clam led lights vs. first ice led lights

[Kodiak]

Ok, i am going to purchase some led lights for my fishhouses and i am wondering about the clam and the first ice brand lights. the first ice are half the price of the clam lights and one foot longer,,,are the clam lights that much better, a more intense led or what??

[Northlander]

I hear that this years clam lights have been improved. Last year my 1st ice lights were just as good if not better than the clam lights. As you say they were much cheaper.

[metrojoe]

Last year the First Ice lights were 6 feet long and only $6.99. Perfect example of supply and demand.(unlike gas prices )

Anyways, I've got 2 strings in my Fish Trap and they work great. Combine that with the Reflex-Tex(sp) and it really lights up well. The only issue I had with them is they would come unplugged from time to time so I put a few turns of electrical tape around the ends to hold it in place.

[Blaze]

I copied metrojoe, minus the reflectex. I just put 2 strings in my Voyager ($14.99 each) and grabbed a spare 12v battery+charger from Fleet Farm ($12), and put them in. Initial run on Sunday was very successful - could see everything perfectly clear and was able to tie jigs on with 3lb red Cajun no problem. We'll see just how durable the First Ice lights turn out to be, but it's great just folding up the house with the lights intact and not having to take anything down or wait for your lantern to cool off, etc.

[T-ProGuy]

I will be the first to admit I haven't been paying close enough attention to the LED lights when I am in the store, but where can you buy the First Ice lights? I have seen the Clam ones and were totally put off by their price...

[Kodiak]

gander mountain,,,,so which is better the AA or the aligator clip 12v?

[DEADhead]

There is another brand of LED rope lights that is a far better deal than either the Firstice or the Clam lights. They are the Thunder Bay brand, sold at Reeds for $8.99 or Sportsmans Guide for $12.99. They are 6 feet long, run on 12V DC and come with alligator clips. They are bright.

I installed two strips in my portable, as well as reflectix. I took the alligator clips of the end of the lights and switched them with female spade terminals, so they could connect direct to a vex battery.

[Rainman]

Deadhead

I can't find thunder bay brand at either store. How long ago did you get your lights? I would really like to try them out.

Rainman

[Tippman]

I just picked the Thunder Bay brand up at Scheels. They were on sale when I bought them, otherwise were priced at 14.99. They are my first led lights and I was mildly impressed with them.

[DEADhead]

looks like sportman's guide doesn't have the thunder bay lights anymore. The lights aren't available on Reed's HSOforum. I picked them up in person at their walker store in November. Others have called in their order and been able to get them.

[folke2000]

How long will these run on a Vex battery?

[Tippman]

A couple of days.

[jig n' jerk]

Not to side track this thread but do you and the reflectix stuff for heat insulation, or to reflect the light. I thought it was for heat but I could be wrong.

[MNmikew]

Actually it works well for both.

[metrojoe]

I put it in for the insulation. Reflecting the light is just a bonus.

[bigb56303]

i just bought the first ice lights and the wok well, not as bright as i thought but good enough to see well, i have 2 sets in a eskimo quick flip 3 and i am thinking one more would be alittle bit better, as for how long they will run, the clam ones claim 48hrs continus use for one strand on a 7amp hour vex battery, the first ice should be compareable, so with the 2 i have it should go 12hrs but i have a 9amp hr battery so it should be better than that, i never stay out that long at night in my portable anyway so i think i will be good, i also bought some self adhesive velco and cut it in to strips to hang the light so i can tak them down i dont want to leave them up but thats just me

[DEADhead]

another member on FM had two 6 ft LED ropes from Thunder bay running last weekend for about 10 hours. It was on a 12 amp hour battery. When he got home to recharge, he had 40% charge left. So yo could probably get around 20 hours on one strand of lights running a 7.2 amp hour vex battery.

[Kodiak]

went to gander in lakeville and there where only 4 first ice left in the endcap display that probally had about a 100 in it at the begining of the week!! i bought 3 of them and put them in my X2....they are nice and bright and take very little power!! they rock! BTW...they still have all the clam brand there still no one seems to be buying them...they are 15dollars more and 1 foot shorter. And no i am not brand bashing..i bought their 650dollar two man fishtrap.

[Blaze]

Has anyone combined their wiring so you're only dealing with one set of alligator clips on the battery? I haven't messed with mine yet, but plan on "cleaning things up" a bit - the battery contacts aren't that big!

[Kodiak]

i am going to do that soon..it should be a problem running them in parallel.

[metrojoe]

I have. I just spliced the wires and only have one set of plugs. It works good. I also added a switch and mounted it under the seat.

[MIDNIGHT777]

I have two 4 foot sections joined together in my Nordic 2 man house. This way I only need one set of wire and alagator clips. I just took the wire and plastic end assembly off the second section. They do make a piece for rope lighting that splices 2 pieces of lights together, but they are very hard to find. I just took 2 small finishing nails and grinded down the hammering ends so there is 2 pointed ends on each. I then stuck them in endes of one set of rope light about half way (in the 2 holes that are the conductive wire). I then joined the 2 set by pushing the other end of the light into the 2 conductive wire holes. *****They will only work one way, so if they dont work just flip the other way around**** I used electrical tape to keep the 2 pieces from comming apart.

Works good and now I have an 8 foot piece that can be run off a single battery instead of needing a second battery for the 2nd set of lights.

Hope this helps and is not to confusing to understand.

Matt

[Kodiak]

how did you run your wires in your flipover to make sure they are not in the way.

[MIDNIGHT777]

I just bought some velcro straps at Menards and attach the wire to the poles when in use. When not in use I bundle the wire up and wrap in velcro. Gives it a "cleaned up" look, rather than wires dangling everywhere.

My rope light goes accross the top, and down the poles about a foot on each side. It is important to leave the one foot sections on both sides loosly fastened with cable ties so the cable ties can slide. This is the only way to get the pole collapsed all the way. The wire continues down the pole and to the vexilar on the ground, although I am thinking about getting a seperate battery for the lights.

Matt