Cave Diving Backup Lights / Rechargeable Batteries

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

I ended up getting a SEAC R3 with a USA made rechargeable Lithium 18650 , 2200mAh battery, advertised at 400 lumens. Anyone have experience with this light?

In a few days I will carry it as an additional backup light and test it in the cave.

 

[UCFKnightDiver]

Zero issues with a few lights from Cave Adventures powered by the 16850 rechargeable batteries. They're also 1200-1300 lumens and are way more powerful than my old Dive Rite LED can light that's likely around 800 lumens. Batteries last around 1.5 hours

 

[tbone1004]

Zero issues with a few lights from Cave Adventures powered by the 16850 rechargeable batteries. They're also 1200-1300 lumens and are way more powerful than my old Dive Rite LED can light that's likely around 800 lumens. Batteries last around 1.5 hours

they're nowhere near 1200 lumens as an FYI

 

[Swedinsidemount]

This topic has been discussed but I am looking for the most recent thinking.

Background: Years / Decades ago we NEVER trusted rechargeable batteries in our cave diving backup lights because they were not reliable. We taught our students to use alkaline batteries.....

Fast Forward to today - Some / Many cave divers are now using rechargeable batteries in their cave diving backup lights. The thinking seems to be that they are now reliable enough to trust in a cave diving backup light.

I'd like to better understand the "thinking" behind this premise. What makes them better nowadays? Which ones are better? What brands are better? Is there a difference in the chargers for these batteries?

I still don't trust rechargeable, for my lights computer and even the o2 analyzer. AA batteries are still the most widely available and cost effective choice. You can't plug in a rechargeable on a dive boat now can you( at least most of the time). I always throw a couple extras in my med bag just in case. And if I run out then just pop into the gas station and there, your dive is saved.

 

[Manatee Diver]

I still don't trust rechargeable, for my lights computer and even the o2 analyzer. AA batteries are still the most widely available and cost effective choice. You can't plug in a rechargeable on a dive boat now can you( at least most of the time). I always throw a couple extras in my med bag just in case. And if I run out then just pop into the gas station and there, your dive is saved.

There are rechargeable battery packs, that you can use to charge non-replacable rechargeable batteries. I carry one with a wireless chargers built in, in case I need to charge either of my Terics. I also have used it to charge a friend's helium analyzer where the battery was low. I've also used it to keep my phone battery charged while I use it as a location tracker so I have coordinates of all my dives sites, and to see how far I drifted on a drift dive. I keep it in a small waterproof bag.

I also keep a pack of rechargeable batteries for all of my dive lights that I can quickly replace in such a scenario. Kept in a small waterproof case.

And I keep a AA and various other batteries for other scenarios. Like when someone I was diving with had their Pertrl give a low battery warning, and he found his spare AA missing.

Remember the Boy Scout motto, always be prepared. Or if you more of a Coast Guard fan semper paratus.

 

[Swedinsidemount]

There are rechargeable battery packs, that you can use to charge non-replacable rechargeable batteries. I carry one with a wireless chargers built in, in case I need to charge either of my Terics. I also have used it to charge a friend's helium analyzer where the battery was low. I've also used it to keep my phone battery charged while I use it as a location tracker so I have coordinates of all my dives sites, and to see how far I drifted on a drift dive. I keep it in a small waterproof bag.

I also keep a pack of rechargeable batteries for all of my dive lights that I can quickly replace in such a scenario. Kept in a small waterproof case.

And I keep a AA and various other batteries for other scenarios. Like when someone I was diving with had their Pertrl give a low battery warning, and he found his spare AA missing.

Remember the Boy Scout motto, always be prepared. Or if you more of a Coast Guard fan semper paratus.

I just feel like thats a whole lot of unwieldy extra stuff to carry over a small pack of batts.

 

[Manatee Diver]

I just feel like thats a whole lot of unwieldy extra stuff to carry over a small pack of batts.

It isn't, the battery charger is barely bigger than my cellphone. And the batteries aren't very big either.

 

[Lorenzoid]

I still don't trust rechargeable, for my lights computer and even the o2 analyzer. AA batteries are still the most widely available and cost effective choice. You can't plug in a rechargeable on a dive boat now can you( at least most of the time). I always throw a couple extras in my med bag just in case. And if I run out then just pop into the gas station and there, your dive is saved.

I just feel like thats a whole lot of unwieldy extra stuff to carry over a small pack of batts.

Dive boat? Maybe the thread topic has drifted, but it was originally about backup lights for cave diving. If you're going cave diving, you're likely going to have a lot more "extra" (that is, backup/spare) stuff than even what Manatee mentioned. In your car, you'll probably have a whole bin/box full of stuff you hope you won't need. A few extra batteries, whether rechargeable or not, a charger for rechargeables, and if you're going to go the alkaline route, a voltmeter.

 

[UCFKnightDiver]

they're nowhere near 1200 lumens as an FYI

Regardless still way brighter than my Dive Rite LED Can Light. Also a tighter spot. Check out the Explorer II backup lights on Cave Adventurers website Cave Adventurers - Explorer back-up lights - Marianna, Florida USA - Never Undersold!

 

[tbone1004]

Regardless still way brighter than my Dive Rite LED Can Light. Also a tighter spot. Check out the Explorer II backup lights on Cave Adventurers website Cave Adventurers - Explorer back-up lights - Marianna, Florida USA - Never Undersold!

oh, they're great lights, don't get me wrong. I love mine, just nowhere near 1200 lumen