DIR- Generic What are people using for backup lights now?
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SaltyWombat
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Jack Hammer
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If you are looking for a premade handle with knive, this one is very nice.
Exploration Goodman Handle for Focus / Flare
laikabear
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I'm planning to take GUE Cave 1 in Mexico in October 2021, and I asked the instructor (Chris Le Maillot) about lights in an email.
I have a Halcyon Focus 1 as a primary (I'll burn test it before class since it's older, but it seems to perform well for now). I have a DGX 600 and a Dive Rite backup light. The DGX is push button and the Dive Rite is twist-on (just happened to be that I bought them at different times and got different styles). They both take 18650 rechargeables. The instructor said what I have is fine for the class. I too thought he might say I had to get only twist on and only alkaline battery lights.
He did mention that he personally uses the 2 cell Halcyon Scout lights as his backups, but he did not encourage me to buy them.
I definitely prefer some type of rechargeable battery. I've never had the push button light get accidentally activated so far (on my harness). I have seen the twist on lights get accidentally activated on harnesses before. I haven't had that problem since learning to press on the light to check it.
Anyway other GUE instructors may feel differently but this is what Chris said. I think if I find the lights to not be to my liking in class, I may get the Scouts or something different to use after class. After the shopping-fest that was T1, I'm glad to not need to buy much new stuff.
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dated standards not in line with current best practices, i.e. written at a time when it was valid given nimh cells, but no longer appropriate given 18650's especially since we have burn testers that will actually give the exact capacity of the cell which is much more accurate than a voltmeter on alkaline cells.
Now, that all said, to @ginti 's point. The 18650's when on high only burn for 45 minutes, but they produce 6-8x as much light as the scouts do which is much easier when coming out on a scooter. If the light has a "low" setting which most of them do, then they burn for well over 4 hours and produce comparable output to the scouts. I would always rather have a smaller light that has the option of giving me lots of light for the exit that I can knock down if I need it. What I do is run a pair of those type of lights on my harness, and I keep one in my pocket. The one in my pocket has an oxycheq sock on it.
Real scenario, I was diving in Manatee a few months ago and was diving a prototype canister light. The joys of prototypes means they are probably going to fail, which this one happened to do just after the turn and had a 2 hour exit plan. I got off the trigger and partially deployed my left backup light *turned it on and got it out of the harness strap but did not unclip*. I then reached into my pocket, grabbed the backup light and since it had a soft goodman on it *which is not the same cheap glove monstrosities that most of them come with but is actually like a goodman handle* was able to put it on my hand like normal. Turned it on and stowed the strap light and made my way out the exit. Since this is a relatively big cave and we were on the trigger I wanted that light on high so we could make good progress and when it kicked down to low, I just swapped it with my left side light and finished the exit. I much prefer that paradigm than having to physically hold the light for the whole exit, especially one that is significantly less bright and much heavier. Is it truly DIR? obviously not since those lights use rechargeable batteries and have buttons, but at the same time, I think they are infinitely better lights *and yes I do own a pair of Scouts with the LED modules*, and much prefer the 18650 lights to the scouts for actual use.
ginti
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@tbone1004, thanks for sharing your experience. My original point was against the 45minutes burn time, assuming that 45minutes is the longest burn time possible with the backup. The way I see it is that your backup lights have 4h of burn time, not 45minutes. It's up to you to set it properly. Also, I believe your setup is compliant with DIR rules, except for the rechargeable batteries, which I am not going to discuss here (there is another thread here on SB, and I think you gave a lot of great advice there). Do you believe that 45minutes of "longest" burn time is an optimal choice for backup lights at the intro to cave level?
P.S. Who cares about dir rules? I like them, and I follow them, but if you find something that works and you like it, why not use it?
P.S. Who cares about dir rules? I like them, and I follow them, but if you find something that works and you like it, why not use it?
As I said, for purposes of complying with standards while taking C1 (and soon, C2), I swallowed my technical beliefs and bought some Scouts. In C1, I was encouraged to use a voltmeter/multimeter to test the C-cells out-of-the-box and any time after the backup light was used in class. I have no intention of parting with my DGX600s and "smart" burn tester.
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