Signaling with helmet lights

looka

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• Feb 26, 2013

• #1

When in SM, you keep you cave lights on your helmet. From what I have seen, the primaty light is clamped and can be hand-held, but it seems like most use cable-ties to attach the backup lights to the helmet in a semi-permanenet way.

How do you signal OK, attention and emergency with backup lights? You shake your head?
How do you not blind your buddy when backup-lights are on?

thanks
L

 

DevonDiver

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• Feb 26, 2013

• #2

Primary light should be transferable - hand to helmet. I can't speak for others, but mine wouldn't be spending long in my helmet, just for 'hands-free' moments.

Back-up lights are a different matter. I guess you could signal via head movement. For a primary light failure/exit I'd remove (one of) the backup from the helmet and hand-carry it though.

Avoid blinding your buddy by either (1) not looking directly at them or (2) covering your back-up with your hand if you need to directly observe them.

 

rongoodman

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• Feb 26, 2013

• #3

If I need to use my back-zups, I can take them off my helmet. If the primary is there, it's only temporarily.

 

Last edited: Feb 26, 2013

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looka

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• Feb 26, 2013

• #4

rongoodman:

If I need to use my back-zups, I can take them off my helmet. If the primary is there, it's only temporarily.

Click to expand...

thanks. So you cut the cable ties? or you don't use cable ties?

 

DevonDiver

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• Feb 26, 2013

• #5

I use bungee.

Some pics:

 

DevonDiver

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• Feb 26, 2013

• #6

How I did the helmet (DIY) instructions:

DIY Sidemount Wreck Diving Helmet

 

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looka

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• Feb 26, 2013

• #7

Thank you!

 

rongoodman

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• Feb 26, 2013

• #8

Bungee here too.

 

Last edited: Feb 26, 2013

JamesK

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• Feb 26, 2013

• #9

Mine clamp in with PVC and are removable. However, it should be a non issue. If you have a primary failure, the dive is over, and you become the lead diver anyway. Out of air, or an emergency, just turn around to your buddy.

Oh, and I only use my helmet for tight cave, and at times for video. So I don't always have mine on me.,

 

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• Feb 26, 2013

• #10

I agree the dive is over, I agree you are very very likely to be in front (if your buddy is OOA and you are on a backup light, you are still gonna be the one in the back).

anyway, the dive is over but during my potentially stressful exit, I still want to be able to signal and look at my buddy without blinding him. Bungees seem like a smart solution for team divers who would take the lights off the helmet and hold them in their hand. Zip ties seem a better solution for solo divers who are more likely to keep the lights on the helmet and need a solid anchor point that holds the light in the right direction.