Canister Lights

[SPEEDSTER]

I was reading through oxyhacker's link to his books and got interested in his book on home made canister lights. Has anyone here made their own light? Does it still work? How hard was it and how much did it all cost? I'm looking at doing a HID light, but not if 'your' responses are negative. Your thoughts are much appreciated.

Thanks,
Mike

P.S. Here's the link to his site:http://www.airspeedpress.com/ and here's the link to just the dive light book:http://www.airspeedpress.com/newlitebook.html

[scubaturek]

Mike, I have the book and I made a light. I used 4" PVC for the can, and Cyclon XCells to get 12V @ 10AH. I made a MR16 lighthead with various halogen bulbs. My total material cost was about $80 (I got a deal on the Cyclons). Yes, it works quite well. It really helps if you have a lathe at your disposal.

Any lighthead can be used, of course, and I'm waiting for HID to come down in price. My next can project will use ABS, and hopefully NiMH batteries, and, fingers crossed, HID in a test-tube head.

You could make one without a lathe, but it would be much more labor intensive. Depends on how imaginative you are.

Joe

[Padipro]

Mike,

I just built two lights, one was a dual 12 volt, 7 amp battery version and the other was a single 12 volt, 7 amp battery version.

Scott

[bwollard]

Can you upgrade a halogen light to HID by just changing out the lighthead or do you have to have a new canister/battery?

[Padipro]

You should be able to upgrade the light head from a standard halogen light to a HID light. The balast for the HID light is contained in the light head and the canister and batteries are the same. A HID uses much less power for the same amount of light so most HID lights seem to have smaller batteries which make the light smaller and much easyer to carry. The only draw back I can see to trying to do this is the cost. HID light heads are expensive and it may cost you almost as much for a HID light head as it would cost for an entire new light. When I made my canister light I looked at buying a Dive Rite MR-16 light head instead of trying to make one myself but the light head alone cost $150.

Scott

[bwollard]

Padipro:

Does this mean that you made a HID lighthead? If so, how hard and expensive was it versus the cost of buying one. Thanks for the info!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bill

[deepocean]

Hi

can you also say something of the quality of these regs?

Xerxes

[deepocean]

Hi

I mean with quality: Your light VS for example the Halcyon light.

The ups and downs and the differences.

Also include how many watt is your HID.

Xerxes

[Padipro]

This is the third time I've tried to enter this post!!!

I thought about building a HID light but I didn't know how to do it. I didn't know that there was a book out buy Airspeedpress on how to build a HID light until after I was finished. My light is a 50 Halogen.

The quality is just as good as the Halcyon or Dive Rite lights. In fact I modeled mine after the Dive Rite version using the same on/off switch, batteries, latches, and power cord. I could have used the same liquid tight feed throughs as the Dive Rite light but they were a lot more expensive then the ones I found at a local hardware store.

Scott

[SPEEDSTER]

Nice light Padipro! Thanks for all the pictures, I think I'll email you for those pics you mentioned. Thanks for the help Scubaturek and Padipro.:)

-Mike

[mddolson]

My buddy John and I built our own cannister lights.
Here's the link to a web page on them, and a lot of other DIY projects.

http://insel.heim.at/malediven/350052/miked1_e.htm

regards

Mike

[Ground0]

I just finished a 10W HID light with a 2inch pvc canister. The battries are NiCd 2.8 AHr and should have a burn time ol 120+ minutes, no I havent burn tested it yet. The total cost was just over $200.00 so not to bad.
If anyone is interesed in building a HID light I am going to order some new bulbs as soon as I get enough interested people. If you want I can also get you a new light head so you can upgrade your old canister light total cost would be about $190.00. So if your interested email me at tebarton@attbi.com. Thanks

[DocRCH]

There is a Yahoo group "hiddivelights" that is informative. It has a number of people who have made their own dive lights and information on them.

Robert:doctor:

[Rick L]

Hi Padipro
I got you instructions last night thanks.
Ive allready found the batteries and charger and the housing
material today(total cost so far 0$ :-) )
The question-I have the pick of 7 or 10 amp an hour batteries!
What do you think would be better?

Thanks Rick L

[SPEEDSTER]

Thanks A LOT padipro. Great instructions, and what a light you've got. Thanks again.:D

Mike

[Padipro]

Rick,

The more amp hours the battery is rated at the longer it will last. I used my single 7 amp hour battery with a 50 watt halogen bulb for about an hour and a half total time over two night dives and it was still burning bright. Unless you're going to be using the light the entire time during an extended dive I would think the 7 amp would work just fine. Besides, I'm not sure if the 10 amp would fit in the tube even after you expanded it.

Let me know how things turn out after you get the lights completed. And if anyone comes up with a good light head send ME the plans. :D Like I said in the instructions the one I made was made entirely from scratch, it works and doesn't look bad but what a PITA it was to build and I still haven't tried the new lens to see if it can stand up to the heat.

Scott

[nickjb]

Has anybody got plans for, or a link to, a simple 'soft start' circuit for a light?

[Rick L]

The 7 and 10s are exactly the same size!
Im not sure im going to use the pipe yet?
I found a sealed pvc box that measures 6"x6"X4 1/2"
I has a o ringed sealed cover with a ss latch.
And has one sealtight on the side to let a control wire in:tease:
The only problem is the pvc tapers thicker towards the bottom of the box! But I think I can grind 1/16" off each side and will be able to fit 2 batteries in? Ill let you know how it turns out!!

Thanks again
Rick L

[Collingwood]

I am currently building a dive light and I've almost got it done except for the light part. I've built the canister but I'm having problems with the light head. If anybody knows an easy and cheap way to build one, or some ideas that would help, could you please inform me. email acollingwood@shaw.ca or post the reply. Thanks alot

[Aquamaniac]

Padipro has just finished a really nice looking Maglite Lite head (for wreck diving),
It has the goods!!!! Im sure he can give you a heap of info, try and PM him

Dave

[Dryglove]

Padipro sent me the stuff for the light head too.Im building the whole setup.The light looks good and should be quite solid.Definitely check it out.You'll be surprised at the outcome of his lights.