The 31 year history of Underwater Lights Limited

1991 was when I started designing the underwater light, computers and drawing software were too expensive for me so pencils and drawing board were the tools to begin with. Fortunately my employment as a marine engineer and later as a surveyor for Lloyds Register of Shipping (LRS) gave me the knowledge of materials, naval architecture, thermo-dynamics and electrical/ optical designs.

Luck was on my side as General Electric had started manufacturing single ended metal halide lamps which were far more efficient than the halogen lamps of the time and they had an output of around 12,000 lumens. Porcelain lamp holders and high temperature/ voltage silicone cable were available. Everything you needed to make a light. After a few days the design was completed and an application was made to LRS to approve the lights for installation into the 50m yacht (M.Y. Lady Marina). Sometime later M.Y. Lady Marina switched on her four underwater lights whilst she was at anchor in the Bay of Palma and after that every yacht wanted underwater lights.

Our next order was for 32 lights on a 100m yacht being built in Germany. The lights would be installed around the yacht. This required the addition of two new welds to compensate for the hull angle. The design and installation layout was approved by LRS. On reflection the 50m had her four lights on the stern and the next yacht had thirty two lights all the way round. There seemed no end to what one could do providing the system was safe and ‘Fit for Purpose’.

The first underwater light was called the BULLEYT and used a 150 watt metal halide lamp. Minor changes were
made to improve thermal and light output efficiency. In 2005 we started to test a 250 watt metal halide lamp
in the BULLEYT and found that the extra power and lumen output (19,000) did not work and deteriorated the overall efficiency. Basically the diameter of the glass lens (62.5mm) was too small and too much heat was generated. We increased the lens diameter to 75mm. and the insert diameter from 100mm to 120mm. These increases in size had to be made to our screwed version which are installed in composite hulls. These lights were known as the UL Ti MATE range.

Having cracked how to use the metal halide lamp along came the LED with new underwater light companies entering the market. We started testing LEDs around 2004 and the first thing we noticed was the economic truth in the LED specifications. We took our time in coming to the market with an LED underwater light to ensure that all our R&D which had taken place produced a bright and reliable LED unit – the ‘QT Range’ which then followed on with our latest design of underwater lights – the ‘QTS’ range.

The new QTS range has taken over 30 years of experience to develop and is arguably the most versatile and complete underwater light ever made for the marine industry. Designed in the simplest format possible to now accommodate a variety of light power outputs, Colour Options and Input Powers. Suitable for any boat from 20 meters up to the largest superyachts.

The through hull QTS 100 is uniquely made from Titanium and can be used directly on metal hulls, subject to surveyor approval, as well as on composite/fiberglass hulls saving yards and installers hours/days on installation and potential warranty concerns through galvanic corrosion.

The QTS 75 weldin/cofferdam is machined from 316L stainless steel or 5083 aluminium which is Lloyds 3.2 certificated.

Fitted with a toughened flat lens the beam angle is an ultra-wide 140 degrees perfect for running down the side of a yacht as well as along the stern. Available in low and high powers up to 25,000 lumens in blue, white, dual colour and colour change.

The key to developing new products is to ensure that the older generation of Bulleyt and ULTiMATE can be upgraded with ease. The aim is to always keep the same threads and internal sizes to allow customers to upgrade units without hauling the boat.

We also understand that some of our first boats, which still have the metal halide units installed, don’t want to upgrade to LED ‘as they still work’. We can still service these units with Original parts such as o-rings, gaskets, lamp holders etc to keep them going until the ballast or lamps no longer exist 30 years on.

At Underwater Lights Limited, we are busier than ever retrofitting all our previous bulb projects with LED simply by replacing the internals and electrics in an easy plug-and-play exercise. This leads me to mention the importance of the classification societies and MCA. The detail required for class type approval has significantly increased. Structural drawings, electrical and mechanical test reports, workshop approval, and installation information are just some of the onerous benchmarks now required. Attending class surveyors always have the final say when it is a ‘Classed’ vessel, however, the flag of registration and their surveyors can have a say in all matters of construction and safety aspects and decide what is fit for purpose.