LED strips for underwater light

[Bardic]

Posted this on that "other" board where we were talking about night fishing some, figured I would put it here too. I went a bit pic crazy so I made most of them small 320x240 images.

I ordered some LED light strips to make underwater lights and a UV strip to make a glow box and other misc blacklight applications for Hallowween. I may have to order the larger strand next time and make 2 lights that are 2.5 times as big as these will be (assuming that I need any more).

I'm almost thinking I could use semi flexible vinyl tubing and heat-press the ends together for the case. I have Cat5 I use for network cables, so I can do the cord, but I'll head to Lowes or somewhere tomorrow for connectors, fuses, and stuff for the glow box.


Violet




Green




Blue




1" Poly ~ 12" long




In a bottle ~8" long as a test








A few tests on my glow shirt from Woot. The LED strip definitely puts out the most visible light at 440nm, the cap light is an Energizer Trailfinder with 3x 405nm LEDs. I like it, but it's really hard to use as a light source fishing because it is fairly focused and the low power doesn't reach super far. I usually hold a glow jig or bead right up to it and spin it slowly. I think it was $5 at Walmart one day, but haven't seen them since. The fluorescent light is 370ish nm from what I can find online, but of course would be a nuisance to take fishing. I took video too which I may post sometime.






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[Bardic]

It's done. I need to put a fuse in-line still, but I found a silica packet to absorb any moisture I may have so I was able to close it all up.








I'm actually kind of proud of myself for finishing a project, and fairly quickly too.
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[Groundtrac]

Great job. I'm pretty interested in the reports on how well it may work. []
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[Bardic]

If Ririe would freeze over I could try it there this weekend. Hoping it helps for kokanee and crappie mostly.
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[Groundtrac]

I drove up there yesterday and still open water all around the ramp, rockpile, etc. Really sucks.
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[Bardic]

Hmm, then I guess I'll try it at McTucker and Roberts while I am visiting.
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[Bardic]

Finally made it out to McTucker on my way back from Idaho Falls Wed night. Everything worked very well, the two pics are the light at 11 feet, and one just under the ice. Fish came in with and without the light, but weren't biting anything I tried. Next time I will try the light out 10-15 feet from my line and see how it does. It was really cold out there so I only really fished with it on the bottom at 14 feet, and lifted a bit at 11 feet. Then I packed it up around 7, because I still had to drive to Boise.







I also made my light box, still needs a switch that I can flip on and off but I can hook it to the fish finder and hang a lure in front of it then drop it right down the hole. Used an old glasses case then pulled out the padding so the LEDs would stick to it. I can even close it up to protect them. I may have gone a little overboard separating each segment, but they fit pretty well this way. You could close a lure inside of it too, but I don't think you would need to.


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[StacyR]

I've never fished with a submersible light, but from what I've seen on other boards it's best to fish the areas at the edge of the light. Maybe you were too close?

As far as charging glow, this is what you need:

[url "http://www.amazon.com/Ledwholesalers-Gallium-Blacklight-Flashlight-7301uv365/dp/B004R831H0"]http://www.amazon.com/...1uv365/dp/B004R831H0[/url]

I've been using this 365nm UV LED flashlight for over two years. I bought it when it was almost $40 and it was totally worth it. It's very bright, but it doesn't put out much visible light and charges glowing lures faster and brighter than 395mn+ lights.

Edit:

Found an even cheaper one with a lifetime warranty if your friends won't give you guff about a UV flashlight that says PEEDAR on the side:

http://www.amazon.com/Urine-Detector-Bla...B00E9T92L6
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[Bardic]

Yeah, I started by testing it, seeing how much weight I need to make it sink, if it was going to leak any, and how bright it was from the bottom. I really needed to run it outside the tent and drill another hole, but it was getting cold and dark by that time. I also think I should have fished more with it just under the surface so the fish on the bottom were still in darkness and could see the silhouette of my jig like they do during the day.

I was hoping to find an LED strip in the 365 NM range but they still seem to be too expensive for most places to sell. I may have to order that little flashlight, they really have come down a lot compared to what they were. I currently try to keep the hat light in my pocket so I can test Halloween decorations in the store for florescence, but something more powerful would make it easier.

I think the extra visible light with this one will be ok. I have a hard time using just my hat one because the line glows, and the jig glows, but my fingers don't, so I can't see to tie the knots or the tips of the poles that aren't florescent.

LOL PeeDar, might be worth it I did find 20 round LEDs for $24 after shipping, so I could always put those in the light box and have extras.
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[StacyR]

Just be careful if they're 365nm LEDs. 365nm light is in the range that is harmful to human vision. You'll want to put them in a housing that lets you direct the light away from your eyes. I never look directly into the LEDs on mine.

I'd been wanting another 365nm blacklight for testing glow times on the materials for the jigs I make, so I ordered a PeeDar. From the pics it looks identical to the 365nm light I bought from LED Wholesalers, but we shall see! I also have another UV light that I'm not sure of the range on, but considering I got it free in a package of carpet cleaner I'm betting it's around 400nm. It doesn't charge glow materials nearly as fast.

I'll try and do a comparison between the three lights when the PeeDar gets here this weekend.
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