Choosing a Canister Light

[Scott L]

I don't know much about Halcyon, but I can tell you that I've had four years of almost unbelievable customer service from the guys who comprise Light Monkey. This included overnighting new latches to me at their expense, when a latch broke shortly before a trip, and finished with the recent rush Saturday service on my light before a cave diving trip. Now, you might argue that the reason I know they have great customer service is that I've had issues with the lights, but with the amount of diving I do, and the kinds of diving I do, the lights take a beating.

There seems to be a consensus with the divers/posters that I respect the most. Order goes in tomorrow. Thanks!

 

[adm3745]

If your looking to get rid of that LED I would be willing to trade my h10 that I had upgraded with the H1000 reflector and housing. You can focus it all you want.

I would consider it but It's a DIY and I spent alot of hours in the machine shop working on it. I'll be giving it to my girlfriend for when she dives with me.

Thanks for the offer though.

 

[metaldector]

Unless you just want to stimulate the economy and spend money and since . . . "Right now I am running a 700 Lumen LED Can light that is brighter than a 10w HID. It has been fantastic in Caverns but I cannot get it to focus very well. Do I need a tight focus with alot of throw at these sites?"

. . . .you have a light, why not call your instructor and discuss it with him. After you have had some training you might then be better informed on the type of light you really need for your cave diving. The Want to Sell postings are full of dive equipment purchased with the best intensions only to find out later they bought the wrong thing or they are not even interested anymore.

Recently, a friend of mine took his apprentice cave course with some folks from England, seems one guy with all of the bright new equipment bolted shortly after the first dive and gave up cave diving. Bravo for him, it wasn't his thing. Now there is a guy who is selling his cave equipment.

 

[scubafanatic]

....so Salvo went out of business...reopened as Leviathan.....and now is known as Light Monkey ??? ...what's up with that ??? ...are they still on the run from Halcyon's laswyers ?

 

[b1gcountry]

I saw an awful lot of folks diving with 10W HIDs last week in Florida. It seemed more than adequate, and I could even see their lights fairly well when I was in front of them with my 21W.

Tom

 

[Scott L]

I saw an awful lot of folks diving with 10W HIDs last week in Florida. It seemed more than adequate, and I could even see their lights fairly well when I was in front of them with my 21W.

Tom

But if you were aquiring a new light which one would you select? An up-grade from an exsisting light is whole different thought process...

 

[Atomic_Diver]

The Dive Rite HID 1000 Slimline has a 15W HID bulb as supposed to the HID 10W, and is brighter then the 10W, but not as bright as the Salvo 21W HID, however the Dive Rite LED Lux canister light is just about as bright as the HID 1000 and the bulb last way longer then the HID bulbs, and is not as easily damaged by a drop as the more fragile HID light models...Over all Dive Rite makes some pretty wicked lights, and Salvo too, I would highly reccomend either brand as supposed to Haclyon, or OMS brand HID Canister light.. not that the other brands are bad, but Dive Rite and Salvo in my opinion are a more popular choice...but thats just my opinion.....

 

[giles45shop]

You don't "need" a 21W HID for caves in general (IMHO). However; there is a quite a bit of difference between 10W lights. I have a Salvo 10W focusable HID. I regularly cave dive w/ buddies who have 10W dive rite MR11 and Halcyon 10W lights (older one). Mine is noticeably brighter and more focused. They thought I had a 21W!

I have not dove w/ anyone who has a 21W LED, so I can't compare that. But I have dove w/ several people who have the LED's that claim they are just as bright as a 10W. They are similar to my Salvo, but certainly not significantly brighter (IMHO).

In general, you'll be okay with any higher powered LED or HID. One thing that nobody mentioned is burn time. You want at least 4 hrs for a cave light. So if you go w/ a new 21W HID, don't go w/ the smallest battery pack. For me, that was the ultimate decision maker. I lusted after a new 21W Salvo, but the cost w/ the bigger battery pack drove it out of my comfort range. So I ended up spending $425 on a barely used 10W focusable Salvo w 4 hr burn time and have been very happy w/ it.

John

 

[rjack321]

....so Salvo went out of business...reopened as Leviathan.....and now is known as Light Monkey ??? ...what's up with that ??? ...are they still on the run from Halcyon's laswyers ?

Salvo/Barry is on the run.

Corey and Joel are not. Leviathan apparently still had too many of Salvo's assets to be clear of Halcyon's lawsuit. Hence their need to create Light Monkey as a company.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

....so Salvo went out of business...reopened as Leviathan.....and now is known as Light Monkey ??? ...what's up with that ??? ...are they still on the run from Halcyon's laswyers ?

Simple answer ... no.

I was down there and spent some time with Corey at their new shop last week-end. Basically there is no more issue between them and Halcyon ... there has been a settlement and a legal agreement.

As for Light Monkey, I've been dealing with these folks since the earliest days of Salvo and they provide top-shelf lights and customer service.

Back to the original topic ... it might behoove you to find out what your dive buddies are using. If your light is significantly less powerful than theirs, then it won't be a problem when you're in the lead, but it may be when you're following ... as their light will tend to wash out yours and they won't be able to read your signals. I dive an old 18W Salvo HID, and although I have no problems diving with the folks using the 21/24W lights, when diving with someone using a 35W they have problems seeing my light when I'm behind them. In a cave, it's always best if you can within reason match your light intensity with that of the other folks you're diving with.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)