How Is This Light?

[pepperbelly]

I have a DGX 600 LED light. It's small and fits easily in a pocket and is reasonably bright, but it only has a one hour runtime.
I need 2 lights anyway for night diving, and have been looking around.
I found this light, 1000 Lumen Dive Light . It has a 5 hour runtime.
Would this be acceptably as a primary light?

 

[Jack Hammer]

I have a DGX 600 LED light. It's small and fits easily in a pocket and is reasonably bright, but it only has a one hour runtime.
I need 2 lights anyway for night diving, and have been looking around.
I found this light, 1000 Lumen Dive Light . It has a 5 hour runtime.
Would this be acceptably as a primary light?

It's a 3 C cell light. I have several and have been carrying them as backups for tech diving for several years. I have used them as primaries and they work well. It's a nice light with good output and is very reliable, especially for the price.

 

[eelnoraa]

Both are good lights. DRIS 1000 3C is about the same brightness as your DGX600 when both has new batteries, with slight edge going to DGX600. But DRIS 3C will run a lot longer in full brightness. They both use the same LED. the actual lumen value is about 300-350. If you are happy with DGX brightness, you will be happy with DRIS1000 too.

 

[muzikbiz22]

Both are good lights. DRIS 1000 3C is about the same brightness as your DGX600 when both has new batteries, with slight edge going to DGX600. But DRIS 3C will run a lot longer in full brightness.

Your summation is dead on, agree. I have both, but use the DGX600 most of the time. Best $50 ever spent. I might suggest an upgraded 18650, such as a Panasonic/Japanese protected cell, 3300/3400 mah. I have the one from Subgravity.

 

[pepperbelly]

It's a 3 C cell light. I have several and have been carrying them as backups for tech diving for several years. I have used them as primaries and they work well. It's a nice light with good output and is very reliable, especially for the price.

I won't be doing tech diving, at least fro a while. This would be just for night diving. I need 2 lights for my AOW course.

 

[muzikbiz22]

I won't be doing tech diving, at least fro a while. This would be just for night diving. I need 2 lights for my AOW course.

There's a couple of ways to go here; 1 - The DGX600 is more than capable as a night torch. 2 - Don't think of the DRIS as a "tech" torch. 3 - I own both. If it's a night dive, the DRIS 3 cell is my primary, and the DGX600 is my B/U. If I had 2 of the DGX600, I would use both those as Primary and B/U. Some food for thought here in moving forward; DGX has a new 2 x 18650, the DGX800 , that I am wanting to get. I'm thinking it's the perfect fit for long burn time & compactness.

 

[pepperbelly]

The DGX 800 only has a 90 minute runtime. My 600 has an hour. The DRIS light has a 5 hour runtime.
I won't be down that long but it would enable me to turn it on and leave it on for the entire dive without worrying if it had a full complete charge, plus enough reserve time to signal on the surface and/or illuminate the SMB.
I am open to other ideas, but I do want an LED light with a long runtime that I can afford.
If I ever do venture into wreck or cave diving I will get a canister light of some kind. For now it will just be for OW night dives.

 

[eelnoraa]

IMO, DGX800 is too long for what it offers. The reason I love DGX600 is the compact size. DGX800 in the same size categories as DRIS1000 3C, but doesn't offer the same run time. Even the top 18650 has about 3400mAh. 2 batteries in series doesn't offer more mAh.

Granted the series will maintain above driver's drop out voltage for longer, but 18650 cell really shouldn't be operated below about 2.8V, or 5.6V with 2 in series. This is still way above the driver's drop out range, but the batteries should really be charged at this point. This incompatible design is why doubling the battery only increase run time by 50%. If you are doing rec dive, you are much better off with the 600, then swap the 18650 in SI

On the other hand, a typical C cell offers 6000-8000mAh. C cells are easily available for low cost, not to mention alkaline Is more reliable. If at the same physical size, this is even a bigger winner

 

[stuartv]

I totally agree with eelnoraa and muzikbiz22.

The DGX800 is too long to mount in a soft Goodman handle and carry on the back of your hand comfortably. Or, I think so, anyway.

I have 2 of the DGX600. I got some Sanyo 18650 batteries from a Canadian supplier off eBay a while back. They are rated at 3400mAh. I have tested them (with an Opus BT-C3400 charger/tester) and they all test at 3300 -3400. With them, the DGX600 lasts PLENTY long to complete a night dive. I believe it lasts somewhere around 90 minutes.

Thus, for what you are talking about, I would get 2 of the DGX600 and 2 of the 3400mAh batteries. The stock batteries that come with the DGX600 tested out right at what they are rated for (2600?).

So, for 2 night dives, start with your primary light with a 3400 in it and the backup light with a 2600 in it. If you do a second night dive, change the primary light to your second, fresh 3400. You shouldn't be using the backup, so you wouldn't need to change the battery. But, if your primary light fails during the first dive, you use the backup. Then, for the second dive, if you're able to get your primary going again, use the fresh 3400 in it and use the fresh 2600 in your backup.

Get an Opus charger and you can charge all 4 batteries at once and also keep tabs on their current capacity, so you can pretty well avoid getting in the water and having a battery die prematurely.

Also, just my experience, I had a DGX600 and a DGX MAX. The MAX died after about 2 months for no apparent reason. There was no visible water inside. DGX replaced it without question. But, at my request, I got a second 600 instead of another MAX. The MAX promised to be able to be turned on and off with one hand. In practice, the On/Off ring was stiff enough to turn that I could not do it with one hand. And I am a 6' 1", 220 pound guy that is of average strength for my size. Also, once or twice I tried to turn on the MAX and ended up twisting the head instead of the On/Off ring. All in all, I think the 600 is a better design. There are other lights that are nicer - that give truly one-handed one/off and also variable brightness and an LED indicator for battery charge level. But, AFAIK, they are over $100, so I would still just stick with the DGX 600 and put a fresh battery in before each dive.

 

[pepperbelly]

I hadn't thought about using 2 of the DGX 600 lights with one as a primary.
I only used the one I have during day dives to look under reef overhangs. It was bright enough for that so I am curious how it will be at night. It is a very handy size.
I won't be entering caves or wrecks so I don't need a high end light.