And so it begins. Panic in the California dive boat industry

[ThatDogDontHunt]

I have never seen a usb powered DPV, canister light charger. Nor video light for that matter. I have seen usb 18650 chargers however.

Sorry I was also unclear. I was referring to the availability of 110 volt outlets. My plane had about 250 of them...

@BRT

 

[cerich]

Sorry I was also unclear. I was referring to the availability of 110 volt outlets. My plane had about 250 of them...

it would have been designed with the draw in mind.

The 40 year old conception has been described as being a nest of power bars. Regardless, it's the batteries themselves and the chargers that are as much a worry as the boats electrical system.

Really, stuff like Canister lights batteries, Video lights, DPV are small qty, mostly hand built battery packs from cells like 18650's and the quality of cells, production, protection, chargers varies widely. They also have a LOT more energy than even laptop batteries which are generally made in a more consistent fashion.

 

[ThatDogDontHunt]

it would have been designed with the draw in mind.

The 40 year old conception has been described as being a nest of power bars. Regardless, it's the batteries themselves and the chargers that are as much a worry as the boats electrical system.

Really, stuff like Canister lights batteries, Video lights, DPV are small qty, mostly hand built battery packs from cells like 18650's and the quality of cells, production, protection, chargers varies widely. They also have a LOT more energy than even laptop batteries which are generally made in a more consistent fashion.

To be clear, my point is about charging restrictions. If you are allowed to carry it on the plane, you are allowed to charge it... And there are lots more people on a big plane.

Maybe it would be useful to identify what scuba items are not allowed on a plane? I am vaguely aware that some cannister light battery packs were too big and that some were re-engineered to meet airline requirements, but am unaware of what these are.

 

[Manatee Diver]

it isn't just the current draw and wiring..

You are confusing charging phones, tablets and laptops with stuff like Video Lights, Canister lights, DPV's that are much higher capacity (energy) packs, produced in lower qty and quite frankly not always made well.

The li-ion battery limitation applies to all devices 100watt hours per cell. These days the packs for lights, and even DPVs are working within that limitation. One company uses tool batteries because they are under 100wh.

it would have been designed with the draw in mind.

The 40 year old conception has been described as being a nest of power bars. Regardless, it's the batteries themselves and the chargers that are as much a worry as the boats electrical system.

If that is true it is very likely it might not have been the batteries. But the power strips, can be a source of fire, IIRC in the main conception thread someone posted the surge protectors (and it is rare that power strip doesn't have surge protection capability) don't work very well with many marine power systems, and might even catch fire.

 

[BRT]

I have never seen a usb powered DPV, canister light charger. Nor video light for that matter. I have seen usb 18650 chargers however.

Did you ever see anybody charging a DPV on a plane? I was answering a question. But to address your concern a Nitecore Q6 can supply 4 amps to charge 18650's. At a charging voltage of 4.2 volts, 4 amps is 17 watts. So if everybody plugged a Nitecore Q6 full of batteries needing a maximum charge rate a 20 amp 120 volt circuit could supply 113 chargers. Continuously. The transformers will release a little heat so say only 100 chargers.

 

[BRT]

Sorry I was also unclear. I was referring to the availability of 110 volt outlets. My plane had about 250 of them...

@BRT

I get it. The ones I have seen on planes say 5 amps max or something like that. but nobody is using them at that rate. Believe me, they won't run your hair dryer.

 

[Bob DBF]

If you actually have a watchman it doesn't matter what time things are charging

If the timeline is correct, it went from not detectable by a crewman to fully engulfed in thirty to forty five minutes, so a roving watch only gains some time if rounds are less than a half hour. Regardless of how the fire started.

And since the cause of the Conception fire hasn't been determined it may not matter at all. Battery charging may not have played a role. We have to wait and see.

Although the NTSB is impressive, it's going to be hard to impossible to determine a cause. No cause and batteries will remain a suspect, and restricted. Minimalist divers like me will not be inconviensed, but others that have high tech gear and cameras, will.


Bob

 

[StefinSB]

We live in "grandfathered" houses and drive "grandfathered" cars.

And motorcycles

 

[Diving Dubai]

USB 3.1 is now up to 1.5 amps at 5 volts. Most USB chargers are much lower and most are not pulling maximum. 1.5 amps at 5 volts is 7.5 watts. There is some heat loss in the charger so lets say 10 watts. (Even though it's not that much) A 20 amp circuit at 120 volts can supply 2400 watts, but by NEC code only 1920 watts continuous. So a single 20 amp circuit could supply 192 latest model USB chargers drawing the maximum. Reality is that one circuit could supply all 450 passengers and 2 circuits would do it easily.

Seriously. You guys need to grow up and move over to 230V. Your kettles would boil faster and you’dsave A fortune in copper

 

[StefinSB]

I have never seen a usb powered DPV, canister light charger. Nor video light for that matter. I have seen usb 18650 chargers however.

I understand you bringing up DPVs all the time but the amount of DPVs on SoCal dive is so small imo making this a fringe case. That doesn’t mean a safe solution should be found though.