Reserve Lights

[Guy Alcala]

The Dorcy's really do work pretty well. My main gripe with them is the single hole in the rear is off-center, which makes them sit not quite right on the harness. I bought two when they had the production run mistake (the factory put the older 180 lumen LEDs in the newer 220 bodies, so Piranha dumped them for around $30/ea), and haven't regretted it.

I got the same ones, and although they'd undoubtedly sit slightly better if they had an on-center attachment point, I haven't found it to be a significant problem. I'm able to deploy and stow them easily, and they don't get in the way. I think it's more a question of esthetics than functionality.

Just did a day-time dive in the North Atlantic yesterday using them. 15 or so foot vis, with my dive buddy having a 21W HID. There was definitely a discrepancy between the lights (of course!), but I could still signal him when I needed to, just by using the beam (e.g. didn't have to point it in his eyes to get him to notice). Until I can afford a can light, that's good enough for me.

On the day mentioned in my previous post, the light was just about adequate for signaling (on the bottom) at a range of 5 feet, if my buddy happened to be looking more or less in that direction. Good to know that under dimmer conditions it works better. I've got a soft goodman handle for them, so when I need/want light all the time I use one of them as a primary and the other as back-up. Otherwise I tend to just let the one on my right D-ring hang free, and turn it on/off as needed, usually without bothering or needing to unclip it.

Guy

 

[HenrikBP]

Henrik,

In your opinion which is the better drop-in?? R2 or R5.

Well, keep in mind I'm just a hack at this ... but I like the R2 for the very focused beam with the smooth reflector. It made it a pretty decent back-up/temporary replacement for a can light until I bought one. Nowhere near in brightness of course, but useable for a team staying close.

In comparison, the R2 in a Scout body has a more focused, and brighter spot than any other light I've compared it with, including the R5. Now I know it's due to the smaller more focused spot, and that the R5 for instance (at least on paper) puts out more light overall. But in my informal basement tests against a DIY R5 module, an older Intova 3W narrow beam, the new Dorcy light and a Light Monkey Rat, as well as the new Halcyon Scout light, the R2 holds it own.

The R5 module gets hot even after relatively short burn time - which could decrease output in the near term and maybe decrease overall lifetime of the LED. I haven't done any longer runtime tests though and generally have no way of knowing for sure.

I've run the R2 for about an hour plus for about 20 dives, and so far no problems or noticeable decrease in output.

Henrik

 

[BB1]

Thanks for the feedback - R2 it is then!

 

[Blow.Fish]

Please excuse the intrusion. These scout lights seem to strongly resemble a UK SL4, only with a different body and no switch. Are any of the parts in the head interchangeable ? If so, I'm curious if it is possible to purchase a retrofit kit to convert an SL4 to a scout style body.

 

[BB1]

I bit the bullet!

2 x R2 Drop-ins

2 x Smooth reflectors - thanks Henrik

All ordered from dealsextreme and on their way!

 

[jtivat]

I bit the bullet!

2 x R2 Drop-ins

2 x Smooth reflectors - thanks Henrik

All ordered from dealsextreme and on their way!

Keep in mind that the idea of a backup light is to have a bullet proof light you can count on when **** hits the fan. dealextream sells cheap **** that no one should ever count on. Now if you just want a cheap bright light great but don't use it for real tech dives.

 

[BB1]

Not sure I completely agree there.

There are a lot of really good people building great dive lights using components from dealsextreme and using them on real tech dives - go look for "Packhorse" on candlepower forums.

I don't think I need a Blue H on my cree LED to ensure my safety at a massive premium cost!

My current plan is to change 1 of my backups to LED first and leave the other with its Xenon bulb until I have confidence in the LED module.

Thanks for the concern though.

 

[HenrikBP]

BB1 you're welcome. Let us know how you make out with the modules.

Please excuse the intrusion. These scout lights seem to strongly resemble a UK SL4, only with a different body and no switch.

I believe the SL4 modules are direct replacements. Of course UK charges almost the same for a module as they do for the whole light But you could buy the light and just switch modules.

Keep in mind that the idea of a backup light is to have a bullet proof light you can count on when **** hits the fan. dealextream sells cheap **** that no one should ever count on. Now if you just want a cheap bright light great but don't use it for real tech dives.

Note - I'm no expert by any stretch, so this is just my opinion and worth exactly what you paid for it

You're right to an extent. Cree LEDs are Cree LEDs and they're all made by the same manufacturers. So with drop-ins with little to no extra electronics, check the solder connections and you've eliminated at least some of the failure concern.

You're of course correct that a back-up should be rock solid, but I'd be surprised if the high $$ modules weren't manufactured "just down the street" from the **** DX module

Other than excessive heat - and the H modules suffer the same issue here, due to the plastic head - once you've run electronics for awhile, odds are good that they'll last.

Henrik

 

[aquaregia]

I was just at my LDS and they had a single Xenon Mini Scout left. I can see what you guys are saying about the spot beam, it's on par with my pushbutton Intova and way better than any of the other lights there (LED or Halo). The price they were asking was pretty similar to what I've seen them for secondhand on TDS ($70ish), and if was a fullsize I might have gotten it. Are they brighter with the R2 bulbs? As a backup I don't mind if it's not a bright as my Intova, and I can justify reliability making it double the cost.

 

[jtivat]

Not sure I completely agree there.

There are a lot of really good people building great dive lights using components from dealsextreme and using them on real tech dives - go look for "Packhorse" on candlepower forums.

I don't think I need a Blue H on my cree LED to ensure my safety at a massive premium cost!

My current plan is to change 1 of my backups to LED first and leave the other with its Xenon bulb until I have confidence in the LED module.

Thanks for the concern though.

I have seen his lights and he is doing a lot of work to them. Go read some thread at CPF DX stuff is cheap and people have lots of issue's with there lights. This is a fact not an opinion if you want to rely on them great.

Then lets look at the heat syncing issue these delrin bodys do not transfer heat like aluminum. A backup may need to run for long periods of time where is all that heat going to go?


The thing I can't figure out is why any real tech diver would cheap out on items that could save there life. To do one big dive you are looking at over $100 in fills that's $400 just for back/deco gas for a weekend not to mention charter fee's or fuel if you own the boat. Then somehow $150 for a light that will last many years is too much money???

Something just does not add up.