HID or Doubles...?

[tombiowami]

Very slow day here at work so I will toss one out for input. I am going to be/am diving mainly in the NC area, coastal wrecks and quarries with the occasional trip (4 times/yr.)down to Fla. for cavern diving and the extremely occasional trip to Largo or beyond for reef diving.

I have all of my basic gear, OWater bp/wing setup. If I was going to make another major purchase, would you all recommend a nice HID light (EE Pro6) or invest in a set of doubles/larger wing/extra reg for the setup?

I will be moving into the tech arena slowly here, just wondering about the two items and what I need to look at/think about. Either of these is down the road after at least 100 dives or so.

Tommy

[Green_Manelishi]

weeelllll .....

Doubles are nice but heavy and if you don't NEED the
gas capacity I'd say buy the light and buy the doubles
when you are ready to start learning to use doubles.

[Uncle Pug]

HID light first...
It is your primary communication tool...
Get the Pro4 10wHID...

[tombiowami]

UP,

Why the Pro4? It seems like for 50$ or so more you get the Pro6 with much more burn time, and the option to go 18watt if you want. (though very unlikely for me)

Tommy

[Uncle Pug]

Originally posted by tombiowami
Why the Pro4?
1. Save the $50 toward that set of doubles... are you rich?
2. Burn time with a 10w is 240 minutes on the Pro4... you going to need even that much?
3. Burn time with an 18w is 120 minutes on the Pro4... you going to need that much time or light? And the 18w light head & lid would be an additional $600 down the road... see the doubles slipping further away???
4. Pro4 is lighter & smaller... do you need more weight? Lead is cheaper.

There, that should get you a start at thinkin'

[100days-a-year]

HID and a sea-elite manifold for whatever tanks you may currently own perhaps.A set of double al80s could be as lo as $460 locally.

[JamieZ]

If you want a nice replica of a light a freind of mine built me, purchase a EE Helious HID. The new light uses a NiMH battery which has the same burn time as the bigger Lead Acid battery but are 3 times smaller.
Its kind of funny about EE's light, my buddy went to EE and tried to sell them on his light idea with prototype in hand a couple of months before they came out with them. They kind of have a strikingly exact appearance.

He turned my MLS1 HID into one of these new NiMH cannisters and I absolutely love it. All milled Delrin. Dont even notice I have it on when I'm on the boat let alone under water. EE Helious is very expensive, mine wasn't.:)

[noshow]

What about the Helios 4.5??? Nice and small.

[Divesherpa]

Redundancy?
You don't need no stinking redundancy!!

Doubles, hands down.

Would you rather see or breathe?

[Divesherpa]

Tombiowami,
I would recommend the most burn time you can get. When you next come to Florida to cave dive, the diving day is often limited by one's light, not one's ability to get gas or bottom time(assuming a little deco).
We use the MLS1 (death can) a lot of the time due to the fact that replacement batteries are only $30. We carry 2 charged packs and don't have any problems as this is 8 + hours of light.
I purchased a couple of the Sarteks and really enjoy them as well. With the wet connect, I can carry 2 heads and 2 cans (mounted to BP) and would have to have a MAJOR catastrophe to lose primary, even in the 6th hour of a dive.

Cheers and good luck with the choice.

[caverkevin]

Get a Gavin and have some real fun diving!!

KLJ

[maddiver]

Follow the laws of economics and technology:

Get the tanks first they aren't going to change much in cost or attributes. The lights will (in both areas). Shoot, someone bought a EE pro14 50w halogen for 100 bucks at swap meet....that almost a disposable price and you could dive with a 14 a long time (long enough for that helios to come way down). You won't be the guy with all the 'new toys' but you also won't be the one taken to the cleaners and mortgaging your house and wife for your hobby....well not until you opt for the Gavin and then also have to buy a mako to use as your Gavin Recovery Vehicle.

[WYDT]

Originally posted by maddiver
well not until you opt for the Gavin and then also have to buy a mako to use as your Gavin Recovery Vehicle.

Hmmm... what are you trying to tell us MD?? Do I need to reconsider my future Gavin purchase??

DSAO!!

[maddiver]

Nope- go for the gavin!

You already have the tow truck (did I see Noe sold you a mako or tekna DV100). My prediction is that if your mako is anything like mine or any of the ones I have seen long term (mine is on dive 167 with *no* problems and no floods/leaks) that you will begin to see the value of each....tow the mako...........and let loose with the Gavin (esp in jackson...fresh mako can get you home from the back). Gavins to makos are like ferrari to honda accord......they turn a lot of heads and go really fast but the accord is the only one that will consistently go over 300,000 miles with no major repairs.


Nothing wrong with Gavins but you cannot ever expect to have a high performance machine that won't need some repairs along the line....the speed, depth rating and slickness demand this. Besides if we all rode makos all the time it would be the slow road to the Henkel (aka 20+ min). Just by the mako and then get the Gavin.


Originally posted by WYDT


Hmmm... what are you trying to tell us MD?? Do I need to reconsider my future Gavin purchase??

DSAO!!

[caverkevin]

Man I must have gotten a freak machine. Three years and no problems. Just changes the batts once and a while and rock on. Have been thinking about a little rework action. I just need to get back that 5% performance lost or the last couple of years.

I am putting a hot charge to the short tube right now. Getting that babe ready for wreck diving tomorrow. It is so nice to just ride down and around the wreck. Man swimming is like so....five minutes ago:) I must ride the scooter.

KLJ