LED Canister Light

[Ursus]

I am an new diver with intermediate skills. I plan to make at least 2-3 major dive trips a year and otherwise be in the water a couple of times a month in the local waters around Houston (Texas). At present, I do not have a desire to pursue cave diving, yet. That said,

I am interested in purchasing a primary light for a couple of upcoming dive trips. I have the Salvo Rat Jr. as a backup light (it rocks). From everything I have read it doesn't seem like I would need much more than 10W or so for tropical night dives or even shallower wrecks. Is there a reason to go larger?

It also sounds like LED has made a huge imporvement in this size range as compared to HID as far as travle ability, size, ruggedness of the light bulb, power usage, bulb life, etc..

Based on everything I have read I think I have narrowed down my choice to either the Dive Rite's "LED 700" or Salvo's "Rebel 12W LED". The price on both are relatively close.

What are your thoughts? Has anyone played with these 2 lights side by side?

Thanks

 

[bogrady]

I have the Salvo 12W and it is one heck of a light - I was concerned about the HID vs LED issues and I can tell you - you will not be sorry with the Salvo. I dive Lake Travis with it all the time and it easily outperforms any 10W HID I've been next to. Now - as for the Dive Rite LED - haven't done a side by side yet, but the one concern I would have is that the Dive Rite is a 3 LED array, instead of a single focused LED like the Salvo. I would be concerned about the tightness of the beam - which is critical in Texas waters. Both look to be great lights and LED is definitely the way to go in the 10-12W class now. The Salvo is solidly constructed out of a single piece of delrin and the battery is sealed - it can't leak. There's no on/off switch - the light head twists to turn on. Judging just from the pictures - the Salvo has a slight edge in my book for the single LED element and the better overall construction.

 

[boulderjohn]

I have never done local dives in Texas, but I have done plenty of tropical night dives and and shallower wrecks. Your Salvo backup light will probably be as good or better than what anyone else will be using on those trips. If you really need a high quality can light for other diving, or if you think you might be going technical diving in the future, go ahead and get one of those lights. Otherwise, you may want to hold off on such a purchase.

I myself am holding off on a good can light purchase because I don't really need one just yet, but I will before too long. The technology with lights is changing rapidly, and you can get great lights at lower prices now than you could not long ago. I don't want to sink wads of cash into something I don't need right now with the thought that something newer, better, and cheaper will show up in very short order.

 

[UCFKnightDiver]

if your not looking to go quite as bright, or that expensive take a look at the oxyceq raider 1 with the oxycheq light sock (goodman handle) its a great light! you can get the light at Scubatoys for like 60 dollars or so, and the light sock for about 20

 

[ChrisA]

I am an new diver with intermediate skills. I plan to make at least 2-3 major dive trips a year and otherwise be in the water a couple of times a month in the local waters around Houston (Texas). At present, I do not have a desire to pursue cave diving, yet. That said,

I am interested in purchasing a primary light for a couple of upcoming dive trips. I have the Salvo Rat Jr. as a backup light (it rocks). From everything I have read it doesn't seem like I would need much more than 10W or so for tropical night dives or even shallower wrecks. Is there a reason to go larger?

That's a very expensive light if it is only going to be used a few times a year. I suggest doing a bunch of local night dives and seeing what other divers have. I dive at night almost once a week and with lots of different buddies. So I get to see all kinds of lights. You know what? My "big dumb and cheap" UK D8 works well. It puts out a ton of light and costs about $60. I also have an LED light. It is as bright but the beam is pencil thin while the D8 is a flood with a center hot spot.

Some buddies do have HID and they are much, much brighter than my light but we see the same stuff.

One feature that all of the LED canister lights last is a focusable beam. The thin, laser like beam is good sometimes but you see more with a wide beam. If the local wateer is not clear you don't need a light that can go 100 feet, not if the vis is only 15.

Get a good, reliable cheap light and use it for a while.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I have a 500 lumen dive right LED handheld light that I use as a backup to my cannister light. I also have the cord that Dive Rite sells for it to convert it to a corded cannister style light.

On a recent cave dive I took it along in a pocket and experimented using it as a primary light along side my 10W MR11 HID. I switched just after turing the dive. the LED is not quite as intense in terms of the spot and it does not penetrate as well in silty or tanic colored water, but in good vizibility it is exellent with a nice wide and even beam and compares very well to the MR11 in terms of overall output.

Consequently, based on that positive experience, it has become my "can" light of choice for pretty fish and the normal mid atlantic 130 ft or less limited pentration wreck dives. It uses 8 AA batteries that can be found anywhere and has a burn time of about 20 hours, so there is no need to drag along a larger can light and charger. When using the optional cord, the cannister is quite small, and can be mounted with either a bolt snap on the end or with a more traditional web loop for attachment on the belt (zip ties work well to hold the loop on the "can".)

Unlike an HID it can also be struck and unstruck when ever you feel the need with no need for the bulb to warm up or cool prior to switching on or off. The wide, even and less intense beam also makes it great for night diving.

