Canister for ResQLink+ PLB

[Dogbowl]

I think I’ve settled on the ResQLink+ but am having a tough time finding a canister for it. I am aware of the Custom Divers one, but I heard you have to shave off a bit of the antenna confused, and some people found it leaked. That’s a deal breaker. I’m buying 2 sets so replacing 2 PLBs in the event of a leak is not an option.

I also heard of the McMurdo canister. I don’t know if the ResQLink+ will fit and don’t know how reliable it is, but it’s expensive.

Then I also know that Light Monkey can custom make you one and supposedly this is the most reliable??? But also very expensive. But honestly I’d rather go for reliable and expensive cause I really do not want to replace 2 flooded PLBs.

Any other options out there? Or advice? Thanks.

 

[scubafanatic]

I'm using the McMurdo canister, not inexpensive, but quality items rarely are. StarMarineDepot had the best price @ about $ 238 (US) + freight.

I can confirm the McMurdo Fastfind PLB fits in it, as well as a Cobra Marine HH600 radio (the radio fits if you put in the container upside down and unscrew the antenna).

I'm using 2 simultaneously (1 on left hip, 1 on right hip) so I can carry both items while diving.

 

[Dogbowl]

I'm using the McMurdo canister, not inexpensive, but quality items rarely are. StarMarineDepot had the best price @ about $ 238 (US) + freight.

I can confirm the McMurdo Fastfind PLB fits in it, as well as a Cobra Marine HH600 radio (the radio fits if you put in the container upside down and unscrew the antenna).

I'm using 2 simultaneously (1 on left hip, 1 on right hip) so I can carry both items while diving.

@scubafanatic , thanks for your input. Still sorting through the options for PLB and canister. I thought I wanted the ResQLink+ for sure, but now I'm not so sure as I've found the Ocean Signal Rescume PL1, which is smaller.

Canister I'm still considering are: McMurdo, Custom Divers, HDV Seaktek, Light Monkey...

 

[JohnnyC]

You want the Light Monkey. If you need a PLB, you're in a bad way. Having the extra space for chem light, dye marker, and a granola bar is worth the marginal size increase. Rigged properly, you can remove it from your harness webbing so you can work in front of your face, as well as attach the canister to a d-ring so that the whole thing stays with you.

 

[scubafanatic]

Custom Divers: unit has has mixed/poor reviews here on SB. (leaky, out-of round shaping, poor customer service all reported) I have no personal experience with this unit, nor do I ever plan to.

HDV SeaTek : (I bought 3 some yrs ago) never even bothered to dive them, just a single O-ring seal, and a klutzy 3-piece clam shell design which I didn't really like. Molded plastic, not Delrin. (still have then in my spares box)

Narked @ 90: (bought 2 some years ago) quality Delrin, 2 O-ring seal, but very small internal capacity, enough for a very small PLB (it appears to be custom cut inside for a specific PLB unit but I don't remember which unit/brand it was designed for.) Went out of production years ago. (In my spares box now.)

McMurdo: Aluminum (bought 4 so far) Highest quality/built like a tank/ but a touch heavy as a consequence. Empty weight per the manual 0.9 kg. Can be a little stiff to open/close but easy to remedy by coating the (3) internal O-rings/threads with christolube/silicone.

Light Monkey: I have no personal experience (yet) with them, but they seem highly rated. I am looking at getting a 'mini can light' set up from them soon, so a custom canister would be an option.

IMHO, the only 2 real/quality choices are: McMurdo and Light Monkey custom canister.

The McMurdo is the only unit who's owner manual lists the specs for the replacement O-rings as well, which bodes well for long term ownership.

The replacement O-rings are available @ www.theoringstore.com
part #'s:
N2.00X082 (2mm X 82 mm Metric Buna-N 70 O-ring)
N3.00X078 (3mm X 78 mm Metric Buna-N 70 O-ring)

---I house the McMurdo canisters inside a pair of Hollis mask pouches, which appear to custom fit the canisters so it looks OEM, not home made. I use some short 'spero coils' from the Trident catalog to attach the canister to the bottom of the pouch drain holes, so I can unzip the pouch, lift the canister out of the water, and open it at the surface, to minimize water/pressure exposure of the electronic items to seawater/pressure (even though the PLB and Cobra Marine radio both float and are water proof rated pretty well anyway). The 'coil' also prevents me from accidentally dropping the canister to the bottom of the sea.

I do quite a bit of custom scuba design/mods on my gear, so I take all the bits/pieces/components out there from all the assorted scuba gear manufacturers and mix/match/repurpose elements to invent/deploy some really cool/exotic 'hot mods' to all my scuba 'toys' that are well beyond anything mass market scuba manufacturers ever dream of ! I also want all my 'mods' to look 'OEM', not jury-rigged/home made, so everything looks professional. Sometimes I feel like 'Q' inventing cool gadgets for James Bond !

 

[tridacna]

I have over 150 dives with the Custom Divers cannister. No issues whatsoever. I chatted to them in the UK before I bought it and found them to be very friendly and helpful.

 

[KevinNM]

Light monkey is what I bought. They will provide one of their battery canisters without the holes for the cables, you just need to tell them what size you need. They can build custom sizes too, presumably this costs more - but I don't know. Their preferred solution is you send them everything you want in the canister and they size the canister for you and send it back with everything in it.

 

[Dogbowl]

Light monkey is what I bought. They will provide one of their battery canisters without the holes for the cables, you just need to tell them what size you need. They can build custom sizes too, presumably this costs more - but I don't know. Their preferred solution is you send them everything you want in the canister and they size the canister for you and send it back with everything in it.

How much are we talking about, if it's not a custom size? Thanks.

 

[KevinNM]

Not cheap. I bought a huge one due to my poor choice of PLB, it was $263 including shipping. But it's very solidly built. It's a milled out delrin rod IIRC. It looks just like their battery canisters, including the belt loop. Smaller ones are cheaper. You can see the relative costs in the light money store spare parts list for canisters alone, which is blocked here at work or I'd provide a URL.

 

[Dogbowl]

Not cheap. I bought a huge one due to my poor choice of PLB, it was $263 including shipping. But it's very solidly built. It's a milled out delrin rod IIRC. It looks just like their battery canisters, including the belt loop. Smaller ones are cheaper. You can see the relative costs in the light money store spare parts list for canisters alone, which is blocked here at work or I'd provide a URL.

Thank you! Another viable option to add to my list. This has probably become first choice.