Has Anyone Seen Underwater Flares?

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jsado

Contributor
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Location
upstate NY
# of dives
50 - 99
I think it would be really cool to have an underwater flare for night diving. Do these things even exist? Well, I know they exist because I've seen the underwater olympic torch. That thing uses an underwater flare inside of it. Does anyone here have any experience with these? Can I buy an underwater flare somewhere at a reasonable price?
 
Sounds familiar from SeaHunt but it's been along time and that was Hollywood.
 
I think some flares will continue to burn underwater. I realy wouldn't want to dive with one though. Magnesium burns HOT! I rolled an old VW van once and watched it burn down. The magnesium transmission case actualy caught fire and WOW, whata show!
 
I think it would be really cool to have an underwater flare for night diving. Do these things even exist? Well, I know they exist because I've seen the underwater olympic torch. That thing uses an underwater flare inside of it. Does anyone here have any experience with these? Can I buy an underwater flare somewhere at a reasonable price?
Yes, you can see some in old diving films like "The Silent World." A Broco thermite welding rod would likely serve.
 
Make your own. Here's the recipe:

Underwater Flare - Ellern no 36
Magnesium 16%
Aluminium 12%
Barium Sulfate 40%
Barium Nitrate 32%
Binder: 8 parts linseed oil, 1 part manganese dioxide

http://www.pyrosociety.org.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=2399&mode=linear

If it starts to smell like ammonia get rid of it fast. The magnesium needs to be coated with the linseed oil.

I've seen those old movies with the flares but never heard of anyone having one, I know a lot of pryotechnicians and somebody always has odd stuff.

I misfired one of those cardboard tube rocket rescue parachute flares. It was in my hand hissing and getting hot. I tossed it in the ocean and it had a nice red glow underwater.

Another time we had a parachute flare land on deck. A fire extinguisher didn't put it out. It got kicked over the side and burned as it sank.

Getting something to burn underwater isn't a problem as long as it has an oxidizer, getting it lit seems to be the problem.

Those Broco rods are impressive. I saw a guy use a 5 ft x 6 inch one to burn out a frozen shaft on a crane. You have to be licensed to get the big ones, they'll cut through anything, vaults, cement, you name it.
 
Those Broco rods are impressive. I saw a guy use a 5 ft x 6 inch one to burn out a frozen shaft on a crane. You have to be licensed to get the big ones, they'll cut through anything, vaults, cement, you name it.
We used them to "drill" holes in a granitic rock face to mount permanent transect lines.
 
Have you considered the pollution that goes with burning a flare underwater? What about "Take only pictures, leave only bubbles"?
 
Have you considered the pollution that goes with burning a flare underwater? What about "Take only pictures, leave only bubbles"?

Yeah good point. I never really considered it I guess.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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