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Picture please (Factory LED side lighting)

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Robotpedlr

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Hi,

I would appreciate if anyone with an S or G style boat with the factory LED lights (RGB Side Illumination) on the outside of their boat could post a picture for me. 


I just ordered the same lights for the exterior of my boat that are sourced by Bennington (ITC USA) and plan to mount them this weekend.  It would be great to see a picture of how the factory mounted lights are mounted under/inside the side skirt.  I have a general sense, but seeing how/where the factory did it would be helpful.


I ordered 2x 20' rolls of the ITC low power sealed LED lights with the aluminum mounting channels.

Thanks in advance.
 
Just saw this post.  I will try to take a look at mine and see if I can get some pictures for you in the next few days.
 
Thanks, but I got it installed and loving it. Very easy process and great out come.  


And I ended up mounting on the inside of the side skirt on the ledge.  The lights face in (towards boat) and illuminate great at night.  


I was going to post a video of the out come but the file is too large to upload. 
 
Robotpedlr said:
Thanks, but I got it installed and loving it. Very easy process and great out come.  


And I ended up mounting on the inside of the side skirt on the ledge.  The lights face in (towards boat) and illuminate great at night.  


I was going to post a video of the out come but the file is too large to upload. 
Click to expand...

Put it in the Gallery.
 
Robotpedlr -- what did you use to mount them? I just bought some blue LED strip lights and they are encased in a clear silicone sleeve. They are IP66 water resistant. I am debating between sourcing some 3M double sided pressure sensitive tape or mounting 16 feet of 5/8" OD clear polycarbonate tubes somehow and pulling the light strips through with a fish tape (and then sealing the end caps with silicone). If I use the tape, I will probably also use a 3M adhesion promoter.

The challenge with using the tape is I think I have to mount the lights on the inside of the deck trim without removing it. The deck trim on my 2011 2275 GCW doesn't look like it can be removed without first unbolting the playpen.
 
sunedog said:
Robotpedlr -- what did you use to mount them?
Click to expand...

My new Bennington has lights on the side from the factory, but my last boat did not, and I added them myself.

I went to Lowe's and bought those heavy duty black zip-ties that have the screw hole in them. Then, I took a small self tapping screw and ran those through the aluminum on those cross braces that run across the pontoons. Ran the lights, then zip-tied the light strip at each cross brace. May not have been the best idea, but it worked out really good. The tape option worked until it got wet, and then never worked again.

Just an idea........
 
Thomas Sayle said:
I went to Lowe's and bought those heavy duty black zip-ties that have the screw hole in them. Then, I took a small self tapping screw and ran those through the aluminum on those cross braces that run across the pontoons. Ran the lights, then zip-tied the light strip at each cross brace. May not have been the best idea, but it worked out really good. The tape option worked until it got wet, and then never worked again.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I ended up using double sided tape to stick the LED strips on the inside of the aluminum rub rail extrusion. I contacted 3M technical customer service twice and got some advice from them on exactly what to do to maximize the potential for success. (I say that because the two reps I talked to had no direct experience with taping silicone membranes (which encase my LED strips) to aluminum extrusions.) Here are their tips:
1. lightly sand the silicone membrane to remove gloss. Wipe clean with lacquer thinner.
2. lightly sand the aluminum and wipe clean with lacquer thinner.
3. Apply 3M 6396 adhesion promoter to both the membrane and the aluminum. This has to flash at least 10 minutes before applying the tape. There is no limit to how long you can wait for it to still work. I got mine at Napa for $2.99 per packet. Ended up using 6 packets. It is on a little sponge and you have to work fast because it starts to evaporate from the small sponge the moment you start applying it.
4. I used a 3M auto trim pressure sensitive mounting tape (can't remember the number now). Was $43 for 50 feet at a pro auto paint and supply store. There are two adhesive sides to the tape. The adhesives on each side are not the same. Mount the tape side to the membrane and the red liner side to the aluminum.
5. The tape bond will increase over time. I don't remember the term the guy used but it seemed like the adhesive worked its way into the pores of the surfaces over some time.

Only time will tell if it holds.
 
SO I have installed lights on my Jeep and to ground you just attached to a steel part. what do you do on an aluminum boat?
 
Dougncrew said:
SO I have installed lights on my Jeep and to ground you just attached to a steel part. what do you do on an aluminum boat?
Click to expand...
You must run a ground wire also. You don't want to run current through the hull.
 
Ok, lots of talk and NO PICTURES, just saying! :D
 
I agree. I am going to try to install my lights this weekend I would love to see what they are supposed to look like.
 
here ya go! 2015 20SLX dealer installed blue LED's. I have a couple other angles if you need. 20170701_205010.jpg
 
lower angle . You can see the LED's on the other side. 20170701_205141.jpg
 
I started the install of the side LEDs. I used a 1" x 1" x 1" Z shaped extrusion. The plastic strips are held on with the 3M VHB tape and I added pop rivets to hold them more secure than just the tape. The Z is attached with a corrosion resistant self drilling screw.
20180529_165755.jpg 20180529_165847.jpg
 
Dougncrew -- The Z shaped extrusion is an ingenious solution. Looks very secure.

Can you show us a picture at night? I'd like to see if the step in the extrusion blocks the light from hitting the pontoon. I'd love
 
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