Dive Rite HID Problem

[puckvirus]

Okay so I've ran into an issue with my Dive Rite MK11 HID light. It wont turn on.

I've had this light for about a month now, maybe a little more. Its got about 11 or 12 dives to it. Last time I dove with it was Sunday. The light DID NOT get flooded and worked fine.

So I accently left it hooked uP for 4 days before taking it out. When I tried to turn it on I seen the bulb flicker ever soo slightly and give out like the battery was dead. So I left it on for the 43 minute dive and still no luck. I went home and charged the battery for 8+ hours. It did the same thing. So I took it apart, and checked the inside of the light head, no condensation, no water, no corrosion, nothing. Every thing checked out. Ressembled it, tried it again. Nothing. I charged it for another 4 hours tonight and when I came home from shopping and I tried it again, its doing the same thing.

When I look into the bulb, the light flickers a little like it wants to and goes out.

So what is wrong with this HID, how might I be able to fix it etc...?

 

[jonnythan]

Buy a $10 voltmeter at Radio Shack and test the battery. If you left the light on for an hour after the battery was already dead, you may have killed it.

Or bring the whole thing back to the place you bought it..

 

[wscdive]

If you left it on you may have cooked the lamp or battery, but if it was just hooked up but turned off it shouldn't hurt anything. If you can get a known good battery try that with th head first. then try the other head with your battery. Sounds like a bulb problem to me. Give Dive-rite a call, they are very good with customer service.

 

[puckvirus]

Theres a Dive Rite Tekreational Dive Center in my area, I think I'll end uP going to it this week and find out whats going on. I left my battery on the charger again for the night. I'm really sure its charged. So when I put it on the light, it fizzes for about 3 seconds with the light flikering then dies out... And I'll call Dive Rite tomorrow.

 

[DEEPLOU]

Theres a Dive Rite Tekreational Dive Center in my area, I think I'll end uP going to it this week and find out whats going on. I left my battery on the charger again for the night. I'm really sure its charged. So when I put it on the light, it fizzes for about 3 seconds with the light flikering then dies out... And I'll call Dive Rite tomorrow.

HIDs have a ballast sort of like flurescent light. It sounds like you may have a bad ballast.

No matter what the problem is, considereing how old you say the light is, definately just send it back to Dive Rite.

 

[puckvirus]

Okay I just got off the phone with Dive Rite. And they said with out looking at it and hearing the description as to what its doing, he said its probally a cracked bulb, probally at the base of it where I cant see it. He said because the ballist is firing, there is no gass inside for it to ignite like other bulbs do, All that gas escaped.

I for one take really good care of my stuff, but maybe that bouncing around in my car just might have caused a crack. So what I'm going to do is take my light to NorthWest Sports Divers and see what they have to say. by trying other bulbs and batterys etc...

 

[aquaoren]

That's why I have a nice pelican case for my Helios when not in use

 

[wedivebc]

Okay I just got off the phone with Dive Rite. And they said with out looking at it and hearing the description as to what its doing, he said its probally a cracked bulb, probally at the base of it where I cant see it. He said because the ballist is firing, there is no gass inside for it to ignite like other bulbs do, All that gas escaped.

I for one take really good care of my stuff, but maybe that bouncing around in my car just might have caused a crack. So what I'm going to do is take my light to NorthWest Sports Divers and see what they have to say. by trying other bulbs and batterys etc...

I have accidently dropped mine lots of times. Every time my butt puckers and I hesitantly flick the switch, only to find it still works. I just don't think they are so delicate that bouncing around in your car should kill a bulb.

 

[puckvirus]

Yea these lights from my understanding are something you really really want to take good care of. But I cant for the life of me understand how it could have broke just riding in my car like that... Must have been a really weak bulb. Still if thats the case that the bulb is broken. I plan on taking my light in on Wensday.

When I called Dive Rite yesterday they asked me the age of the battery. On the dive rite batterys there is some sticker on there that indicates the year, month and another random number

03021234

This is broken into sections where the first 2 digits are the year it was made, followed by the month it was made and then some different number

So in my case mine was made in Febuary of 2003.

They also indicated by normal use the battery will start to run less then full charge about 9 months to a year. Just FYI.

I'll bring uP the fact that it was just normal use that broke this bulb if thats the case and see if I cant get a freeby or something from dive rite. I dont drop it, I treat it just right. As for my consearn about leaving it plugged in for 4 days, it would have only caused the hydrogen in the canister to build uP and having that connection still together "could" have caused a spark that would have resaulted in a fire. That according to the information that I've read from dive rite.

So then I could argue that this would be a manufactures defect because I technically didnt drop the light, it was in its own case with zero room to bounce around, and it was on a cusioned seat in my neon. So I'll see what happens, but if they dont agree with the defect I'll be more then happy to pony uP the money for a new light bulb. HIDS at night and in low vis makes a heck of a difference NOT to have one...

I'll keep every one informed as to what happens at the LDS.