This was a pretty easy DIY upgrade. I'll start by saying that I am only going to use this light for docking and getting around a crowded mooring field. I'm well aware of the rules on navigation lighting underway and the dangers of ruining other boater's night vision etc!
OK, now that I got that out of the way, the installation of this was pretty straight forwards. Unfortunately there wasn't enough room in front of my radar mount to place the bar so that it would not shine on the bow rail. If you get any light on the bow from your spotlight it pretty much makes the light useless because of the glare so you have to have it far enough back on the top. The single row bars are helpful for this as they are only a couple of inches high. So I had to mount it off to one side. Functionally it won't matter a bit, but it looks a little weird. If it bugs me enough I will move my PA horn and mount another one on the other side!
The bar came with a wiring harness, relay, and switch. I shortened the harness since I didn't need all the length and also cut off and re-crimped the waterproof Deutsch connector so I only had to pass 2 16 GA wires through the 1/4" hole I drilled through the top into the electronics box. I also replaced the switch with a simple Carling toggle that had a waterproof boot to match the switch for my spreader lights. Otherwise it was just a question of drilling a bunch of screw holes in my top and bedding everything with 4200!
Before installing tested that the current draw from the light didn't cause any heating of the main supply wires to the top console with everything else running... The light draws about 8.5 amps.
This is the bar I installed: https://www.blackoakled.com/collect...-light-bar-combo-spot-or-flood-optics-30w-50w . If I add another bar I only need a Y-splitter with Deutsch connectors.
Unfortunately I haven't had a chance to really try it yet, but hoping for one more early morning offshore trip before winter.
OK, now that I got that out of the way, the installation of this was pretty straight forwards. Unfortunately there wasn't enough room in front of my radar mount to place the bar so that it would not shine on the bow rail. If you get any light on the bow from your spotlight it pretty much makes the light useless because of the glare so you have to have it far enough back on the top. The single row bars are helpful for this as they are only a couple of inches high. So I had to mount it off to one side. Functionally it won't matter a bit, but it looks a little weird. If it bugs me enough I will move my PA horn and mount another one on the other side!
The bar came with a wiring harness, relay, and switch. I shortened the harness since I didn't need all the length and also cut off and re-crimped the waterproof Deutsch connector so I only had to pass 2 16 GA wires through the 1/4" hole I drilled through the top into the electronics box. I also replaced the switch with a simple Carling toggle that had a waterproof boot to match the switch for my spreader lights. Otherwise it was just a question of drilling a bunch of screw holes in my top and bedding everything with 4200!
Before installing tested that the current draw from the light didn't cause any heating of the main supply wires to the top console with everything else running... The light draws about 8.5 amps.
This is the bar I installed: https://www.blackoakled.com/collect...-light-bar-combo-spot-or-flood-optics-30w-50w . If I add another bar I only need a Y-splitter with Deutsch connectors.
Unfortunately I haven't had a chance to really try it yet, but hoping for one more early morning offshore trip before winter.
Attachments
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spreader light.jpg
