# Lighting options (hps)



## C Low (Apr 16, 2011)

I want to apologize if this subject has been beaten to death. I am redoing a flat front 1652 alweld aluminum boat and am trying to decide which lights to order. I will be using this boat here in MS, where it is often murky. I have ran 4- 500 watt halogens before. They worked well and did their job. Having 4 lights gave a nice spread on the 14' Jon boat that I had. Yes, there was plenty of nights I would launch, get to my spot, turn the lights on and realize that it was too muddy to flounder, and go back home. 
I am wanting to run hps lights now. I understand that the 150 watt hps lights put out a 50% more light(lumens) than the 500 halos that I've used in the past. I also understand that a 400 watt hps produces 500% more light than the 500 watt halo.
My options for my my boat and eu2000 are: 3-400 watt hps; 2-400 watt along with 2-150 watt hps; or 4-150 watt hps 
I don't know if the 400 watt lights would be any more valuable to me than the 150 on the really muddy days?(ie no amount of light will let u see through a wall) Also, if I ran 3 400 watt lights I'm not sure how I would mount them on my flat front boat; would one light in the middle of my boat facing foward, and two lights a few feet back pointing straight out opposite sides work well?I would prefer to just use 4-150 hps lights but do not want to wish I should have gone 400.

Thanks for any help or input. I picked up this boat for a great deal and am in the process of welding on a large flush front deck, adding an aluminum floor and repainting the boat before I mount my 30hp 4 stroke tohatsu and make mounts for the lights. I hope to have the boat finished in the next month and will try To take some pictures and do a build thread on here.

Thanks again, Chris


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## bamafan611 (Mar 1, 2010)

Get you a 2 by 4 fir grade and glass it. Two bolts will hold it on and angle your outside lights slightly outward. The difference in 400 verses 150 is huge and the price is also. Depends on your budget. The HPS does penetrate well and have gigged in some pretty nasty water. Alot of folks add side lights, but with the spread I get with 3 400's havn't seen the need in my rig. I zigzag anyway and they cover plenty of area. I angle them up in clearer water and straight down in dirty water. Hope this helps.


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## flounderslayerman (Jun 3, 2011)

If you liked the halos you'll love hps. I run four 150's and they work great in stained water. I do know how bad it can get on the ms coast and no amount of light will cut it. If you go with 150's get them with caps. They'll say hpf and you'll need to build brackes as the factory yoke mount is not strong enough and will break in choppy water. Econo-light has the best prices.


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## TRG (Jun 30, 2012)

Has anyone ordered from e-conolight recently? I was just on there trying to order 4-150 watt 6x9 hps floods that were $45. and didn't see them on there anymore. They still have the 9x9s for $59. which is good but not what I wanted.


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## flounderslayerman (Jun 3, 2011)

TRG said:


> Has anyone ordered from e-conolight recently? I was just on there trying to order 4-150 watt 6x9 hps floods that were $45. and didn't see them on there anymore. They still have the 9x9s for $59. which is good but not what I wanted.


Just looked and they still have them. $45.90


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## C Low (Apr 16, 2011)

I was planning on ordering from econolights.com and am planning on building some reinforced mounts for the lights, somehwat like x-shark did with the straps around the light housing.


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## LopeAlong (May 23, 2011)

If you can at all in any way get the 400's Id say do it. I ran the gauntlet with lights and the 150's are ok until you gig with 400's. When you have a rig with 3 400's like a few of us do you never will find yourself in a situation where you say "I wish I had just a little more light."


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## Night Shift (Nov 5, 2012)

Lots of good info. I have seen Bamas lights. awesome. I have fished with Lopealong. Awesome too. Good setups on both boats. My setup is identical to flounderslayer's, and fiveprongsoffury: four 150 with caps. No problem. Not quite as much light, but seems to work for me. My eu2000 runs just barely above an idle. The 400s are brighter. True. Just decide what works for you. I ran halogens for many years. Got tired of blowing bulbs, burning my bare feet, and the light was good in clear water. BUT, in muddy water, there is no comparison.
ps. econolight is where I got mine. (with caps) hpf ballast in one light came lose in shipping, didn't work, and they overnighted me all new guts.


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## C Low (Apr 16, 2011)

Looks like I'll go ahead and order 3-400 watt hps and built a remote ballast box for them as well. My main concern was that if one light mounted in the center of my bow will spread light the beam of my boat. Thanks for everyone's input


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## flounderslayerman (Jun 3, 2011)

C Low said:


> Looks like I'll go ahead and order 3-400 watt hps and built a remote ballast box for them as well. My main concern was that if one light mounted in the center of my bow will spread light the beam of my boat. Thanks for everyone's input


Bring the sides up close to the front corners and angle them out at about a 60° angle and you should be fine on light coverage. Just enough overlape to nt have shadows. Alsi take the rflectors out if the lights and paint the with high heat white spray paint. That does wonders for the lights.


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## C Low (Apr 16, 2011)

flounderslayerman said:


> Bring the sides up close to the front corners and angle them out at about a 60° angle and you should be fine on light coverage. Just enough overlape to nt have shadows. Alsi take the rflectors out if the lights and paint the with high heat white spray paint. That does wonders for the lights.


I will paint the reflectors before I install them. I have read quite a few threads on this and all seem to see an improvement. We all know once I start fishing the boat I won't want to be working on it. I will make the front light adjustable only in and out(up and down) and I'll make the two side lights adjustable both in and out and foward and aft. Cutting the so called 'front deck' off my boat right now to make way for a 4' flush deck. I hope to order some aluminum and my lights by next week.


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## LopeAlong (May 23, 2011)

Ive got 3 mounted and the front one is permanently with the 2 on the sides being about 30 degrees of off center but on swivel. I have a remote ballast box with 3 blue seas breakers for each light. I have one power cord running to it. On the front next to the light I have a weatherproof receptacle that the light plugs into in case I wanna remove the lights.


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## Jan Harvey (Sep 20, 2014)

Would HPS lighting is beneficial for indoor gardening ....
I want to experienced it....Any body helps me ?


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## captnickrick (Sep 28, 2014)

*H.I.D lights*

I put together these lights and welded caps to accommodate some H.I.D lights i had laying around. i can tell you they are brighter than any light have have used or built to date.

please share your input!


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## flounderslayerman (Jun 3, 2011)

Looks like you need some kind of protective lens over the bulb. They look like they would be very easy to break.


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## captnickrick (Sep 28, 2014)

your right, i need to figure out something. i went last night as a test run and ran it into the sand a couple of times and held up surprisingly well.


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## flounderslayerman (Jun 3, 2011)

What kind of bulb is that ?


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## captnickrick (Sep 28, 2014)

its H.I.D headlights out of a car their called xenon 8000k bulbs with ballast and all.


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## flounderslayerman (Jun 3, 2011)

8000k that's a really bright white. Good for clear water but not so good for stained water. Would cause glare off particles in the water.


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## flounderslayerman (Jun 3, 2011)

8000k would be in the blue color range right ? If they are blue I'm not sure if they would have the glare that bright white has.


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