What's the best light money can buy?

[klemheist]

Packhorse,

Everyone is entitled to their opinion so thanks for that. I'll file that away somewhere (although you have to admit you've never seen it on or dived with it...so we might be forgiven wondering how you came to that conclusion, and with such conviction).

And if it is not the 'best', is it the 'brightest'? again, who knows? I can say however that with 25 years of diving experience and 10 years of torch building that 55Watts of HID at max lumen efficiency from a 170mm Nissan spotlight reflector is the brightest personal light I've ever seen, and I have seen many. I am also comfortable that it is as bright as the best commercially available torch I have ever come across.

So...is it the 'best' torch...it depends on your definition, which in turn depends on what you want to use it for.

Actually, for daytime diving I use a smaller 12Watt tripple LED, by Terralux (500-600 lumens). It is more compact and manoeverable.

Nightime diving I where I use it, unless again compactness is important, when I use a 100mm 35W HID.

Horses for course then, and feel free to discount anything I say. I am happy with the dive torches I have and no doubt you are too.

Take it easy

Mac

 

[klemheist]

Blazinator,

You asked for some photos so I've cobbled together some pickies of comparison testing in the laneway out the back of my place.

There are four torches;

1. A Terralux tripple Cree XR-E, 500-600 lumens from a converted Maglite (I use this for daytime diving because it is compact).

2. An older wand-canister design...a 35W HID in an MR16 globe. These MR16 HID's are typically come in two spreads, 12 degree and 24 degree. Although this is the 12 degree spread you can see the collimated spreads of #3 & #4 punching further into the distance (for this reason I wouldn't recommend using an MR16 HID, or over-voltage MR16 incandescent).

3. A 35W HID in an H3 size globe. The 100mm reflector is wider and narrower than the other 35W HID and so you can see the penetration down the end of the laneway.

4. A 55W HID in H3 size globe, housed in a 170mm Nissan spotlight reflector. This has the best penetration and brightness of them all, but to be honest, its bigger size makes it a bulkier carry underwater.

Pictures of #3 (35W 100mm) and #4 (55W 170mm) HID's are in my earlier post. Pictures of #2 (older 35mm MR16 HID) and #1 (Terralux converted Maglite/LED) are attached here.

Yes, I know... too many torches!

Give it a go...building your own. No reason why you can't build better than what you can buy from others. Plus it's a great feeling when it all comes together...but, it makes you cry when you flood them!

Cheers

Mac

 

[Packhorse]

Packhorse,

Everyone is entitled to their opinion so thanks for that. I'll file that away somewhere (although you have to admit you've never seen it on or dived with it...so we might be forgiven wondering how you came to that conclusion, and with such conviction)......

Yes they are. And in my opinion and I think many others 170mm ( 7+ inches) is just way to large for a dive light.

I dont doubt that its very bright but I do believe there is a point where you can have to much light.

I would gladly accept lower lumen output for a more compact light head and longer burn time.

If on the other hand you equate the brightest with the best then you win.

 

[klemheist]

Packhorse,

What you say makes perfect sense, so I think our advice to Balzinator turns out to be the same...it gets to a point that the size/bulk of the torch detracts from the diving experience, regardless that there's more light coming out the end.

Honestly, I rarely use the big 55W...it was a project to build the brightest but it turned out just too big for a comfortable dive! Apart from impressing people, it's a white elephant.

In fact, the smallest torch out of the four above gets the most use. The 12W LED goes with me on every dive...as the primary during daytime diving, and as a back-up during night/wreck diving.

There's a lot to be said about the latest LED technology, coupled with the latest battery technology. Both are evolving at such a rapid rate that many commercial dive torch manufacturers have not kept up. Just five years ago an over-driven MR16 incandescent with cable and NiMH canister was the best thing...now you can fit something similar in your hand!

Give it another 5 years and we'll all be chewing, 'Oxy-gum'!

Mac

 

[Packhorse]

Still, its a might impressive light.
If I had a DPV or small sub I'd want a light like that on the front!

As for Oxygum, I would suggest you dont swallow it. It would give you a bad case of gas.

 

[Knut]

I baptised my new Salvo Havoc 50W HID this weekend. Unfortunately I forgot to switch the connectors around so that the light head was connected to the battery, so no power lol. didn't abort the dive because it was a daylight shallow dive, so better luck next dive!