I made a couple U brackets for them and mounted 2 on the bow and pointed them down towards the ground.  Had to turn them off because alot of indirect light was hitting my neighbors house 50 yards away.

I still have 4 more lights to mount but really don't think I'll need but 2 more.  I got the capacitors coming so I'll probably just mount a total of 4 lights and wait to mount the last 2 after I try them out.

With the honda on eco-throttle, when I plugged in 2 halogens it would cycle the rpms up.  With the 2 hps lights, I did not hear the Honda cycle up at all.

One thing for sure, they should throw alot of extra light on the shoreline to help with navigation.

Honda EU2000i generator running 6 HPS 150 watt lights on a 18ft Dixon aluminum boat with a 31 godevil. Powered in the shallows by a 55# thrust Minn Kota.

I'll take my extra 2 lights, take the guts out and start working on the box with them.

I understand almost everything about the box, except the grounding wire coming out of the light fixtures.  Where does this go?

 

Honda EU2000i generator running 6 HPS 150 watt lights on a 18ft Dixon aluminum boat with a 31 godevil. Powered in the shallows by a 55# thrust Minn Kota.

Ramma Jamma Yellow Hamma Give em Hell Alabama

This is the one that I have ordered.  Do you have several of your lights running on the same 14 gauge wire??  I checked my HPS lights without the caps and the pulled 3.4 amps at start-up.  Depending on the size generator you have coupled with small wire, you could be getting voltage drop but you should see it in the brightness of the light.  Do you have a clip on ammeter to check the amp draw of each set of lights?

In an earlier reply someone was talking about the glare and lighting up the shore line for better navigation, the HPS lights will light of the shore line at 50+ yards all night long. As far as a glare there is none, but I had none with the halagons other than for rippels in the water. 

X-Shark (7/24/2008)

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Gnwdad I ordered these. http://yhst-17357477413172.stores.yahoo.net/cafor250wa.html

Areovox brand 4454-p 55uf 280 volt commonly used for replacement for 250 watt high pressure sodium ballast. Made in the USA. The plastic case is 43.6" tall and 1.6" in diamater round. No pb's, rated for 100c, +-3%, with no resister to protect against shock hazzard when not energized. (if you see the the case bulged or burnt looking the capacitor is likely damaged and should be replaced, Capacitors average life is 60,000 hours they deroriorate, heat and age effect them so use a capacitance meter to test the micro farrads this is very easy to do.




These appear to be a plastic case and is the recommended site to buy from on Bowfish Country.

$10.68ea

I have had a really hard time getting all six of my hps lights to fire.

If your running a 2000watt Honda? Your overloading it.

The Honda puts out 13.3amps. Using Wareagle's numbers of 3.4amps each. Your drawing 20.4amps. :( Not good. Your overloading the unit and will burn it up.

But this is all speculation on what generator you have.

Each light has its own extention cord that plugs into one of two - 3 way heavy gauge cords.

The capacitors will be here tomorrow, but I'm going gigging so I'll probably just plug in 4 of the lights.  I'll rig up the capacitors this weekend, probably just ziptie them to the mount, and go ahead and mount the 6th light.

Once winter gets here and gigging slows down, I'll build "the box".

This offseason, I'm also planning on having a front railing built and a platform over the motor built for the generator.

Then I will officially sell all my fishing and hunting gear.

Honda EU2000i generator running 6 HPS 150 watt lights on a 18ft Dixon aluminum boat with a 31 godevil. Powered in the shallows by a 55# thrust Minn Kota.

I'm guessing that since the guts are attached, you just pull them out of the lights and place them on the board.  Have on/off switches for each light mounted on the outside of the box.  And run trailer harnesses for the lights.

I think I have the process in my head but would love to see some detailed pics of it.  The ones on the bowfishing site show the guts but I can't see the wiring.

Honda EU2000i generator running 6 HPS 150 watt lights on a 18ft Dixon aluminum boat with a 31 godevil. Powered in the shallows by a 55# thrust Minn Kota.

I bet they put out a hell of lot of light

Keep us updated on the project

Flounderin Like Huntin and Fishin

Ramma Jamma Yellow Hamma Give em Hell Alabama

X-Shark (7/24/2008)

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I 'm running a Coleman powermate 2250/1850 with 15 amp out put, its clear I'm drawing more than the rated amp load and that may be my problem.

That is your problem! Plus now we do know what your running. we were speulating before as you didn't tell us.

Your overloading the generator. Try and keep the max below that 1850.
You can burn a generator up running above the continuous power constantly.

Using 1" zinc plated material, the mount is pretty stationary. I tried using 3/4" aluminum first but it was too wobbly.

I'm guessing that is something you had laying around? I hope you didn't go out and buy it?

It needs to be 1 1/2on to 2in wide alum. in 1/4in. You have a alum boat. Use alum.

Also round those sharp 90deg corners off. Sooner or later someone will get ripped open on them + it just looks finished.

I've been on a boat that the bracket broke in some rough water that kicked up. It's ain't no fun seeing the light beat the Hell out of the boat and you can't do anything about it at the time.

These HPS's are more money than a $10 Halogen.

Remember they get a lot of bouncing on the trailer too.

The boat does look good.

14 gauge wire is only good for 15-20 amps

The standard in household 110V circuit is 14ga for a 15amp circuit and 12ga for a 20amp circuit.

X-shark, I'm running six (6) 150 watt hps lights, thats 900 watts plus my on board charger that pulls less than 100 watts so I'm around 1000 watts. Am I missing something on the wattage or did you miss calulate on the wattage?

Also I bought aluminum flat bar (1.5"x.25"x20') for $45 behind Town and  Country Plaza for my brackets.

Good thing its only money.  I'm about to make a 40 mile drive to work and then a 40 mile drive to the coast.  Then a 80 mile ride home.  I'll let you know how many lights I leave on the side of the road.

The reason I scrapped the aluminum idea was because when I bent the 3/4 inch piece, it had stress cracks on the bend and again it was flimsy.  Guess I'll make my 6th trip to Home Depot in 4 days and pick up some thicker/wide strap aluminum and make the frames out of it while the kids take a nap.

Hope its a long nap because I should have capacitors to install too.

Last night I did a test run on the Honda 2000 and I turned one light at a time on.  When I got to the 5th light, the Honda tripped.  But the 4th light hadn't completely warmed up yet so I did it again letting 4 lights get warm and then plugging the 5th in.  No problem doing it that way.

Honda EU2000i generator running 6 HPS 150 watt lights on a 18ft Dixon aluminum boat with a 31 godevil. Powered in the shallows by a 55# thrust Minn Kota.

bbb

I understand the money thing for sure ( that's why I'm runnin Halos) And Alum don't bend real good,that's why I suggested SS. I would ck some scrap yards or fab shops for some scraps. I made mine from some scrap plate I found just cut them out the size I wanted with a disc grinder with a cut off wheel,

Flounderin Like Huntin and Fishin

GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS

Proud Infidel

Go Dawgs, Sic' Em !!   

Sailfish 198 CC