A New Type of Underwater Light (Par 64 1000 watt bulb)

[Shannon Foye]

I made an underwater light out of a Par 64 1000 watt bulb. This is the same light bulb that is used for overhead fishing lights. The 175 watt mercury vapor bulbs that are normally used for underwater lights put out 8,000 lumens. The Par 64 1000 watt bulbs put out 330,000 lumens.

Mercury vapor naturally gives off green light. Par 64 halogen bulbs give off a pure white light, so I used green stained glass from Hobby Lobby to get the bulb to give off green light.

I sealed the electrical connections on the back of the bulb with several layers of JB Weld. These bulbs get very hot, even underwater, and JB Weld is waterproof and has a 500 degree temperature rating. I JB Welded a clamp light cover to the bulb as a way to mount the glass over the bulb.

One layer of green glass may be sufficient to get the greenish tint but I could not get a picture of it in the water. I siliconed the layers of glass together. Stained glass is not very strong and the layers of glass broke as I pried them apart. So, at some point, I'll put up pictures of just one layer of green glass.

In the pictures below, the light on the left is a 175 watt mercury vapor bulb and the light on the right is the 1000 watt Par 64 bulb. Let me know if you have any questions.
Attached Images

[imhammer]

That is pretty sweet! Where do you live? We are going to have to potlick those lights!

[Milkjug]

Just, wondering, do fish really prefer the green light?

I always thought the u/w lights were green just because of the color of the water they were shining through. In theory, you could get more intensity by not filtering it through a green glass.

[Gilbert]

that looks cool.


I have mixed emotions about green lights and underwater lights though. I seem to see better results with lights shining into the water as opposed to those underwater green or what ever color.

[kenny]

Funny thing about canal lights. In my experience it's not necessarily how bright or what color a light is. It seems to be more about the location.
I've caught a ton of trout around a boat house with a regular spotlight that comes on at dark. I also think if it's the only light in an area it's more likely to hold fish.

[Shannon Foye]

Just, wondering, do fish really prefer the green light?

I always thought the u/w lights were green just because of the color of the water they were shining through. In theory, you could get more intensity by not filtering it through a green glass.

Probably nearly all the green lights you see in the canals are mercury vapor, which give off a greenish light even if you put them in a bucket of tap water. Pure white light underwater in the canal gives off the nasty color of the canal water. I don't know what the fish prefer but it seems people prefer looking at green underwater lights.

Here's a picture of a mercury vapor light in tap water.

[HarryK]

that looks cool.


I have mixed emotions about green lights and underwater lights though. I seem to see better results with lights shining into the water as opposed to those underwater green or what ever color.

x2 Gilbert - doing a mix of overhead and underwater might be the way to go. Also, you might want to add some weight to your setup to keep it inplace(very large sinker). Speaking of potlickers(with sinkers and live bait), make sure those that do fish your lights don't snag your cord with hooks and short it out..otherwise take them out everytime. If you do leave them in the water, keep them on a timer to come on at least an hour a day so the heat will keep barnacles and other junk from growing on them. Never tinted the bulbs, but let us know how it works out.

[Shannon Foye]

that looks cool.


I have mixed emotions about green lights and underwater lights though. I seem to see better results with lights shining into the water as opposed to those underwater green or what ever color.

The overhead lights seem to be very productive for everyone. But I like to have an underwater light close to the where the overhead lights are shining in order to see the trout in the canal when the water is dirty or when they are not actively feeding under the overhead lights.

On some nights the trout are very active, and are popping baitfish everywhere under the overhead lights. On other nights, I may not see one trout pop the surface under the overhead lights but I may at least see that they are in the canal as they cruise over the underwater lights.

And still on other nights, for no reason that I can figure out, there does not seem to be one trout in the canals, they do not show up under the overhead lights and cannot be see cruising on top of the underwater lights. On those nights, it just time to call it quits.

[Shannon Foye]

That is pretty sweet! Where do you live? We are going to have to potlick those lights!

Sea Isle. Wear some sunscreen, potlickers to my underwater lights might get sunburned from my overhead lights.

Regarding shorting out the underwater lights from fish hooks, I run the extension cord through some pvc from the light back towards the dock.

[imhammer]

Sea Isle. Wear some sunscreen, potlickers to my underwater lights might get sunburned from my overhead lights.

Regarding shorting out the underwater lights from fish hooks, I run the extension cord through some pvc from the light back towards the dock.

I guess I will have to come down and visit Mike some night and fish your lights!

[Gater]

Lights

That is way overkill IMHO! A 75 watt light will put out enough to get the job done. All your trying to do is attract bait not boil all the shrimp and crabs in the canal LOL. From the pictures it is way to much light.

Is the JB weld the only thing keeping the electricity from the water, if so that does not sound very safe.

[Reel Bender]

Green lights penetrates water better than white due to wavelength. In other words less of it is reflected when it hits the water from above and is able to penetrate deeper.

[Milkjug]

Green lights penetrates water better than white due to wavelength

This is true, green is a shorter wavelength, higher frequency, and thus higher energy.

However, when you use a filter, you are not really increasing the green, you are just reducing everything else, so it looks green. The green was there before, you just see it by itself now. Either way you cut it, you are losing intensity.

[Shannon Foye]

All your trying to do is attract bait not boil all the shrimp and crabs in the canal LOL.

Who doesn't want some warmer water this time of year, shrimp and crabs are people too!!!

You are closer to the truth than you may think. I initially tested the electrical connections of the bulb in a bucket of water, holding the bulb down with a brick on top of a glass jar. The water between the bulb and the glass jar began to boil. I had my hand in the water above the bulb a few times. The next day it felt like my hand had been sunburned.

The water in the canals is exceptionally clear right now. I'll post some more pictures of this light in the water when it gets dirtier closer to summer.

[Shannon Foye]

New Pictures - One Layer of Green Glass

Here are recent pictures of the waterproofed Par 64 1000 watt bulb (Right) compared to a 175 watt mercury vapor bulb (Left). The baitfish showed up quickly and stayed there all night.