How to attach & use a handheld light

[anchochile]

I just got a DGX600 for use in daytime dives in the often-dark kelp forest. After reading lots of old threads on how to stow dive lights, I'm a bit confused.

Sounds like the standard advice is to attach the light to the right shoulder D-ring using a bolt snap, and then using elastic band to secure the light to the harness so it doesn't dangle.

Here's what I'm unclear on: does this mean that, to use the light, you unclip the bolt-snap so that the light is held in your hand and not secured to your gear in any way?

I have two concerns with that:

1. Seems like it would be easy to drop the light, especially wearing thick gloves.
2. If I'm using the light intermittently throughout the dive, seems like it would be annoying to have to unsnap & resnap it to the D-ring multiple times throughout the dive.

Is this just what people do? Unclip the bolt snap from the D-ring every time you want to use the light during a dive, and try your best not to drop it?

Or is common to have a longer length of line between the light & the bolt snap so you can keep it clipped on the D-ring while still using the light, and maybe just tuck it back into the elastic band when not using?

 

[scubarushu]

It's what I've been doing, but I'm curious to see what more experienced divers have to say on the subject. First time I took my new light out on a dive, it cut the line (knot was fine) as I was re-snapping it. Ended up doing that and the next dive just holding the light in my hand and hoping to not need to do anything requiring both hands.

I didn't want to litter the ocean with the little bit of line that I'd used to tie the light to the snap and I didn't have any pockets, so I held it between my fingers for probably 10 mins. Then decided I needed to find a better solution because I was sure I'd lose it that way as it was a bit tricky holding the light and the line. My solution was to tuck it up between the bottom of my vest and full wetsuit, and it made it all the way out to shore with me where I could dispose of it!

 

[RIHappyDiver]

I use a light a lot during day dives, mainly to peek under rocks and ledges. I do have bolt snaps on my lights, but more for when I am using them as backup on a night dive. For day dives you can use the lanyard that comes with the light or a light sock. At the recommendation of @tbone1004 I picked up an Oxycheck Raider III light sock from Cave Adventurers. I never dive without it.

Erik

 

[Lorenzoid]

. . . Here's what I'm unclear on: does this mean that, to use the light, you unclip the bolt-snap so that the light is held in your hand and not secured to your gear in any way?

Yes.

I have two concerns with that:

1. Seems like it would be easy to drop the light, especially wearing thick gloves.
2. If I'm using the light intermittently throughout the dive, seems like it would be annoying to have to unsnap & resnap it to the D-ring multiple times throughout the dive.

Is this just what people do? Unclip the bolt snap from the D-ring every time you want to use the light during a dive, and try your best not to drop it?

Or is common to have a longer length of line between the light & the bolt snap so you can keep it clipped on the D-ring while still using the light, and maybe just tuck it back into the elastic band when not using?

On a daytime dive, I unclip it when I want to look at something, and then re-clip it. If I am likely to want to use the light more than once during the dive, I might not re-stow it under the elastic band but rather just re-clip it and let it dangle.

People do sometimes drop hand-held lights, so be careful. That's one of the advantages of a relatively economical DGX600: if you happen to drop it into the abyss, you're only out $60. I can't imagine the horror of dropping a $500 or $1000 light. Some of the cave/wreck divers apparently use hand-held lights that cost over $1000 with no tether.

 

[anchochile]

For day dives you can use the lanyard that comes with the light or a light sock.

How do you use the lanyard? Just cinch it around your wrist, and let the light dangle from your wrist when not in use? Or is it attached to your BC?

At the recommendation of @tbone1004 I picked up an Oxycheck Raider III light sock from Cave Adventurers. I never dive without it.

That looks like a great solution, but I'm thinking it might not work with a twist-on-and-off light like the DGX600, which requires two hands to turn on/off in my experience.

 

[Lorenzoid]

. . . I picked up an Oxycheck Raider III light sock from Cave Adventurers. I never dive without it.

I use that same light sock (yeah, thanks tbone) but only for night dives. If I am only intermittently using the light during the dive, I just re-clip it.

 

[Lorenzoid]

. . .
That looks like a great solution, but I'm thinking it might not work with a twist-on-and-off light like the DGX600, which requires two hands to turn on/off in my experience.

I use a DGX600 in that same light sock. It works fine. I don't wear thick gloves, though, and I just leave the light on throughout the dive. As I mentioned above, I only use it for night dives. But no reason not to leave the light on all the time during a daytime dive, so long as you plan for recharging.

 

[anchochile]

I use a DGX600 in that same light sock. It works fine. I don't wear thick gloves, though.

So does the sock grip it tightly enough that you can turn the light on & off by twisting with just one hand, against the tension of the sock?

 

[Lorenzoid]

So does the sock grip it tightly enough that you can turn the light on & off by twisting with just one hand, against the tension of the sock?

Sorry--I wasn't clear. No, it doesn't grip tightly enough, which is why I would recommend just leaving the light on throughout the dive. A fully charged 18650 battery should last a good long dive. Of course, you could remove the light sock from your hand, and then twist it on/off, and replace it on your hand. But I suppose that's no less troublesome than re-clipping on a D-ring.

 

[divad]

I just clip the hand-held light to my wrist-gauge bungee. Is that so wrong?