SL4 (xenon) died. Consensus inexpensive LED replacement?

[spoolin01]

For $10 you can buy a drop-in LED module from DealExtreme that will fit your SL-4. The module is slightly small for the head so you have to buy one or two inexpensive rings or spacers to bridge the gap and complete the connection. This modification has been covered many times here (e.g. the thread linked in #2 above) and elsewhere and is easy to google up. You also have the choice now of several of the LED generations, which to some extent affects price, brightness, burn time, and heat output - which with the original modules was not an issue even for above water use, but may be with some of the higher output ones.

I like the SL-4 for the price and tight beam. Don't forget to put the batteries in backwards if you decide to go that route.

ETA: should have read the posts, I see you know about this....

 

[lairdb]

For $10 you can buy a drop-in LED module from DealExtreme that will fit your SL-4. The module is slightly small for the head so you have to buy one or two inexpensive rings or spacers to bridge the gap and complete the connection. [...]

ETA: should have read the posts, I see you know about this....

Yeeeah... I'm a bit "two is one, one is none" about the idea of assembling a no-name lamp module, backwards batteries, foil tape, and bicycle headset rings. (Though, at this juncture it looks like that may be my plan; more to come.)

 

[spoolin01]

I've maintained four like this for many dives/years now, with no module or performance failures. I found 1" rings at Lowe's that work OK. It's a bit fiddly now and then to get positive contact (that can be fixed with more effort at good spacer fit) but it turned 4 decent lights into great performers. So, easy to have backup lights and heads as needed. Brighter heads, or even UV, are readily swapped in as needed.

 

[MAKO Spearguns]

Dug out the gear to prep for an upcoming trip, and one of my two SL4s is burned out.

I seem to revisit this topic every few years, and despite there being (roughly) 6,042,917 good quality inexpensive high powered LED lights for surface use, there seem to be very few for dive use.

Is there any consensus on a current decent cheap-but-solid, or a few to choose from?

Here's a few personal preferences:
- Mainstream-ish disposable batteries (C, CR123, 8xAA, etc.)
- 6-inch-ish (I'm concerned about 8+ inches being uncomfortably large for hanging under the shoulder strap)
- preferably available fairly quickly (Amazon Prime, Fry's, etc.)

I saw the LED Lenser D14; LED Lenser has a decent but not stellar reputation among the flashlight geeks and the shooting geeks, and it's the right length, battery, etc., but the external switch looks to be pretty easily accidentally activated, and the runtime is weak.

The UK SL4 eLED is probably a non-starter; I have real trouble seeing the value there.

Other thoughts? Thanks.

(Failing anything really clever, I'll probably get a replacement xenon lamp. Bleah.)

May I suggest you consider our newly released 680 lumen LED? Under $50, very bright, very compact, uses the batteries you mentioned, has an optional "glove" mount option, throws a focused beam and has a very sturdy aluminum body.

Thanks
Dano

680 Lumen Dive Light | MAKO Spearguns



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[Rustydiver]

May I suggest you consider our newly released 680 lumen LED? Under $50, very bright, very compact, uses the batteries you mentioned, has an optional "glove" mount option, throws a focused beam and has a very sturdy aluminum body.

Thanks
Dano

680 Lumen Dive Light | MAKO Spearguns



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Nice looking lights! Thanks for sharing.