Help please

[sje1987]

hi everyone,

I'm after a bit of advice. I'm due to go on my first liveabord in January in the Red Sea. im looking for a couple of torches which I can use whilst doing the night dives. Never done a night dive before so not sure whether it's going to be something I'm going to continue doing so I don't really want to spend a fortune on equipment. Does anyone have any advice.

Thanks in advance

 

[Bratface]

If you don't want to spend a lot of money, check with your local dive shop and see if they will rent lights to you for your trip. Do you know any divers who may loan you theirs? A good dive light isn't cheap so if you aren't sure about making this kind of investment, renting or borrowing may be the best for you right now.

Both of my dive lights are manufactured by Big Blue. My big one is 900 lumen, adjustable beam and has a rechargeable battery. It shines brightly in complete darkness and can reliably run for one hour on a charge. It's not huge or heavy so it's good to travel with but you do need to take the charger along. The other one is my backup and I have used it for night dives and it was good, just not as bright because it's smaller. It uses three AAA batteries.

I purchased the big one directly from their website at a great savings as it was reconditioned. I checked their web page and they serve the UK. Go to the webpage, bigbluedivelights.com. Click on your region and then click products. You will see the new, reconditioned and discontinued lights.

Another website to check is divegearexpress.com. They have some great products and a lot of information to help you chose the right light. They sell all kinds of quality dive gear but I'm not certain about their shipping to the UK.

 

[Jayfarmlaw]

Not sure what shipping would be to the UK, but the DGX 600 light is $50 shipped in the US and is good for almost an hour of light. They come with a battery and charger. I also have a DGX 800 that is only slightly brighter but uses 2 batteries instead of 1.

They will put our all the light anyone would even need on a dive, although it is a pretty tight beam. I understand that there are better batteries out there that will give longer service, but 2 lights will outlast most tanks on a recreational dive.

My wife used my 600 on a dive and I had to buy her 2 of her own.

They have the twist on and off switch and only one setting. eBay has some dive lights for around $25 with multiple settings and a magnetic switch....but I trust the DGX lights. We now have 4 of them an a slew of others. The DGX's go on vacation dives with us.

Don't forget to turn the light off underwater and move your hand hard in front of your face. Night dives are the best!!

Good luck, safe travels,
Jay

 

[ColoDale]

I have used Underwater Knetics (UK) mini Q40s which are about $40-45 USD. Twist on and off and decent beam - not too wide or narrow. Honestly now I use my video light on my camera now but the Q40s worked well. Not too heavy and take 4x AA batteries. Never had a leak with them. I did with my first smaller lights which were Princetontec - I have a box of those. UK Q40s have a bigger oring and more threads. Better oring groove I think. Depends on what you can get in the UK.

 

[KeithG]

Amp 1L w/ Bottle Opener & Cone | Princeton Tec

this has barely enough light, but at the price point buy 2 until you decide if you like night diving. the use these as tank marker lights after you buy a real light.

about 200 lumens is enough for clear warm water.

 

[sje1987]

thank you all for taking time to respond ill have a look at the suggestions that you have made.

in relation to renting the equipment i'm not sure that my LDS has these for hire but then again I haven't really looked or enquired into this route may be worth a look.

 

[Bratface]

I would gladly loan you mine if you were near. It has been suggested by another poster to turn off your dive light to observe bioluminescence. Never turn off your light on a night dive. If it would flood or fail, you are searching around for your back up and then repair/replacement. It may not happen often but it does happen. (I had one explode underwater when it leaked). Just place the beam of your light right against your wetsuit. You will be able to observe without risking your light failing.

 

[Diver0001]

hi everyone,

I'm after a bit of advice. I'm due to go on my first liveabord in January in the Red Sea. im looking for a couple of torches which I can use whilst doing the night dives. Never done a night dive before so not sure whether it's going to be something I'm going to continue doing so I don't really want to spend a fortune on equipment. Does anyone have any advice.

Thanks in advance

I've dived quite a bit in the Red Sea (ok, 150 dives or so, so it's all relative) but I like night diving and I've always been really happy with my 5 watt LED (500 lumen) light on the reefs. At home I normally use this as a backup light but in Egypt I found it perfect as a primary light during night dives.

BTW, if you are going to be there during a full moon then I would highly recommend doing a (shallowish) night dive using just the moon light. I've had the opportunity to do this and it was really special.

R..

 

[sje1987]

I would gladly loan you mine if you were near. It has been suggested by another poster to turn off your dive light to observe bioluminescence. Never turn off your light on a night dive. If it would flood or fail, you are searching around for your back up and then repair/replacement. It may not happen often but it does happen. (I had one explode underwater when it leaked). Just place the beam of your light right against your wetsuit. You will be able to observe without risking your light failing.

im sure ill get sorted haha.

the last thing on my mind especially my first dive would be to turn my light off. but holding it against my wet suit seems like a great idea.

exploding torches does not sound like a pleasant thing to experience.

 

[sje1987]

I've dived quite a bit in the Red Sea (ok, 150 dives or so, so it's all relative) but I like night diving and I've always been really happy with my 5 watt LED (500 lumen) light on the reefs. At home I normally use this as a backup light but in Egypt I found it perfect as a primary light during night dives.

BTW, if you are going to be there during a full moon then I would highly recommend doing a (shallowish) night dive using just the moon light. I've had the opportunity to do this and it was really special.

R..

I'll bear that in mind when im looking at torches relating to the lumen. i know most of the torches i have looked at/seen have been 1000+ lumen but if i could get away with a 500 that opens up the search field a little bit more.

that does sound pretty cool diving just under the strength of the natural light from the moon. Fingers crossed we are as that would be another tick of my growing list of diving firsts