Cave Diving Backup Lights / Rechargeable Batteries

[vioch]

I'm now on my 3rd battery in this 21W HID

3rd battery is for my 21W HID either.
Thus I used my backup lights twice in a decade. Do I need rechargeable batteries for them? Definitely do not))

 

[UCFKnightDiver]

3rd battery is for my 21W HID either.
Thus I used my backup lights twice in a decade. Do I need rechargeable batteries for them? Definitely do not))

Do you want a better/brighter light than you can get with your alkaline battery powered light is the better question. If the answer is yes, you'll probably need to go LED with lithium-ion rechargeables

 

[vioch]

Do you want a better/brighter light than you can get with your alkaline battery powered light is the better question

Nope
The keywords were "twice in a decade" - feel the difference.
And in this perspective "better" is not equivalent to "brighter".
Better is not to bother with rechargeable batteries if you don't use them.

And I would say "Do you actually need a brighter backup..."

 

[UCFKnightDiver]

Nope
The keywords were "twice in a decade" - feel the difference.
And in this perspective "better" is not equivalent to "brighter".
Better is not to bother with rechargeable batteries if you don't use them.

And I would say "Do you actually need a brighter backup..."

If you could get a backup light in a similar size to current form factors with the punch of some can lights so that if your light goes out, you're still able to communicate and signal with your team, navigate your way back through the cave, and ultimately be safer, you wouldn't consider that better?

 

[vioch]

I was (and I'm) able to communicate and signal with my team navigating way back through the caves with my current 3w led backups, i.e. have no any demand in brighter ones - they are just backups and bright enough for the purpose... and my main light is brighter and rechargeable))

 

[rjack321]

And I would say "Do you actually need a brighter backup..."

If the difference is racking up crazy deco time because the vis is poor and you move slower with the weaker backup, then yes. You need a better backup so you aren't delayed. Either delayed longer than your gas supplies, your CCR scrubber, your bailout can manage, or your thermal capacity. Alkaline backups will never have the lumen output of li-ion. The energy density and current output just isnt there. In the worst case, you bring a handheld primary as a "backup"

 

[azstinger11]

As someone with no cave training (but looking to start) I noticed the razor backup light was in-unit rechargeable but also removable/swappable batteries. Looks like an interesting backup light to me, but again what do I know?

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

I went to Peacock yesterday and ran my new backup light for a bit over 90 minutes and it did not get dim. It rivals in brightness my primary hand-held Dive-Rite light. Nice thin beam excellent for signaling.

 

[Manatee Diver]

I went to Peacock yesterday and ran my new backup light for a bit over 90 minutes and it did not get dim. It rivals in brightness my primary hand-held Dive-Rite light. Nice thin beam excellent for signaling.

They are pretty impressive these days. When my instructor failed my primary light (EX35) and I pulled out one of my backup lights it was so bright that he thought I pulled out my original primary light, which was a handheld HP50.

 

[tbone1004]

As someone with no cave training (but looking to start) I noticed the razor backup light was in-unit rechargeable but also removable/swappable batteries. Looks like an interesting backup light to me, but again what do I know?

they basically just put a usb charger port on the protection board. You can get them from a slew of other manufacturers as well. Not something I'm a huge fan of though.
Example
Protected Vapcell P1835A 18650 10A Button Top 3500mah USB Battery - Genuine

I'm a big fan of USB powered stuff for the reasons that Go Sidemount talks about with travel, but I'd rather take a charger, especially since I'm almost always charging multiple batteries.