Difference between tank lights and hand held

[Burner]

Can someone explain the advantage of a tank light vs. a hand held light?
Would a 10W HID handheld light give the same amount of light as a 10W HID tank light? Assuming they are at the same voltage.

I was just playing with my C8 light, and noticed I can fit 20 AA 2200mAH batteries into it. This would give me 12v at 4.4AH if I converted it to a HID light. Basically my question is will this give the same amount of light?

I do understand that it would be less comfortable then the tank light style, also with a tank light I should be able to do 20 C batteries and get about double the time, or 40 AA batteries.

 

[pipedope]

A 10W hand light (Light Cannon tm) and a 10W cannister light (both HID) will give the same light.

The tank light has a few advantages.
First, the major weight stays in the same place on your body so using the light does not change your trim.
If you need longer burn time it is easy to use a bigger cannister (tank).
Having the light head on a Goodman handle allows you to use the light and also use the same hand for other tasks like running a reel.

The hand light is simple and less expensive.

Remember also to consider the advantages (sometime need) to have gear that matches the dive team.

 

[ScubaRon]

A tank light is a light that is mounted on top of your tank for the purpose of keeping buddy contact during night dives: it is an alternative for the chemical lightsticks many people use for that purpose.

However I think you meant canister light, which is basically a light where the batteries are mounted in a separate canister and connected to the lamp and lens via a cable. The canister can be attached to your tank, BC or harnass. This setup makes it easier to carry very large amounts of batteries, which is a big plus for cave, wreck and S&R diving and videography.

When comparing canister and handheld lights the light output will be approx. the same if the wattage is the same and the bulb type is the same. I.o.w. a 10W Xenon canister light and a 10W Xenon handheld light will have about the same light output.

I would be careful about trying to convert a halogen light to a HID light. Proper cooling of bulbs is critical for longevity of bulbs and if your HID bulb fails prematurely you may end up spending more than buying a new light. Of course if you dive in very cold waters this may not be an issue...
ScubaRon

 

[Haisu]

@ Burner

Just have a look right here, seems to be a good illustration concerning your question:

http://www.mal-lighting.com/html/products.html