UV Night Dive??

[helimvee]

Oddly, I spent a couple hours looking up UV light options. (Been toying with the idea of a DIY can light and a UV light head.) I found the company that probably made the system you used with the blue/near UV lights and the yellow filters.

BlueStar Light

But I think I'll stick to the idea of a 10w true UV LED setup. Naimis made pretty much the exact design I was drawing up, it looks pretty amazing.

That is the system!

 

[herman]

where did you pick up the UV bulb? I am thinking I take one along with to play around with.

I think I may have another bulb, I rarely order one of anything...esp if it's cheap, just got to find it. Did you see the one I have?

AFAIK there are no simple drop-in replacements. I built a completely custom light using a UV LED. Incandescent lights don't make very good UV lights. I've only seen fluorescent lights and LEDs with enough power to be useful.

The filters are to block the visible output of the UV light so that all you see is the natural fluorescence of the reef. They're typically, probably always, yellow.

Off hand I do not remember where I got it but I found UV LED replacement bulbs that are PR-2 base- the standard size in most older lights. They work well in 4 AA lights I have. I also don't recall what the price was but it was fairly inexpensive $2-3 range. It's not super bright but plenty to suit me for UW UV diving....but then again I often night dive with no lights on ....you would be amazed at what you can see.

 

[Scotttyd]

I think I may have another bulb, I rarely order one of anything...esp if it's cheap, just got to find it. Did you see the one I have?

I saw the one you have - I thought it was just a basic 4aa light (not the pc light). When I get a spare minute I will mess around to see what I can find online.

 

[Doc]

Cheaper, much cheaper:

An INOVA UV LEDFlashlight ($36) stuffed into a standard4C Cell U/W Flashlight housing... like a UK4C or anything similar.

... and get these images: ScubaBoard Gallery - U/W UV Black Light Images

Another simple method (with less wattage output) is the Ikelite 4C-FL Model, with the standard 6" white flourescent bulb replaced with a UV bulb (from WalMart or any Halloween shop).

Or go and spend the $$$ as per earlier posts.

 

[herman]

Finally found the site. Super Bright LEDs - LED Flashlights and Flashlight Bulbs

Look at the bottom of the page and select the first PR-2 selection on the right side of the page. The 3 LED UV bulbs are $2 each. I am using them in a Princeton Tec Tec 40. It should work in pretty much any 4 battery light that uses a PR-2 base bulb. The text says it's for a 3 battery light but at another place it says it's operating range is 1 to 30 VDC and it has been working fine in my 4 cell (6vdc and it works well at 5vdc- when I use NiMh batteries) light. Just swap out the bulb and make sure the polarity of the batteries are correct. The positive terminal must go to the end terminal of the LED bulb. It's not super bright but good enough for me and at $2 if you don't like it you are not out much.

 

[Scotttyd]

Finally found the site. Super Bright LEDs - LED Flashlights and Flashlight Bulbs

Look at the bottom of the page and select the first PR-2 selection on the right side of the page. The 3 LED UV bulbs are $2 each. I am using them in a Princeton Tec Tec 40. It should work in pretty much any 4 battery light that uses a PR-2 base bulb. The text says it's for a 3 battery light but at another place it says it's operating range is 1 to 30 VDC and it has been working fine in my 4 cell (6vdc and it works well at 5vdc- when I use NiMh batteries) light. Just swap out the bulb and make sure the polarity of the batteries are correct. The positive terminal must go to the end terminal of the LED bulb. It's not super bright but good enough for me and at $2 if you don't like it you are not out much.

Thanks, although I do not have LED bulbs (incadescent), I will see if the base matches

 

[herman]

PR-2 is the standard base used in 90% of the flash lights in the last 40 years or so.. By the way, any of their high output white LED packages in PR-2 make great replacements for the old halagen bulbs, much easier on the batteries.

 

[Scotttyd]

The UV bulbs just came in the mail yesterday and it works great, and a heck of a lot cheaper than some of the other options. I picked up two bulvs for $8 total (including shipping) and put them in a small princeton tech light that was probably $20 or so.

 

[LarsB]

See my post DIY blacklight diving lamp (or here) for a part list, costs (about 106&#8364 and photos of a DIY UV dive lamp.

Hope this helps.

 

[valid]

i think these lamps are blue rather than uv, but perhaps i am a nitpicker...