Dive Light Question

Hello All,

I'm taking the AOW course this weekend in Newport, RI. Among the dives is a night dive, my first. I have a small dive light, it uses a couple of AA batteries, I can clip it to my mask or guage hose. It's okay for situations where there is some light and I just want to shine a bit more illumination into a crevice.

I'm planning to buy a larger, more powerful light for the AOW course. I know there are a vast array of options. Anyone have any particular affinity for any specific dive light?

Thanks.

Safe Diving

Jeff

The 24W Salvo HID's look really nice

For your main primary light, most divers will go with an 8 c-cell light. If you want to go inexpensive, the UK C8 is a popular choice... under 50 bucks, and comes with 2 bulbs, you can switch on the fly if one burns out.

Now to move up from there, Princeton has a new LED light out called the Princeton Tec Shockwave 3 led. Led's never burn out, are a much whiter light, and they get longer burn time. This light gets 9 hours at full power, but also has a "low beam" which gets you 12 hours on a set of batteries. One of these us just under 100 bucks.

Or for the brightest hand held... the UK Light Cannon which is a hand held HID, very bright... very white... but about $160.

Any of them will work find as a primary dive light. The more expensive ones are a bit neater, the very white light makes for better colors when diving... but any of them would work.

The UK C8 is a good choice. It is offered in an LED. I chose the smaller version C4 LED (the light takes 4 "C" size batteries) because of the smaller size and how long the batteries last. I also like the color of the LEDs better than the standard halogen bulb. The C8 & the C4 have the same light output, the difference is how long the batteries last. I got the C4 in August and I had to change the batteries last week. I don't know how long exactly the batteries last, but I do know that I have 3 hours and 19 minutes of night dives in that period and I carry the light on every dive for the standard poking and peeking during the day dives.

i got my light cannon from larry, and love it..unless you go cannister light there is nothing brighter that i've seen

Those LED lights look interesting.... I presume there are some electronics in there.

Looks like you sell the things... what happens when they flood? Do you just replace the batteries, dry it out, and go like a halogen or do the electronics all get hosed?

It depends on your budget, and how much night diving you plan to do. If you plan to do alot, and money is not a concern, go canister. If you go that way, I am kind of partial to the OMS phantom for the quality/size/price ($700). If you plan to do alot and money is a concern, the next best thing would be the light cannon mentioned above($160-200)...you can always save up & go canister later. If night diving is something you will do just a little of, the C8 is a good option. It's cheap ($60-75), light, and small, and comes in either LED or Halogen.

IMO a good starter kit is the UK Fathom 4 pack... Scubatoys has it for $98. It comes with primary, secondary, beacon, and a mask light...

It is really more than you'll need, but it covers the minimum requirements for your AOW night dive.

jtoorish:

I'm planning to buy a larger, more powerful light for the AOW course. I know there are a vast array of options. Anyone have any particular affinity for any specific dive light?

Click to expand...

Sorry Jeff, gotta disagree with most of the responses so far. You're in Maine, and will mostly be diving in the northeast. Your temps will be cold, probably what - 50s-60s most of the season? Your vis will be from perhaps 5' to 20' most dives. In conditions like that being able to communicate with your light is real helpful (ASSUMING your buddy is able to communicate with their light ALSO). To punch out a beam of light through that sort of vis, you would find a can light real handy. A can light also offers you a chance to locate your buddy if you're temporarily separated by algae-bloom, heavy particulate in the water or other whiteout/siltout, which happens up there.

If all you want is a light to illuminate whatever is in front of it, then these other options will certainly work. But if you want a light that can save your butt by keeping you and your buddy together and communicating during some dicey vis, consider dropping $600 or so on a 10 watt HID can light, or even more on an 18 or 21 HID. These can be found used on some of the boards, and while most of us are familiar with the mental leap ("...I just spent over a grand on a flashlight...I'm a moron..."), it only takes one deep cold dive where the thing saves your butt to convince you that they can be worth the cost.

Here are some examples:
http://www.diverite.com/Products/productslist.aspx?SubCategoryID=60&CategoryID=15

FWIW. Your mileage may most certainly vary.....

Doc

So my squeezable "trout light" isn't adequate?

I really can't add to the above advice, it all seems very applicable. Just be very honest with yourself and figure out if this is something you really want to continue to pursue. If you are not sure, maybe it might be wise to rent a light first and see how you like the night diving. I've known quite a few that did it only to get through the AOW and really have no desire to try it again. If you may fall into this catagory, then be reasonable.

I find that night diving is absolutely FANTASIC! There's a whole new set of things to see at night. Oddly, I find it much more relaxing and peaceful. You may find this out, too. If so, then consider one of those expensive canister lights.

But get through the dive first and see where you fit in. Spend wisely.