Handheld light recommendations

[tbone1004]

@Ayisha they use lithium batteries, very different than NiMH or NiCad batteries that had issues back in the day. A lot of the DIR opinions on lights and computers is so far outdated it is not even relevant to bother reading anymore and just hasn't been updated.

Locking in the "off" position depends on how easily you'll notice it was inadvertently turned on. Your call.

No lights I'm aware of that are comparable in size/price/performance that don't use rechargeables, nor do I see it to be important.
Same with twist-on lights. All LED's use electronics, so the addition of a switch of some variety is pretty irrelevant

 

[Caveeagle]

I really like the Dive Rite CX1 and would like to use it as a backup, but my main concern is that it uses rechargeable batteries. I was taught that a backup should not be rechargeable. Is that still a concern?

Also it doesn't seem to lock in the off position, which seems to be a drawback to me because my primary and current backup both lock in the off position.

Are these non-existent issues or should they be a concern?
Is there a similarly strong and small backup light with a good burn time that does not use only rechargeable batteries? Thanks!

The rechargeable batteries are much more reliable today.

The push button on the CX1 has to be depressed for couple seconds to turn on/off. This should make it pretty hard to accidentally turn on.

I know this is a reason that some prefer a twist-on light. Although I still use a couple BX1 twist lights, I can’t tell you how many times I have noticed a twist light turned on inside another divers pocket, or beaming all over the cave when clipped off. So, I think the twist lights are also prone to accidentally turned on when they aren’t “screwed-off” enough at the surface and get turned on from pressure.

 

[happy-diver]

Ha ha ha, sometimes I see if I can set my twist lights for a certain depth

anyhow my primary and backup and the other one are all bolted together

 

[gcarter]

...

 

[JohnnyC]

I can get C or AA cells anywhere in the world. I've even found C cell batteries in the middle of the Yucatan in a shack on the side of the road selling refrescos and frutas. If I get a bad cell, oh well, I go buy another one. If I get a bad 18650, I'm **** outta luck. Which means I need to carry even more backup batteries.

Are they more reliable than the old NiMH and NiCad's? Absolutely. But they're still not as reliable nor as stable nor as easily acquired as bog standard alkaline cells. Backup lights just need to get me to the line, and get me out of the cave. If a set of C cells is the most reliable way to do that, and it doesn't require having to devote maintenance time to it. Ideal for me. I'd rather devote my mental pixies to keeping my rebreather and regs and can lights functioning in optimal condition.

I'm not plussed by modern switches vs. twist, although my preference is twist. I find switches are more likely to get seized up by crud, but it's not an issue for well-designed switches. Twist can be prone to flooding if unscrewed too much. Either choice is nothing more than a minimal amount of mental acuity to prevent both.

 

[bamafan]

I can get C or AA cells anywhere in the world. I've even found C cell batteries in the middle of the Yucatan in a shack on the side of the road selling refrescos and frutas. If I get a bad cell, oh well, I go buy another one. If I get a bad 18650, I'm **** outta luck. Which means I need to carry even more backup batteries.

Are they more reliable than the old NiMH and NiCad's? Absolutely. But they're still not as reliable nor as stable nor as easily acquired as bog standard alkaline cells. Backup lights just need to get me to the line, and get me out of the cave. If a set of C cells is the most reliable way to do that, and it doesn't require having to devote maintenance time to it. Ideal for me. I'd rather devote my mental pixies to keeping my rebreather and regs and can lights functioning in optimal condition.

I'm not plussed by modern switches vs. twist, although my preference is twist. I find switches are more likely to get seized up by crud, but it's not an issue for well-designed switches. Twist can be prone to flooding if unscrewed too much. Either choice is nothing more than a minimal amount of mental acuity to prevent both.

There is a little plastic converter that comes with some of the lights and it interchanges 3 aaa alkaline batteries with a single 18650. Doesn't seem to work in all my different backup lights but does some.

The lights have gotten so small compared to my old 3c cell Halcyon lights you can carry extras easily. I just install the batteries reversed in the lights in my luggage so that they won't turn on. At $30 for a 1k ish lumen light you can buy several.

 

[Ayisha]

@Ayisha ...Locking in the "off" position depends on how easily you'll notice it was inadvertently turned on. Your call...

Thank you. I have had my primary inadvertently turn back on after I've re-boarded a boat and I or someone will notice and then I'll lock it off, so that's no concern. My primary is also supposed to be held on for a second or two to turn it on, yet it manages. I was thinking more of when the light is in the dive bag and potentially turns on. I presently just keep my backup (with fresh C cells) clipped to my D-ring on my harness.

While I always have anything with an o-ring open at least slightly for flying, I don't want to put batteries in at a local dive site or on a boat unless necessary and potentially introduce moisture, and my dive bag will likely be wet.

How do you ensure it doesn’t turn on in your bag? By storing it in the case?

 

[tbone1004]

@Ayisha I have lights from UWLD and they have a cap that covers the piezo switch which prevents that from happening. Backup lights don't, but I usually just take their batteries out when travelling since they have to get charged nightly anyway

 

[Caveeagle]

There is a little plastic converter that comes with some of the lights and it interchanges 3 aaa alkaline batteries with a single 18650. Doesn't seem to work in all my different backup lights but does some.

The lights have gotten so small compared to my old 3c cell Halcyon lights you can carry extras easily. I just install the batteries reversed in the lights in my luggage so that they won't turn on. At $30 for a 1k ish lumen light you can buy several.

My BX1 backups came with a small pack which holds 3 AAA batteries, but It produces more light with better burn time using a quality 18650. I usually dive with an LX20 and have 3 sets(x4) of Panasonic 18650 batteries that get rotated so I always have fresh batteries In all lights with enough spares for all. I also monitor the burn and charge levels on these batteries, so I pay attention to how the batteries are doing.

I do keep the AAA pack in my box, but I doubt I will ever need it.

And just for the record, I have had an energizer alkaline AA battery go bad in my Shearwater. So I’m not totally sold on them as “failure proof”

 

[Ayisha]

@Ayisha I have lights from UWLD and they have a cap that covers the piezo switch which prevents that from happening. Backup lights don't, but I usually just take their batteries out when travelling since they have to get charged nightly anyway

I get that and also remove batteries for flying, but I mean while in the dive bag for the 1 - 4 hour drive for our "local" diving.

A cap on the back would be a great idea with maybe a slit for the tie/boltsnap. Ha, we designed a custom button locking cap.