Blue Heron Bridge Trolls

[Angry Turtle]

Oh ok, I just assumed you had to have one of those big bright lights with the gun style handle. I ordered one of these for my dive flag: Amazon.com: Fantasea Nano Spotter Led Light Diving Torch: Kitchen & Dining

I was considering one of these as a primary: Amazon.com: Magicshine 810E SCUBA Diving LED Flashlight 1000 Lumens 10W w/ Batteries and Charger: Everything Else

Some people have had good experiences with those magicshines(I know at least of one using it as primary in short cave dives), but I had two fail at about 1.5 years.

They have three settings...for night dives I would use it in the lowest setting and covered the head with two fingers. (Unless I needed to call someone's attention from afar) If you are still wanting one, there are some sources that I have seen selling them as low as $79

 

[MrChen]

I use the same light as ConchyJoe on my dive flag but have this light

Water Activated Flashing Marker Lights

for my tank. I like that it is water activated so no worries about forgetting to turn on and basically no maintanance. The batteries are not replaceable but mine is three years old and still going. But I only get to do a few night dives a year, less then 10.

I have the Princeton Miniwave as primary but also experimenting with the Big Blue CF250 as primary for the bridge and always dive with my Tovatec Compact light with the strobe option, day or night.

That's pretty cool being water activated. I saw one for sale and was skeptical because of the exact reasons you stated. But you really can't go wrong for the price. I've been building a list of potential lights to buy and actually had the Tovatec 220 on the watch list.

Again, I appreciate the feedback. I'm going to call E-Force today about signing up for the BHB night dive.

---------- Post added May 2nd, 2013 at 08:58 AM ----------

Some people have had good experiences with those magicshines(I know at least of one using it as primary in short cave dives), but I had two fail at about 1.5 years.

They have three settings...for night dives I would use it in the lowest setting and covered the head with two fingers. (Unless I needed to call someone's attention from afar) If you are still wanting one, there are some sources that I have seen selling them as low as $79

What is the expected life span of a dive light?

---------- Post added May 2nd, 2013 at 09:03 AM ----------

I went ahead and purchased one of those water activated lights for $10. Thanks for the suggestion.

---------- Post added May 2nd, 2013 at 09:11 AM ----------

This is my tank light:
Innovative Lazer Light Stick LT-0015 with reviews at scuba.com I have the red flashing as does my wive. Make sure you take it apart, clean the o ring and relube it before use.

I have two Princeton Tek LED lights, one uses C and the other uses AA. That is all you would ever need.

Not to mention if you have strobes for your camera, most of those have focus lights that work fine.

I re-read your post and realized I meant to ask a question. The tank lights, is there a preference on having a flashing light vs one that is always on? Or does it not matter because they aren't that bright to begin with?

 

[Angry Turtle]

That's pretty cool being water activated. I saw one for sale and was skeptical because of the exact reasons you stated. But you really can't go wrong for the price. I've been building a list of potential lights to buy and actually had the Tovatec 220 on the watch list.

Again, I appreciate the feedback. I'm going to call E-Force today about signing up for the BHB night dive.


---------- Post added May 2nd, 2013 at 08:58 AM ----------



What is the expected life span of a dive light?

---------- Post added May 2nd, 2013 at 09:03 AM ----------

I went ahead and purchased one of those water activated lights for $10. Thanks for the suggestion.

I'm not sure I know, but I have an old princeton tech c cell "twist on" that must be 15-20 y/o (the reflector is now delaminated and the bulb is incandescent but I can replace both if I wanted). Another one of similar build is maybe 5 y/o. Those are back up type lights, I haven't owned a primary for that long but others have. I think as long as you take care of them a quality light should last until the technology is so obsolete that you can't find replacement parts.

This is just my preference, and don't mean to rain on your parade, but I find flashing lights really annoying underwater during a night dive. I just use a steady on soft green light.

 

[MrChen]

I was thinking that a flashing light would be annoying, which is why I asked.

 

[uncfnp]

That's pretty cool being water activated. I saw one for sale and was skeptical because of the exact reasons you stated. But you really can't go wrong for the price. I've been building a list of potential lights to buy and actually had the Tovatec 220 on the watch list.

Again, I appreciate the feedback. I'm going to call E-Force today about signing up for the BHB night dive.

---------- Post added May 2nd, 2013 at 08:58 AM ----------



What is the expected life span of a dive light?

---------- Post added May 2nd, 2013 at 09:03 AM ----------

I went ahead and purchased one of those water activated lights for $10. Thanks for the suggestion.

---------- Post added May 2nd, 2013 at 09:11 AM ----------



I re-read your post and realized I meant to ask a question. The tank lights, is there a preference on having a flashing light vs one that is always on? Or does it not matter because they aren't that bright to begin with?

As long as you do routine care and maintenance and they don't flood, they should last for years. My lights are only 3 years old but no problems so far except the switch on the princeton is hard to operate...but its always been that way.

Flash vs steady is purely a personal preference. I like the flashing myself. They are relatively dim underwater and to me the whole point is to be seen. I think the flashing is more likely to be noticed but for some, that may be an annoyance. I find that they are so unobtrusive, the flash not an issue.

---------- Post added May 2nd, 2013 at 11:08 AM ----------

If Eric and I are night diving with a group, I actually place two markers on our tanks, one flashing and one steady, in an attempt to differentiate us from the crowd!

 

[jet126]

With all this rain we've had ... does anyone have a vis report from today?

 

[danvolker]

Sandra dove for several hours....let's just say she was complaining about the vis....

 

[MrChen]

BTW: I signed up for the night dive and have the additional lights purchased. They have another night dive next week as well, I just don't know that I'll have my lights in time.

 

[idive2]

I stopped by today a couple hours before high tide and the water was a greenish
color and less than five foot vertical viz when viewing from the boat docks. A long
ways from the caribbean blue with 30 foot viz we had just a few days ago.

 

[jet126]

I took a chance and drove up from Broward today. Viz was a milky 20-25 ft, 77 degrees. Certainly dive-able. Lots of friendly octopuses, a bouquet of sunflowers and a nice dive light - probably in the $75 range. I left it with Jeff at Force E. If you lost a light, give the Riviera Beach shop a call.