Dive Rite came out with the 700 Lumen LED after I bought mine, but I think all in all I prefer the 500 lumen hand held with the optional cord due to the increased burn time, use of AA batteries, very small cannister, etc. And the total cost is around $450 although I got mine for $400, which made it even nicer.

 

[RonzoTheGreat]

UGH!!

LEDS have improved a TON. but sorry ... no where NEAR the penetration of an HID (YET).

I have dove both the salvo and the DiveRite and both are GREAT lights. but sorry, for the price you are going to pay for either, SAVE your money!

options:
find someone who has an MR11 HID in stock still before they're all gone. ($475 brand new with free shipping is not unheard of)
buy a DR handheld HID from me for $280 shipping included to lower 48.
buy an LED because Texas vis is nowhere near as poor as the northeast vis we are dealing with up here.

(that said)

you can waste your money on a product that is not unlike a computer in that they become more and more obsolete as daily improvements are made (LED)

or you can look at it like the LED will provide a great light for the better vis you will be experiencing in the southeast US and Caribbean that you will most likely be diving.

sorry to sound so negative about the LEDs, they arent horrible by any stretch, i just cant see justifying dropping $700 on a LED that (unless caving or caribean diving) simply can not touch the cutting penetration of even a measly 10watt HID.

please save your money. especially since you mentioned the amount of diving you'll be doing.

also, try to never dive with me, because as many people experience penis envy, don't kid yourself that you WILL experience cannister light envy should you make the mistake of buying an LED (until they improve them beyond the HID capabilities) than dive with buddies who have HIDs. MUHAHAHAHAHA

 

[RonzoTheGreat]

I have a 500 lumen dive right LED handheld light that I use as a backup to my cannister light. I also have the cord that Dive Rite sells for it to convert it to a corded cannister style light.

On a recent cave dive I took it along in a pocket and experimented using it as a primary light along side my 10W MR11 HID. I switched just after turing the dive. the LED is not quite as intense in terms of the spot and it does not penetrate as well in silty or tanic colored water, but in good vizibility it is exellent with a nice wide and even beam and compares very well to the MR11 in terms of overall output.

Consequently, based on that positive experience, it has become my "can" light of choice for pretty fish and the normal mid atlantic 130 ft or less limited pentration wreck dives. It uses 8 AA batteries that can be found anywhere and has a burn time of about 20 hours, so there is no need to drag along a larger can light and charger. When using the optional cord, the cannister is quite small, and can be mounted with either a bolt snap on the end or with a more traditional web loop for attachment on the belt (zip ties work well to hold the loop on the "can".)

Unlike an HID it can also be struck and unstruck when ever you feel the need with no need for the bulb to warm up or cool prior to switching on or off. The wide, even and less intense beam also makes it great for night diving.

Dive Rite came out with the 700 Lumen LED after I bought mine, but I think all in all I prefer the 500 lumen hand held with the optional cord due to the increased burn time, use of AA batteries, very small cannister, etc. And the total cost is around $450 although I got mine for $400, which made it even nicer.

this is an overall GREAT description ... GREAT!
very accurate ...
one thing to add, what kind of person are you, when you dive with those buddies that have the HIDs, will you be satisfied?

at one time i was diving with a 50watt HID and it was simply put, stupid. yes i had the brightest light. so what. one of the beautiful parts of diving with cannisters is the ease of communication. when you have a light that is either weaker or stronger than your buddy's light, it is not unusual to have your beam over power or get lost in theirs, making that ease of communication worthless. I sold the 50watt and smartened up.

that handheld is suitable and easily converted to a cannister ... but why bother for the price? when the MR11s are still around (even though discontinued) for the same price?

 

[mwilding]

And the total cost is around $450 although I got mine for $400, which made it even nicer.

Where can you find one at that price?

 

[bogrady]

... because Texas vis is nowhere near as poor as the northeast vis we are dealing with up here

Do I detect a challenge? Northeast viz worse than Texas? Have you ever been in a Texas swamp/lake? We're not called the Swamp Divers for nothing. Them's fighting words! I do believe we need to have a dive off - we'll come up there to dive for a few days and you come down here to dive for a few days and we'll just see who has the crappiest viz! ... On second thought - who cares - let's just do the diving and call it a great day ...

UGH!!

LEDS have improved a TON. but sorry ... no where NEAR the penetration of an HID (YET).

....

also, try to never dive with me, because as many people experience penis envy, don't kid yourself that you WILL experience cannister light envy should you make the mistake of buying an LED (until they improve them beyond the HID capabilities) than dive with buddies who have HIDs. MUHAHAHAHAHA

Now dissing my light is a whole other story ... I dive my 12W Salvo LED regularly with buddies who have the Dive Rite 10W HID in the murky waters of Texas - and trust me - I'm not the one with light envy. The Salvo LED doesn't give up anything to the HID in a side by side.