Can I use my Shadow-Caster lights out of water? Do LEDs get hot?
Shadow-Caster underwater lights get warm. They rely on being in a water
environment to keep them cool. However, even if your lights come out of the
water when running on plane, the small amount of splash that they receive is
enough to keep them cool. Shadow-Caster underwater lights utilize a thermal
protection roll back circuit and will their output down so that they never get
hotter than a hot cup of coffee.
How long can I run my Shadow-Caster lights on a standard marine battery?
A typical group D battery stores approximately 120amp Hours of power. Two
SCM-10 underwater lights will draw about 7 amps. This equates to at least 17
hours of continuous use. However it is not recommended to deplete marine
batteries to less than 20% of their available capacity.
How many Shadow-Caster lights do I need?
The appropriate number of lights to use is certainly a personal choice. There
are no hard and fast rules to apply here. Generally we recommend 2 lights
mounted on opposite sides of the transom for typical applications. As the size
of the boat and beam increase, it is recommended to install more lights for
good coverage. Typically on boats 26 and up, we recommend at least 3 across
the transom. Shadow-Caster Underwater LED lights have a very low profile and
are typically installed on the sides of boats for users that want the extra
light coverage.
What color LED lights should I install?
The appropriate color choice of LED is ultimately a personal decision. The
condition of the water where you will be using the lights is a big factor in
this decision. Also, sometimes the decision is made to compliment the color of
the boat. We typically do not recommend white lights for areas where the color
of the water is dark or murky, as the white light will tend to filter through
as the color of the water.
We offer our lights in 5 different single color versions, and of course color
changing versions.
-
Great White – Is best
where the water is clear and where a good view of underwater life is wanted.
-
Bimini Blue – This is
our most popular color and certainly very popular with the off shore fishing
crowd. It is an intense and vivid blue.
-
Ultra-Blue – Is more
towards the violet end of the spectrum than Bimini-Blue, It is a great
choice to compliment purple hulls where customers want to really stand out
from the crowd.
-
Aqua Green – This color
is very popular with the inshore fishing crowd.
-
Cool Red – Is very
intense and most popular with the “Go Fast” boating crowd. It provides an
eerie and ominous Red color under the water.
What is Shadow-NET™ Technology?
Shadow-NET is a proprietary technology that is integrated into Shadow-Caster
lighting products. This network allows us to individually address and control
the color and intensity of each Shadow-Caster Light. Physically this
connection is the Orange and Yellow wires found in our enabled lighting
products. Through Shadow-Net enabled devices it is possible to integrate with
other communication protocols, such as DMX, Ethernet and Wifi. Please contact
a Shadow-Caster representative for more details.
What is the advantage of an LED?
LED light bulbs are more rugged and damage-resistant than incandescent light
bulbs. An efficient system, LED light bulbs are finding use in a wide range of
applications.
LEDs offer many advantages over traditional lighting systems such as longer
life span, lower energy consumption, improved robustness, smaller size, faster
switching times, and better durability and reliability. A group of LEDs is
capable of producing high-intensity light.
What is the difference between lux and lumen?
This is a question that we get asked quite often by customers who are confused
by all of the different specifications that manufacturers offer for their
products. “Lumens”, is a measurement for the total amount of light emitted by
a source. “Lux” is a measurement for the total amount of light that is
directed towards a small area. If you focus the light from an LED into a small
area, the number of lumens will stay the same, while the “lux” will increase
greatly. Our research has shown that producing a wide beam of light performs
the best for underwater applications, and provides the maximum usable light.
What is the proper procedure for cleaning and care for Shadow-Caster lights?
Shadow-Caster underwater lights are designed to live under the water. Anyone
that owns a boat, especially boats that live in saltwater understand what a
harsh environment this is. Combine corrosion with the fact that barnacles
quickly grow on anything left in the water, and it is easy to appreciate the
challenges involved with designing products to live in this environment.
We recommend that lights be cleaned regularly to provide the optimum
performance. When lights are cleaned regularly by simple brushing, marine
growth will be minimal. If you are maintaining a boat that resides in the
water, we can recommend some clear coatings that will inhibit the growth and
still allow light to transmit.
In the event that staining occurs, we recommend Naval Jelly which is commonly
available at your local hardware store. Simply follow the manufactures’
recommendation which typically just involves applying it to affected areas and
rinsing it off.
What is the Shadow-Caster Advantage?
Shadow Caster Lights® are the most highly engineered Underwater Lighting
products on the market. This fact combined with Superior customer support
makes us the clear choice for LED Lighting for marine applications.
|