Primary light won't light ...

[DeepSeaExplorer]

Big D and I don't agree on everything, like running a primary on every dive , but I'm with him on this one...

It really depends on the circumstances and the comfort level and experience of the team. I've never actually started a dive without a primary, but I've continued a number of dives without one. Not having a primary light isn't going to prevent you from getting out of the cave safely. If it does, then there's other problems.

 

[Dive-aholic]

I'm with D. In a familiar cave, I'd go for it. But I'd also grab an additional back up from the van. Then again, my new back up is powerful enough to be seen by someone carrying an HID. My wife saw it and didn't even realize I had turned on the back up and shut down the primary.

Another question - would you abort a dive on penetration because of a primarily light failure, or would you keep going?

Oh, and to clarify, this would all depend on the comfort level of all team members. If I'm going to continue a dive with a failed primary light, I will let my team members know before the dive that I don't typically call dives on a failed primary.

 

[TSandM]

Hmmm . . . I was taught that a failed primary turns the dive. I realize that, as people build experience, they can make other choices, but was anybody taught differently?

 

[limeyx]

The dive team is all set for a limited penitration dive into a very familiar cave and your primary won't come on .... Do you abort the dive or continue with your 3 back up lights that are all 3 watts?

abort. absolutely no question.
3 backup lights or not. no primary = no dive.

 

[limeyx]

Big D and I don't agree on everything, like running a primary on every dive , but I'm with him on this one...

It really depends on the circumstances and the comfort level and experience of the team. I've never actually started a dive without a primary, but I've continued a number of dives without one. Not having a primary light isn't going to prevent you from getting out of the cave safely. If it does, then there's other problems.

Yup -- until you take a shorcut and it goes bad. I would absolutely not continue an overhead dive with no primary light. A recreational dive, or an open-water dive, yes, and I have done it, but a physical overhead is a serious comittment for the entire team, and I would absolutely abort (at least the overhead portion)

 

[Dive-aholic]

Hmmm . . . I was taught that a failed primary turns the dive. I realize that, as people build experience, they can make other choices, but was anybody taught differently?

Everyone is taught that. It's required. But as you said, experience tends to change things a little. There are rules I do adhere to without fail, but 1 light out of 8 between 2 people in a system I've been in dozens of times isn't one of them all the time. But I've also done a chemical light dive in that same system...

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

Chemical light dive?! Now you're just talking crazy... :14:

 

[jeandiver]

Everyone is taught that. It's required. But as you said, experience tends to change things a little. There are rules I do adhere to without fail, but 1 light out of 8 between 2 people in a system I've been in dozens of times isn't one of them all the time. But I've also done a chemical light dive in that same system...

Ah yes , the glowstick cave dive

As for me , I keep another primary in the car so if mine fails before the dive , it's go up and get it
If it fails on the inbound leg of the dive , I will turn it.
It it fails on the outbound leg of the dive , well , it backup time !!!

Just my .01 cents worth from the non-professional ranks.

Jeano Beano

 

[Mike Edmonston]

No question!

Abort the dive! Book says turn the dive. We teach Turn the dive. Everyone turns the dive!

There is no question here. Don't start giving people bad advice with "Diving with a backup because it's OK." Would you keep penetrating if your mask was broken, or if you lost half your gas? Your Primary light is just as important as your other gear.

What happens if you keep going in on your backup, and there's a siltout. Now your buddies can't see you, and the situation gets alot worse.

I don't care how much experience you have. Diving without a primary light is bad advice.

The point was brought up that if it's no good for penetration, than it's no good for exit! Well, on exit, it's all ya got! and I prefer that to running into rocks headfirst! If the crap really hit the fan and I lost every light, I would try to get out using the light on my VR3, but I wouldn't use it to keep penetrating!

Got it?... Good.

Safe Diving

 

[Daedalus]

This is not diving without a primary light, this is using a 3W LED light as a primary light. NACD standards say 20W Halogen or equivalent. The Salvo Rat, Halcyon LED Scout, and Photon Torpedo all throw more light than a 20W Halogen. It throws about as much light as the common MR11 light head you see many people cave diving with - maybe more or less it is hard to tell for sure because of the color temperature difference. I have done side by side comparisons in a cave, have you? Every once in a while when it is about time to replace the batteries in my backups I do an exit on a backup light so I get experience doing it.

What cave classes do you teach?