I Need A New Dive Light!!!

[fish80]

anything on the cheaper side, say 60$? Sorry call me stingy but I just spent so much money in dive gear and I am starting my AOW now and I need a night light...

the SL4 UK is good enough to be a primary light?

or the SL6? I can get it for 42$ in the local diveshop

Thanks!

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

anything on the cheaper side, say 60$? Sorry call me stingy but I just spent so much money in dive gear and I am starting my AOW now and I need a night light...

the SL4 UK is good enough to be a primary light?

or the SL6? I can get it for 42$ in the local diveshop

Thanks!

I have 2 of those Sl4's, one the older xenon bulb and one an LED. We on occasion use the LED for dives. The xenon bulb one tends to get used to store my rental car keys (Once you remove the batteries it leaves a nice, dry space just the right size).

For a plastic light, its not bad and I admit, its still working. It does have a switch with a shaft that penetrates the housing which I worry about.

Its about 1/2 the brightness of the DRIS. Its also all metal and has multiple o-rings for durability. Light brightness is like computer memory, you can't have too much. If you are diving super clear water and worried about blinding critters in the dark, you turn off your primary and use you backup which is typically smaller. You should always have a backup on night dives and this gives you options.

One thing to think about is where you store your lights. I hook mine to my harness so it is always within easy reach. I can even use it when clipped to the harness to peak in a hole. This is very handy, but it is also rough on the lights. The get banged around vs an SL4 which you would stow in a pocket. Anyway, if you hanging the light of a harness, all metal is the only way to go.

 

[spoolin01]

anything on the cheaper side, say 60$? Sorry call me stingy but I just spent so much money in dive gear and I am starting my AOW now and I need a night light...

the SL4 UK is good enough to be a primary light?

or the SL6? I can get it for 42$ in the local diveshop

Thanks!

I'd say whatever you get, make sure it's LED. They're brighter and much more efficient, meaning less money spent on batteries, which is the major cost of using a light.

I use the SL4 for my primary day light for many years now, and find little to fault it for. I use the Cree drop-in module LED conversion and really like the tight beam and long burn time, as well as the low price. I wouldn't recommend it for a primary night light, due to the narrow beam. I've not used UK's own LED versions of the SL4/SL6, but with the Cree conversions at least, the light is not any brighter with 6 cells, so no reason to take on the extra bulk.

I don't have a great budget recommendation for a wider-beamed night light. I use C8 LED lights that I carry for video, but they are bulky and heavy, probably no longer near cutting edge, and not budget. Maybe someone else has a good pick. There must be some good wide-beam C4 LED lights out there.

 

[beanojones]

Who is seeling that CREE conversion nowadays for the SL4?

 

[cbrantley531]

I ended up buying the Dris 1000 (regular size). It was only $89 with free shipping so I couldn't pass up on that deal. Hopefully it will be here before this weekend before we head out spearfishing.

I will have it on video and post a good review on it for anyone that may be interested. Once again thanks for all the advice guys!

 

[divin'dog]

You can buy our 680 lumen light, a hand mount and a bunch of batteries for well below your budget....

680 Lumen Dive Light | MAKO Spearguns

I don't have any experience with any of the sites listed below, but good prices. Looks like the Mako with the Archon name.

similar light

and another

 

[spoolin01]

Who is seeling that CREE conversion nowadays for the SL4?

I buy mine at DealExtreme and have mostly used the older XR-E Q5 and R2 modules. Any of the 26-27mm diameter drop-in modules should work. I believe at one time they were called P40 modules but that doesn't seem to be widely used.

You have to reverse the batteries in the SL4 however, since these modules need positive voltage at the center contact. You also need a spacer to make contact between the module which is smaller diameter than the original reflector, and the copper strip at the side of the flashlight barrel. I use 1" welded rings (2) and have found them at Lowe's hardware. There are other solutions you can google up for this mod.

There are more powerful emitters available in those modules now, but you should give consideration to heat output. With the XR-E I can use the light above water and notice little to no heat build-up. The slightly brighter XP-G module I got hasn't been used a lot. I don't honestly know if the hotter modules available strain the heat dissipation of the SL4.

 

[beanojones]

I don't have any experience with any of the sites listed below, but good prices. Looks like the Mako with the Archon name.

similar light

and another

And shows it using an 18650 which means rechargeable would be easier.

I need lights with switches so customers are less likely to flood them.

 

[KeithG]

I tried the elcheapo China dive light via eBay route, but I am stuffing that $40 sucker in the kitchen drawer. I am afraid to take it in the shower.

I am now naming names. My elcheapo light is branded Ultrafire. When it arrived it was non functional. I cleaned a whole pile of grease out of it and tossed one of the cut through orings. The light still flickered and went on and off if you tapped it. On subsequent inspection, the outer plastic coating on the Ultrafire GH 26650 5000mAH battery was starting to peel away at the bottom. And a metal spacer fell off, revealing a battery inside a tube. WTF? The outer tube is the proper size for a 26650, but there is a much smaller battery jammed inside the tube. So the 5000mAH rating is extremely suspect. But I did get what I paid for. My mistake.

 

[Locus]

Several of my buddies and I use the Xtar D06 handheld for either backup or primary. It's compact, durable, uses rechargeable lithium ion batteries, and has adjustable brightness via a sliding magnetic switch (one handed operation).

A battery charge lasts over an hour without much decrease in brightness. The LED is a cree xml-T6. I have seen it outshine "1000lm" lights.

It can be found on ebay with a charging kit and replacement switch for ~$90, IIRC. I have seen it (rebranded) in local shops for $170. And it sells.

In my opinion it is an excellent, relatively inexpensive light. If it died or I lost it I would order another one without hesitation.