have those wired to shine on my deck from all directions. They are very bright and use very little juice. I do have 1 battery mounted LED in the boat, also bought at walmart for 7 dollars. It is round with 4 lights, powered by 3 AAAs and it attatches to the gunwhale via velcro. Its handy. Edit: Maybe yall were talking about navigational lights, I am talking about interior deck lighting. I still have my nav lights hardwired, I think its better for the same reason. __________________ Selling live waterdogs for less since 2005.

04-11-09, 04:00 PM	#5
bassangel BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Crescent City, CA Posts: 4	Yes, I was talking about navigation lights and tho I didn't get a lot of feedback, I will go ahead with the hardwire. Thanks guys...Meri

04-11-09, 05:17 PM	#6
woody BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Jonesville, Indiana Posts: 3,597	Welcome to the forum Meri. I would do the same and hard wire in the lights, for the obvious reasons of reliability, durability and in my opinion they look better than the -clamp on lights- ~Mark

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