Dive light help

[DIVESeekers Jason]

Hello Bond, ScubaBond,

I Agree with all of the great information you've received in this thread, I especially liked how everyone shared their actual experience with the lights educational tips and configuration suggestions.

You had asked what the "eLED" is, here you go: The unique electrical properties of the LED make it possible to attach it to an electronic circuit which controls power from the batteries in a flashlight in such a way that brightness and color of the beam remain constant as the batteries drain.


Princeton Tex uses a MAXBRIGHT LED it's the highest quality LED available from Lumileds, Princeton TecÃÔ Maxbright LED is extremely bright and efficient. This single LED emits a smooth, powerful, white light useful for a wide range of tasks. Princeton Tec uses collimators or reflectors with the Maxbright LED depending upon the application.


Here are a couple of differences between the UK SL4 and the Princeton Tec Torrent LED

The UK SL4 has 116 Lumen out put with 10-12 hour burn time.

The Princeton Tec Torrent LED has 95 Lumen out put with 30 Hour burn time.

*Although the UK is putting out an additional 21 Lumens over the PT (it's probably not noticeable with the naked eye) the PT Torrent LED has a considerable difference in burn time.

What you've read elsewhere is true (UK and Princeton Tec are great lights). IMHO you should buy a Princeton Tec Torrent as a primary and a Princeton Tec Tec 40 as a backup. If you decide later on down the road that you want something brighter as a primary, both of these will function beautiful as 2 great backups like "RJP" said.

We have the Princeton Tec lights in stock now at a great price. PM, email, or call me if you want to discuss further. We'd be happy to put together a great package price on two Princeton Tec Torrent lights and two Princeton Tec Tec 40 lights for you and your wife. We have them in stock and can ship them out same day. I forgot to mention (Lifetime Warranty!) If these lights break, flood, fall apart 1, 3, 5, 10 etc.. years from now, send the light back to us and we will replace it.

PS - you're going to love Roatan! The reef systems are teaming with aquatic life. On our last trip we saw free swimming green moray eels, frog fish and juvenile drum fish, just to name few. Be sure to bring or rent a camera because Roatan is great for photography.

Cheers

 

[george w]

I agree with two lights. My wife and I were diving cenotes and her light went dead. She pulled out her back up light and it was fine. Ten minutes later mine went out I had my back up. In the cenotes is like night diving. When the lights go out it is black. I would not want to dive without a second.

 

[Jorgy]

Eco Flare is a great tank marker, for those dive ops that require a tank marker light for night diving. With the red LED it seems to last forever, the package says 50 hours from 2 AAA batteries........I think it is a much better option than a chem light which seems to be a standard out there.

I also own the Princeton Tec Strobe.......

M

 

[Bond ScubaBond]

I was at my LDS today and I like the torrent, but was thinking of getting the Impact XL as back up solely because it is a LED and has a longer burn time than the Tec 40. Any disadvantages?

 

[Bond ScubaBond]

I have lot of exprience with MH-Ni batteries and the AA cells not only hold more than twice as much energy as AAA but are more robust and less prone to failure. For diving I'd stick with AA cells and definitely avoid the watch batteries and all the odd shaped ones.

Adam

I agree, when needed, finding those awkward batteries in remote parts of the world can be difficult. I'll stick with the common kind.

 

[Jorgy]

I too own an Impact XL......

Not very bright if it is your only light, bright enough to red gauges and head to the surface, I doubt you would continue a full darkness (no moon) night dive with one......

I also don't like twist on/off lights, when turning it off you can "over open" it and then it could flood........of course the PT warranty would cover it......

When I dive the light, I turn it on before I hit the water and it stays on the entire dive.

It is a great dive boat light........

I would find something with an on/off switch and that is more powerful......a Torrent LED perhapes........

Hope this helps.......M

 

[Bond ScubaBond]

I too own an Impact XL......

Not very bright if it is your only light, bright enough to red gauges and head to the surface, I doubt you would continue a full darkness (no moon) night dive with one......

I also don't like twist on/off lights, when turning it off you can "over open" it and then it could flood........of course the PT warranty would cover it......

When I dive the light, I turn it on before I hit the water and it stays on the entire dive.

It is a great dive boat light........

I would find something with an on/off switch and that is more powerful......a Torrent LED perhapes........


Hope this helps.......M

OK then, so what would you recommend as a decent LED backup light? One that I could use to finish[U my dive with as oppossed to end it on? Should I just get 2 Torrents and be done with it?

 

[Jorgy]

If it were me I would buy one each, a Torrent and a Torrent LED.......

The Torrent as your primary dive light and the LED as your backup........

Why - LED offers durability and battery life, great for gearing up on the boat and other on shore uses, I always find myself using a flashlight while traveling.......while the Torrent offers the power for great night dives.....

I also always dive with a light, even during the day, just in case I find myself floating alone in the dark (you know the Open Water scenario), the long lasting LED light would make me feel much better, may sound a little paranoid but that's me, better safe than sorry......

Right now, I don't own a Torrent LED, that is my next purchase.....

Used Torrent LED's for Cenote dives with my son in early 2008 - they were flawless, the Dive Op said best light for price/battery life/brightness/durably they had ever had.

Hope this helps......M

 

[RJP]

I was at my LDS today and I like the torrent, but was thinking of getting the Impact XL as back up solely because it is a LED and has a longer burn time than the Tec 40. Any disadvantages?

How much burn time do you need on a backup light with which you're really only going to end a dive?

I'd go with the Tec 40 for my backup. You can get TWO of them for the price of one Impact XL.

 

[Hatul]

If it were me I would buy one each, a Torrent and a Torrent LED.......


I also always dive with a light, even during the day, just in case I find myself floating alone in the dark (you know the Open Water scenario), the long lasting LED light would make me feel much better, may sound a little paranoid but that's me, better safe than sorry......


Hope this helps......M

That's a good point. And for this purpose I'd like a compact light with a long burn time.
Adam