What's needed for night diving?

[Bubbletrubble]

Nice post anyway, jddemtp. You covered a ton of stuff!

 

[whathedeuce]

I should also add that the night dives would most likely be in the ocean, Atlantic or gulf to be more specific...

 

[Gary D.]

The first thing you need is night.

There is no cut and dry answer to what light to get. The murkier the water does not necessarily mean a more powerful light. It may require a very low power light. A bright light may light up the particulate in the water like its daylight but won’t penetrate more than a few inches. A weaker light may penetrate the particulate much further without making the entire area daylight. So this is a good reason to carry a high and low power lights. Many night dives have been done with my Mini-C giving better vis than my egg fryer or an HID.

Your comfort level is the second most important thing next to night. So get with an instructor or Mentor to guide you along the right comfortable path.

Gary D.

 

[jddemtp]

This is the light that i have right now. Would it be useful for anything like the backup? Ikelite PC-M Halogen Light from LeisurePro.com
What price are we looking at for a good quality primary night dive light. I have seen some very pricey ones but i'm pretty sure they are for tech diving. It doesn't have to be super bright just what ever you guys think would do the job...

Looks like a good little backup light or something to keep in your pocket on daylight dives. I got, and would recommend, the Princeton adventure pack. They make a package with an LED primary, but I got the halogen, and it's adequate to my needs for now. For about $100 you get a halogen primary with two power settings, an LED Impact XL flashlight, and a red flasher. Plus it comes with a couple extras, retractor for the flashlight and a coil lanyard that you can clip off for the primary. Just like all your other gear, don't let your light(s) dangle and bang into stuff. That should get you started without breaking the bank. Don't waste your money on a canister light. Those are expensive as hell and, as you intuited, designed for techies. Not that I don't want one... Some of the flashlights get darn pricey as well. Once again, if you're going to take it to 20,000 leagues and you've already spent the national debt on your other gear, sure, drop some cash on a good backup or two. Otherwise, stick with something less expensive that will do the job you need it to do. It's just like driving in the fog or heavy snow. You can easily white yourself out with too powerful a light.

Oh, and other than a short battery check, keep your dive lights off unless you're underwater. They are designed to be used when wet and can overheat, melt, catch fire, etc. if you leave them on in the air.

Here's a question for everyone else, do they make different color filters for lights, like yellow lenses for fog lamps? Just realized I haven't ever seen something like that.

 

[TSandM]

Whoever it was who told you to ask around about what people in YOUR area are using for lights had a good idea. What works for me in Puget Sound may not be at all necessary where you are.

But the bright LED backup type lights make pretty decent primaries for night diving in clear to moderately turbid water, if you are going to use a handheld light. I'm talking about things like the Rat light from Salvo, or the Photon Torpedo. The same lighthead is in the UK SL4 e-LED light. We had a lovely LED light from Ikelite that was inexpensive ($39) but the switch failed after only a couple of dives, so I can't recommend it.

I forgot to say in my original post that it's always a good idea to have dived a site in the daytime, before you head out to do it at night.

 

[Stu S.]

Princeton Tec Torrent Xenon |Plus FREE TEC 40 Light from LeisurePro.com

Here is what some people around here like. I had one similar and it was good. Note: If left in a black bag in the back of a pickup, it will crack. Charles' Law, you know.

Oh yeah... I worked at SRS in the 1990's. We made the fuel to power the spacecraft that just went out to Saturn.

 

[highlandfarmwv]

i don't like LEDs at night because the color is bluish. I really like my Princeton Tec Shockwave. It has just the right amount of spread and colors look lovely. The low wattage setting is just fine for most dives.

 

[realcs]

hi, there new to night diving? look no further.
if you have enjoyed diving during the day diving during night time is a welcome change.
night diving teaches you about:
1. personal duoyancy.
2. buddy intuity.
3. equiptment handling in limited visibility.
4. night navigation.
plus my presonal favourit night drift diving.
oh did i mention that this skills arent even in schools yet.
see more of us in the phillipines.
anilao. look for planet dive over the net.
we will be more than happy to answer all your questions.
michaeldydiver@yahoo.com

 

[realcs]

oh, i almost forgot your question about dive lights.
the light im using in my avatar is a seako h.i.d. as a primary and the hesser led for back up.
ive been using both for years now they have never failled me.
this are my recommendation.