Underwater Fishing Light Representing "TFF" on the Canals

May 2012

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fishing bait time good line kayak fish thanks back enjoy water around gonna boat them dargel know work advice green still thing over give caught made days braid using scooter hhernandez appreciated maui trying though think artificial does issue lens costas pair help remember tide hook lures throw style fins

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[BaffinSprint18]

This is my first attempt at building the best canal fishing light I can imagine..... Chime in and let me know if you have tried to conquer this yourself... Interested in epoxy/adhesives to seal the bulb?  Or just plain honest criticism...

[BaffinSprint18]

Represent

[BaffinSprint18]

Built this dude for my folks for Christmas.. Literally Blood, Sweat, Tears and Time.......

[BaffinSprint18]

Here is a pic with the control box and photo eye in perspective to the light itself.......

[BaffinSprint18]

I took the photo cell above off and used a 1/2" union to mate up a new photo cell in order to spin the detector to the prevailing light.

[PREDATOR 60]

  Looks good, make sure about every month, you take it out, re-epoxy gasket and change bulb, will save buying a complete new unit.  (can get expensive!!)

[BaffinSprint18]

Well because of the way I built the bulb/socket assembly I will have to redo it anyway. I used some really good 3m marine epoxy. Once the light dies I will just build another. 

Interested in seeing how the gasket would work. I might attempt to build another soon.

[On the Flats]

So what did you use to hold the lines and light fixture underwater? Would like one at my place. I do get some boat traffic through the canal so would hate to have someone drag it and screw it up.

[Lance D]

I heard of a guy in the Corpus Christi/Flour Bluff area building them using LEDs and epoxy mix in a 1 - 1.5 gallon bucket along with schedule 40 pipe to handle the wiring that is run back to the power box.

I have not seen the finished product in person but the area I was fishing in July supposedly had 3 or 4 in operation, the canals were very well lit.

[BaffinSprint18]

I used stainless steel pipe blind flanges that I dug out of a recycle bin at work but I also built a few stainless eye bolts sunk in concrete filled plastic coffee cans that would work just as good.

As far as led lights go I have not experimented yet but im sure the price would go up quickly to produce the same amount of linens a mercury vapor or HID bulb emitted.

[R DAVIS]

When I lived in Bahia Bay, I built a number of these lights.

I used a 175 watt mercury vapor light bulb. I took PVC pipe of the correct size in which the base of the bulb would fit (I think it was 2 inch i.d. but am not certain)

Anyway, whatever size fits, solder your two wires your the bulb, one to the tit on the base and the other to the side threaded portion. Insert the base bulb into the PVC, and fill the PVC completely with 3M 5200 Marine Seal. Let the Marine Seal ooze out around the base of the glass portion of the bulb for a couple inches at the bottom, and fill the metal base of the bulb inside the big PVC at least a couple inches deep. That makes for a good watertight seal which will never need to be resealed for the life of the bulb. When finished it looks like a big candle.

You must let it cure for at least one week. Do NOT use the 5200 Quick Cure that cures in 24 hours, it will eventually dissolve, The Regular 5200 will outlast the life of the bulb and is the only sealant I know of that will stand up to the saltwater for years.

You can use wire designed for underwater use, or standard  # 12 or #10  stranded, insulated, copper wire. You can run the wire through some garden hose or PVC pipe from the control unit, which is the transformer and electric eye that come with the bell shaped unit. Even if you use underwater wire, it is a good idea to put it inside a hose or PVC pies to protect it from fish hooks, etc.

If I can be of further assistance, feel free to contact me at rcdavis@wildblue.net

[rwl1948]

any pictures of the actual light before it went into the water?

[R DAVIS]

Sorry, no pictures.

Randy

[BaffinSprint18]

I took this while sealing the bulb.That is the same 6 day cure time 3m marine sealant.

[BaffinSprint18]

Here is another pic not much better.... I wasn't in the mood to take pictures once i got it all together because I didn't want to jinx the light and break the bulb like the last one.....