LED Cupholders

[robert843]

For those who have converted to the LED cup holders how big of a pain was the whole process and which cup holder did you use? Really considering doing this but after my Seadek install experience I'm not willing to go through something like that again to do it.

 

[txav8r]

LED installs are not a walk in the park, but it isn't too terrible. I didn't know much about soldering wiring when I did mine and it ended up nice...both times! I started with Red LED's that were too direct, and changed them out after a couple of years to indirect RGB LED's. The RGB install took a good deal of time and patience, but came out great, and the total cost was probably less than $100, including wire loom, and the extensive sturdy 18GA-4 conductor wiring that I used. Some guys are paying that much for just a pair of speaker rings with lights installed. And many guys are using kits that were not designed for wet locations. Even though the light string may be waterproof, your wiring has to be as well. And the connections that used connectors of some sort that are mechanical will corrode and fail at some point in a boat, especially those boats that are in salt environments. The way to go on this is solder, coat and fill heat shrink tubing over joint with marine silicone, and heat tubing allowing silicone to ooz out. It isn't as hard as hydroturf removal and sea deck install, but it is work. Or you can add kits and connectors and just replace when they fail. The big work is running the loop and cutting in connections. Either way you have to do that. The soldering of those connections is time consuming and there are some connectors out there I would trust if you could waterproof them well. Oh, I built my own cupholder lighting as well as speaker ring and other indirect lighting. The cupholder lighting I did, I liked much better than the store bought acrylic rings that go under the cupholder. Because those exposed lights blind you. The way I did them and a number of other guy have done also since, is the drill an access hole in the bottom of the cupholder, and make a strip loop that fits the bottom curve of the second step of the cupholder and installed them inside. That illuminates the interior and shows you where your beer is as well as where to put your beer! Pics in a number of threads on LED's here on the forum.

 

[Bruce]

This is what I did. It was less than a one day project with only $60 of materials. I plan to order some more wire and illuminate the swim deck cupholders as well.

https://jetboaters.net/threads/musi...ders-for-60-less-than-10-per-cup-holder.7366/

 

[txav8r]

In a boat with stranded wire, especially small GA (diameter) wire, it is not a good idea to twist the wire together side by side in pigtail fashion. This is a common practice in solid strand wire, as is the use of wire nuts, in home and commercial LAND BASED wiring. We don't do this on a boat, because boats add vibration and corrosion to the mix, that you don't have in common home installations. It doesn't provide strain relief for the wire that will certainly be run in 90 degree directions from the splice. An Inline splice is a much stronger, being naturally strain relieved (resists vibration better), neater, and can be waterproofed and protected much easier than a pigtail. But I will give you that not using wire loom, using pigtails, not waterproofing, certainly makes it quick enough that maybe you won't mind too much when you have to chase down failures. And just a note on cost...I did mine for less than $100 doing it the right way, and did 6 speaker rings, 8 cupholders, transom underseat lighting, and gunwale lighting. It did however take me days, mostly because I got tired of standing on my head and I had to work, but waterproofing and inline splices take time too.

 

[jcyamaharider]

I like the indirect lighting of the cup holder lights more so then the direct light. Makes it more enjoyable in the boat when they are on and not being blinded.

 

[robert843]

Thanks guys. The wiring stuff doesn't bother me so much it was the cup holder removal that had me concerned. Any links to the led lights you guys used? I agree I would prefer indirect it looks better in my mind as well.

 

[txav8r]

This will get you started @robert843 . I can tell you just get a plastic putty knife but you may need a flexible metal one, just tape the edge. You will have to work it around the edge to break the bead of silicone holding it. Start to lift in in one edge and work your way around it. Some guys have pushed up from under it, but break the hold the silicone has first or at least check to see there isn't much of a hold. Good luck on the install!
5M 5050 RGB SMD LED Waterproof Flexible Strip 300 LEDs + 44 Key IR Remote

 

[Bruce]

I used basically the same kit as txav8r for the LED strips. But be careful with the included controller. Mine started smoking within a few minutes of testing. I was using a music controller anyway so it was no big deal but that controller has lots of reviews talking about smoking on Amazon so I would not want it in my boat.

 

[txav8r]

@Bruce what controller had bad reviews? The music controller? Thats why I never got the music controller because it had negative reviews when I did mine. But I never read any smoking or fire hazard stuff, only that the music sync didn't really work well unless it was lots of bass at higher volumes. I never had a controller issue with the basic controller. We ought to post the bad one here and let guys know which one to avoid. But I think plenty of guys have used the music controller haven't they?

 

[Bruce]

@txav8r, this is the backside of the controller that let its smoke out. It was smoking when I unplugged the 12v power supply. It was connected to a single cup holder so certainly not exceeding the rated draw. It came in a set similar to what you linked to. On Amazon it has several bad reviews for similar issues.



This is the music controller than I am using http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00JQ...tDescription_secondary_view_div_1440794576300

 

[txav8r]

Good Intel right there!

 

[robert843]

Ok so I have seen these cut able strips before but all led installs I have done have been on Motorcycles and cars and all the kits I have used had connectors. On this I'm assuming I cut on the line i then soder the wires from one end of the cut strip to the next strip on those gold tabs? I'm also assuming it appears to all run inline?

 

[Bruce]

You can see how I soldered the wires in this thread https://jetboaters.net/threads/musi...ders-for-60-less-than-10-per-cup-holder.7366/

 

[txav8r]

That's the hard way and trying to run wiring on the surface. Easier to just make your solder connection and bring the they end back to a common point. Just consider each location one fixture and keep all your wiring out of site in the gunwales or seating compartments. Your going to terminate it where you fuse and tie into power. All LEDs are 12v so you don't need a power supply.

 

[Bruce]

I ran mine in parallel so that I only needed to connect to one end of each strip.

 

[txav8r]

Don't twist wiring like that in a boat.

 

[txav8r]

Do it like this wth strain relief and heat shrink with silicone to waterproof.

 

[robert843]

Thanks guy!

 

[robert843]

@txav8r and @Bruce if I want to do all interior cup holders (I will likely skip the swim deck and maybe a few spots on the interior how many of the 5 meter rolls do you think I need? I really just want blue so I may go with the solid blue strip to have less wires to solder unless you really feel I should get the multi color. I plan to upgrade my speaker to the Kicker Marine speakers with the led's under the grill as well so I will have to commit to one color at that point any way I found them for $140 per pair which I think is fair.

http://www.amazon.com/Kicker-KM654LCW-41KM654LCW-Built-In-Lighting/dp/B00KGBQ14W

 

[Bruce]

One 5m roll is plenty for the cup holders.