www.iFourWinns.com

For the last few years I have wanted a method to dim the helm lights on my 268. Often at night, especially if there is no moon, the dash lights are way too bright and I wished there was a way I could dim them. After doing dome research I ran across a way to install a dimmer and went after the project.

Pretty simple, so long as it continues to work. First I tried a $3 rheostat from Radio Shack, which could not handle the power of all the lights, got hot, smelled and I decided it was not worth trying that application anymore. Went to my local boat shop and got a Big Foot Dimmer for my boat, much larger and more solid.

Wired it up to the lights, which was simple. They are daisy chained and you splice into the wire before the lights, ran a wire op to where the switches are and installed the dimmer. Tests show it to work like a charm, can go from full bright to full dark.

Hope it lasts. Easy to install and definitely worth the option.

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2005, 268 Vista, Table Rock Lake "Choices II"

Also, if you replace your helm lights with LED's, you can probably get by with a dimmer rated for much lower current, perhaps like the RS one you started with. Either way, it's a very worthwhile upgrade IMO. Much better light with much lower current draw and virtually no heat.

I do think it's crummy that these boats don't come with dimmers standard.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Great project. The brightness of the dash lights was one of my pet peeves. Couldn't believe my first night time cruise, I had to try and block the light with a life vest - no towel on hand. I did a similar project last season using a RadioShack potentiometer with great results. Glad you found a solution that works for you.

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2007 Horizon 200
4.3L GXi/ SX 225 HP

Not to hijack, but the LED upgrade for helm lights is a very worthwhile. One thing I hate is the brightness of the white light for the clarion remote on my dash. Thought about putting a piece of red tape over it. I usually only use it for volume anyway.

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Former owner of:
1996 Four Winns Horizon 200 5.8L VP
2006 Four Winns Horizon 260 8.1L VP
2007 Sea Ray 290 Sundancer

Current boat
2004 Sea Ray 290 Sun Sport Twin 350 Mags

I have the Clarion head unit at my dash and it's the same way. I have tried putting a piece of break light repair tape over it - works ok, but after removing and installing a number of times it gets curly at the edges. And you have to remove it to see the display in sunlight. I'm actually hoping that my "Sirius three month free trial" that I got when I bought the boat in '07 ceases, so I can justify spending almost $200 to upgrade to the CMD5. The CMD5 is the same form factor as the CMD4a, would be plug & play with my amps, wired remote and sirius tuner, but I just want it for it's integral dimming feature - guess the other thing it offers is a wireless remote, but I don't need that.

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2007 Horizon 200
4.3L GXi/ SX 225 HP

Careful if you do the LED upgrade, my depth finder worked perfectly before, and its been on the fritz after. I've got a new cable on order, and possibly a transducer if I need it. The red LEDs are worth it! I put them in my gauges, and in the cockpit lights. A very worthwhile upgrade.

I'd love a way to dim the Clarion remote. How much is the CMD5?

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2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225

Sorry guys but I don't think the remotes dim even if you have the cmda5 hooked up unless I'm missing something. I swapped my cmda4 for the 5 and can't adjust the remote brightness, only the headunit display. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

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Former owner of:
1996 Four Winns Horizon 200 5.8L VP
2006 Four Winns Horizon 260 8.1L VP
2007 Sea Ray 290 Sundancer

Current boat
2004 Sea Ray 290 Sun Sport Twin 350 Mags

Cincy, you are correct, the CMD5 does not dim the remote, only it's own display. My '07 has the CMD4a mounted at the helm, and at night it's display appears so bright that I'm replacing it with a CMD5 at a cost of about $220 shipped. (Figure I can sell the CMD4a used for about $75, making the swap a little easier to chew.) My wife likes to listen to the boat's stereo while catching rays on our dock, so I may have a use for the wireless remote, assuming it's UHF rather than IR.

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2007 Horizon 200
4.3L GXi/ SX 225 HP

Is switching the instrument panel bulbs to LED similar to doing it on a trailer? I guess what I'm really asking is if you have to change out each socket or can you simply replace the bulbs using the existing socket?

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Paul
2007 Four Winns Horizon 220
Mercruiser 350 Mag MPI w/ Bravo III Drive
2004 Ford Explorer Limited (V8-AWD)
Pomme de Terre Lake (Southwest Missouri)

They swap right out. I ordered from http://www.superbrightleds.com Here's a thread with details.... http://www.boatingabc.com/forums/ubbthr ... 003/1.html

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2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225

Cool, thanks.

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Paul
2007 Four Winns Horizon 220
Mercruiser 350 Mag MPI w/ Bravo III Drive
2004 Ford Explorer Limited (V8-AWD)
Pomme de Terre Lake (Southwest Missouri)