Dos and Don'ts with Salvo 21 W Li Ion HiD

[AlexMDiver]

Just got my new Salvo 21 W Li Ion HID (7.2 A) canister. It is a beautiful piece of engineering....I can't wait to take it in the water. The light is super bright, I am amazed. :14:

My question is:

Since there was no manual in the box, what are the dos and don'ts with this light? i.e. anything I am not supposed to do such as switch it off within 30 secs, anything I have to watch for when charging, storing, using the light?

I noticed the light flickers a little (very slightly) in the few minutes after I turn it on. Is this just when I turn it on and once warm it should go away?

Can I switch it on for longer periods outside the water, or will it overheat?

Can it take average dive-boat knocks or is it very sensitive?

Sorry if the questions have been discussed before, it is my first HID.

Any advice would be great.

Thanks,
Alex

 

[TSandM]

Well, I can't answer all your questions, but the little bit of flickering when you first turn it on is normal.

I have the NIMH version of the same light. Reportedly, you can bang the light head on a table and it will survive. I'm reasonably careful with mine, but it's taken a mild bang or two (the clip came untied and the light head fell off my harness and hit the ground) and has survived thus far.

There was an extensive discussion of HID lights and your other questions about how long it should burn before being turned off, and whether you can run them out of the water, and I think it was here. Some very knowledgeable engineering type people chimed in. What I got out of the discussion was that you COULD run the light in air for a while, although it will get very hot, and that it should run for a period of time before being switched off and back on again, but how long that period of time should be varied in recommendation from 30 seconds to a couple of minutes.

Congratulations, by the way -- you will LOVE this light. It's my favorite piece of gear, hands down.

 

[JeffG]

Usually its best to not power it off until it get to full brightness. (ie If you turn it on...kepp it on for a bit before turning it off). The flicker is normal.

I'm not sure about your batteries though, mine is the Nimh style.

Its a tough light but I would still get a beer coolie for it. (a foam "mug" that holds cans of beer) Use it over the light head. Take it off just before you get into the water.

I've had my light on above water. I try not to do it too much though. The blub/testtube get very hot. And if you jump into the water like that, it might break the test tube (I've seen that happen)

 

[AlexMDiver]

Usually its best to not power it off until it get to full brightness. (ie If you turn it on...kepp it on for a bit before turning it off). The flicker is normal.

I'm not sure about your batteries though, mine is the Nimh style.

Its a tough light but I would still get a beer coolie for it. (a foam "mug" that holds cans of beer) Use it over the light head. Take it off just before you get into the water.

I've had my light on above water. I try not to do it too much though. The blub/testtube get very hot. And if you jump into the water like that, it might break the test tube (I've seen that happen)

Thanks for the comments. I am surprised that the glass should break, I would have thought they use pyrex for the glass for the bulb (I am a chemist, I know about htis stuff).

Great idea with the beer coolie. I have an old one from a rum runner bar from the Florida Keys. Would be perfect on it.

Thanks,
A.

 

[JeffG]

Thanks for the comments. I am surprised that the glass should break, I would have thought they use pyrex for the glass for the bulb (I am a chemist, I know about htis stuff).

It was at an ice dive. The water was 33deg F, so maybe that made a difference.

 

[AlexMDiver]

Congratulations, by the way -- you will LOVE this light. It's my favorite piece of gear, hands down.

Thanks. I am so excited, it is like X-mas. I was thinking about taking the light into my bath tub. Only another week and then I will take it on a trip.

Any suggestions for air travel? Will they allow me to take it as hand luggage, or should I just take the light head and put the battery in the main luggage. I suppose it is an item that security will spot in the x-ray and want to take another look at.

A.

 

[SparticleBrane]

I suppose it is an item that security will spot in the x-ray and want to take another look at.

Translation: "Please look at my new light!"

Here and here are some good articles about proper HID care. Hope you enjoy the light!

 

[*Floater*]

Store the batteries in your fridge and don't charge them until the night before your dive. Li-ions lose about 20% of capacity per year if stored at 100% charge in room temp versus about 2% if stored in a fridge at about 40% charge. (source) But don't burn them in your bathtub either to bring down the charge or to test them. Use a burn tested for that type of stuff if you wish.

 

[double80s]

Here's everything you need to know. Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[AlexMDiver]

Floater,

Do you have to be careful to over-discharge them like NiMH? (will it kill the battery?)
Do you store them in a zip lock bag to keep out moisture from the fridge?

Thanks,
Alex