Haha there's a bunch of suckers on here... no offense.

I did a lot of research before doing this on an old yamaha jet boat that I've since sold (twin jets) - the lumen output on the LED systems was just tiny, any/all videos and images were HORRIBLY over-exposed and fake (as a photographer/graphics designer on the side it was easy to spot, especially in the videos like the pershing OLED one) - high dynamic-range DSLRS are harder to spot.

In the end I just ran over to advance autoparts, bought a pair of cheapo oval fog lights (the small ones for mounting externally, with the blue lenses) and picked up a pair of 8000k HIDs from retro solutions (I've bought like 5 different HID sets from these guys for various vehicles, always a great experience).

I sealed everything with 3M 4000 marine caulk AND heat shrink over-top (before the 3M dried) and mounted one next to each jet.

The math:
The equivalent lumen output was ~6000 for $80
A SINGLE A3 Ocean LED unit puts out 350 lumens and costs $220

75 lumens / $1

or

1.6 lumens / $1

The only negative is the 70 watts which the HIDs draw, and their larger size, this was an easy install on the yamaha since the jet pumps mounted in a recessed area under the transom where I could mount the ballast and only run the small power wires through the boat.


Now that I have the Donzi I'm looking to do something a little cleaner, but again I hate the idea of screwing with this stuff and spending all the money to light up (realistically) a 3 sq ft area. You all have no idea how worthless this stuff is in standing water unless you're sitting in the Caribbean. The jet boat was cool because on plane the jet pumps are out of the water, and the lights would illuminate both (entire) streams of water out of the jets and the side bow spray of the boat, everything just glowed blue.

So I'm now on a mission to find high output LEDs that are surface mount and have a high output per $/watt ratio. I'm not convinced such a thing exists, but we will see!

pics of the old project, I'm still rather proud of it.

Haha, while I admire your ingenuity. This particular thread is not about $220 Ocean Led lights.

It's about a simple/cheap ($44) drain plug light that is so easy to hook up a 6 year old could figure it out. Yes, they may not be the brightest out there but for the price and the fact that no holes need to be drilled to run these is a plus for many people including myself.

True, but there were a couple. Maybe I'm just saving people from an up sell down the road

Thanks though, I might give the drain plug one a shot at that price since the Donzi has nothing at all right now.. but I feel like accidentally dropping my cell phone off the side of the boat would probably put out more light.

The sad thing is.. the nice ones cost like $30 to make. 10x profit margin. A bare Luxeon LED w/ driver is ~$5.

I want to see a pic of one drain plug under water lit up, and not in in the bahamas water.

I bought 3 of the blue and installed on my 26 eliminator. Overall, they are about as I expected. If your looking to light up 5+ feet behind your boat, buy the expensive stuff. If your ok with more of an "accent" lighting that lights up 1-2 feet behind your boat, these are a bargain and seem to be made well.

I bought one last week and installed it, it even lights up the interior!!!

cant beat it for the money!!

So, is that truly a drain plug light?

I understand your joke about the interior but don't know if you're kidding about the in water light or not?

lol

I highly doubt it was a drain plug light as it was on a brand new 399 Deep Impact the guy took delivery of 2 days before I took this picture. I was at Atlantis in the Bahamas, this boat was his dinghy......