Dive “beacon” xtar or orca

[Eric802]

Yeah, I wish they'd design these to be positively buoyant. Everyone wants to discourage Cyalume sticks because they're disposable, but at least those float up over your tank.

 

[lexvil]

Yeah, I wish they'd design these to be positively buoyant. Everyone wants to discourage Cyalume sticks because they're disposable, but at least those float up over your tank.

I’m going to look around for some floaty stuff and see if there is an unobtrusive way to make it slightly positive.

 

[stuartv]

I'm thinking I can make something work with just a bungee loop that goes around the tank neck and a loop over/around the handwheel, to keep it from rotating around to the front of the tank. I just haven't played with it yet.

I don't think it HAS to be positive, as long as it stays put on the correct side of the tank somewhere roughly at the top.

 

[lexvil]

I'm thinking I can make something work with just a bungee loop that goes around the tank neck and a loop over/around the handwheel, to keep it from rotating around to the front of the tank. I just haven't played with it yet.

I don't think it HAS to be positive, as long as it stays put on the correct side of the tank somewhere roughly at the top.

That should work for it as a tank marker, I’m thinking of it also as an exit marker while traveling some place like an island where the structure is unfamiliar or non distinct.

 

[stuartv]

That should work for it as a tank marker, I’m thinking of it also as an exit marker while traveling some place like an island where the structure is unfamiliar or non distinct.

Ah. The last time I needed that, we took a reel and SMB. Tied the reel off to something solid, put a small amount of air in the SMB, and hung a strobe on the SMB. Worked perfectly.

Bonus points if you can insert the strobe/marker light into the SMB so that it makes the whole SMB light up from the inside. Now THAT is an Exit sign!

 

[lexvil]

Some good news and bad news

An aluminum 35mm film canister provides just the right buoyancy to float the xtar in fresh water, the bad news is an aluminum 35mm film canister is just right

 

[coolfilmaker]

I ordered mine without a rechargeable battery since I have a bunch of CR123A cells that I'll probably never use otherwise and it lasts longer with them. That may be the difference. I actually have two and the problem is pretty much the same with both. It will change mode just banging around as I walk. I attached mine to the tank valve with a length of shock cord.