Favorite Night Diving Tank Light?

[Kryssa]

Heading to CCV in a couple weeks and wondering if there is anything better out there than the Princeton Tec plastic ones we bought like 10 years ago before our first dive trip.

 

[chris kippax]

Total waste of money for the way I dive in my opinion. When I am night diving most people are carrying 1000 lumen plus lights and a back up. This amount of light makes the little tank light is an absolute gimmick.

 

[Larryjd1]

Whether they are of true value, there are situations were they may be required as I have seen boats that won't let you do a night dive without them, etc.

My favorites are these because getting them wet automatically turns them on, and as soon as they are no longer in the water, the circuit is broken and they turn off. N remembering (or forgetting) to turn a switch on and off.

https://www.amazon.com/Innovative-W...ywords=dive+tank+lights&qid=1581320618&sr=8-4

 

[RayfromTX]

When your attention is distracted by something and you look back at three divers with similar lights and the one with the little blue blinky on their tank is your buddy it can simplify your next fin kicks. This is particularly true if you have a wandering buddy. Later on in your diving as a team that will become a non-issue but for many it can be helpful. I don't find them to be particularly obnoxious.

In sidemount you can go all out and use red on the left tank and a green on the right just for S&Gs.

I no longer use them at all.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Heading to CCV in a couple weeks and wondering if there is anything better out there than the Princeton Tec plastic ones we bought like 10 years ago before our first dive trip.

The "Princeton Tec plastic ones" are still as common as ever from what I have seen.

It's hard to say whether they are useful. On my very first night dive, which was part of the AOW course, there were 3-4 divers in my class, and then we found ourselves passing another similarly sized group or two of divers--this was a popular night dive site. It was a total cluster****, with lights seemingly everywhere. Would having tank marker lights have made it easier to follow my instructor/group? If there are half a dozen or more divers in the area, all with lights of the limited palette of colors available, some flashing, some not, it might not help at all. Now, if the only divers on the site are one group of 3-4, it might be helpful. If you and your buddy are diving by yourselves, there is no need for a marker light because you can easily just watch each other's primary lights. I think the best approach to sticking together on a night dive is simply to keep a close eye on each other throughout the dive.

 

[johndiver999]

I think they are also intended to assist the surface personnel to locate a diver who has surfaced at night and who does not have a functioning dive light.

Of course, they should have a back up light on a night dive, but I think most operators want a light that is functioning, even if the diver is incapacitated or panicked or fails to activate their secondary light.

 

[mmerriman]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BVM8VHK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[RayfromTX]

In a place like Cozumel I could see putting a couple on the dive master that leads the dive. Perhaps one red and one blue. Of course in a place like Cozumel, the dive master is likely to be the one with the dim light powered by 3 AA batteries that some other client left on the boat last week.

I'm kind of kidding. Kind of.

 

[greeniguana]

A glowstick.

30 packs are $10 on amazon....

 

[Lorenzoid]

A glowstick.

30 packs are $10 on amazon....

Some dive ops don't allow them because they believe they may end up as plastic waste in the ocean or landfill.