[bradleywinkel]

i was looking at some cheap led lights for my new boat. has anyone ever used them? how do they work? the lights im looking at are http://www.ebay.com/itm/281998859282, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00E0L6H5M/ref=ask_ql_qh_dp_hza.

if anyone has any other cheap lights they like please share because im still looking for options
thanks in advance

 

[awaldro7]

There are several threads about these lights. probably close to 50. Search around and you will find lots of information. Basically they will work but they are not nearly as bright or strong/durable as the name brand lights (customfitz, seelite, arrowled).

 

[Magnumatving]

i was looking at some cheap led lights for my new boat. has anyone ever used them? how do they work? the lights im looking at are http://www.ebay.com/itm/281998859282, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00E0L6H5M/ref=ask_ql_qh_dp_hza.

if anyone has any other cheap lights they like please share because im still looking for options
thanks in advance

I'm new to this forum and mostly have been reading and searching a lot. I plan on going this same route to start out. Some of those 110v 50 watt warm light LED's and some 12v amazon led floodlights.

Mostly my decision is based on costs. I want to get my boat set up on the cheap to see how much night fishing I really do before I start dropping serious cash into lights.

I figured for the costs of those ebay lights, I will buy a few extra (10 pack vs the 8 that I need) and just replace them. For less than $10 a light, I'm not out much.

I would love to have $5k to put into a boat set up, but I have far too many hobbies competing for my limited budget!!!!!

 

[bradleywinkel]

magnumatving i had a boat with halogens but i just sold it and want to try something different. I only have a 1850w generator so i could only run 2 500w and 2 300w and 1 250w halogen lights so i kind of figured i would try leds on this boat to run more lights but being only 17 i have a very limited money supply so we r in the same boat

 

[Delawareriver]

I hear ya but basically it's the same story over and over. I'm gonna tell you once you start shooting at night you are gonna wanna keep shooting at night. It's just a whole different level. Then typically after guys spend 100-200 for cheap leds, after about a year they end up dropping the cash for better lights, sure there are a few guys that "love their cheap leds" and never had a problem, but most havnt shot over the better lights and for every guy that hasn't a problem with cheap lights there is 10 that have. Totally understand you thought process just telling you what happens 90% of the time

 

[Magnumatving]

I hear ya but basically it's the same story over and over. I'm gonna tell you once you start shooting at night you are gonna wanna keep shooting at night. It's just a whole different level. Then typically after guys spend 100-200 for cheap leds, after about a year they end up dropping the cash for better lights, sure there are a few guys that "love their cheap leds" and never had a problem, but most havnt shot over the better lights and for every guy that hasn't a problem with cheap lights there is 10 that have. Totally understand you thought process just telling you what happens 90% of the time

I get that. I normally don't mind paying for quality if its going to last. But I like to ease into things and then if I get hooked, I will upgrade later. I live in lake community so I have 3 boats. One of which is a pontoon boat. So if I decide to upgrade later to better lights, I can just move the cheap LED's to the pontoon boat and get better lights for the bowfishing rig.

With that said, if you had no more than $300 to spend on lights and a small 900w harbor freight genny, what would you get instead?

 

[SaLtY dAwG]

just get those lights... they will work just fine for ya... your young and are on limited income, you don't need to spend 1k on lights to shoot fish... once you start making life changing money then invest in some better lighting... sure they are not as good as the Name Brand LED's but those lights are not as good as custom HPS/MH 400w that cost less...:laugh:

 

[GKMAYER86]

Ive used all sorts of cheap fleebay leds. Yes I have about a light a season burn out, but over all I am satisfied with only paying a 1/5th of what it cost for name brand for the amount of light I got on my boat. I've found that no matter how much light you have on your boat you always want more. Welcome to the obsession of night fishing and try not to blow all your coin in on lights.

 

[chance]

I run 12 round 27w leds that I got for $7 a piece from Amazon last year I think they were $110 shipped but they do pretty good they don't put out a ton of light but I fill barrels with them just fine the part I really like about them is that I can run all night completely silent on 2 batteries just MAKE SURE to put amber blinker tape on your lights it makes all the difference I just put one strip across the middle

 

[Bisch]

I just put 2 of the 27W amazon cheapies on the front of my boat to cover a small dark spot. They are whiter light than my Seelites, but they fill in the dark spot with light just fine. I have only had the boat out twice with them on it, so I can't speak for longevity, but they do work fine.

Bisch

 

[Gbollom]

In my experience the cheapo lights royally suck! Check out the test I did that's a sticky at the top of the page

 

[S.S.Tupperware]

They work ok for me, but I am not hardcore like ya'll. I will tell you, seal the lens to the case, and the wire input. I have had condensation form in all of mine.

 

[The Carp Commander]

my buddy bought some amazon specials and regrets his decision. Especially when he compares his boat to mine at night. I bought the costco Snap On LED lights and they are brighter than the RPM 50 watts that I had on before. There are hundreds of options though. I use the green tape on my lights. I had amber and green on at the same time, just on different sides of my boat. The amber does better in muddy water, and the green does better in clear water IMO. Do what works for you. I shoot more fish than my buddy does at night, but I shoot more fish that him in the day... So cant say if its the lights or not.

 

[jameswk]

heres my first raised deck and ebay lights :laugh: you do what you gotta do to get on the water and shoot fish...