IMPACT XL 4AA LED Light

[cmm1970]

Are any of you using this light? I am considering it for a backup light to my Light and Motion Classic Focus Light and Modeling Lights on my strobes. I would like to know if it is reliable for a stand point of frequent use without flooding and I also would like to know about the light beam. Is it even and bright. Bottom line this thing for me.

Thanks,
Mike

 

[ScottyK]

My lady has one as her backup,and has been using it for about seven months. Here is the bottom line, per your request

It's not as bright as my SL6, but it's bright enough for use as a backup. The 50 hour burn time is excellent. One set of AA's in the spring has lasted until November. We frequently use our backups during daytime dives to poke around in crevasses and such. I went through 3 sets of C batteries in the same period with my conventional light.

The LED bulb lasts longer and is more resistant to impact damage, which is what initially attracted us to this light. Obviously, you want your backup to be there when you really need it. It's been clipped to her harness through about 80 dives this year. It's been down to depths of close to 100fsw, and water temps in the 50's. We have had no floods or any other problems with the light so far.

When I bought it, I figured at less than half the price of a Scout type backup, how could I go wrong. So far, so good......

Scott

 

[cmm1970]

I like getting the scoop distilled down to the bottom line. Thanks! :10:

 

[Scubaroo]

Resurrecting an old thread...

Has anyone used these with NiMH batteries yet? Looking at picking up a couple for camping.

How do they compare in brightness to the older Tec 40?

 

[cmm1970]

You most certainly can use NiMh batteries. The caution with that battery type is that they will explode when flooded with salt water. Not so good when diving. I had one dive light flood with NiMh and it did in fact react. Now, no catastrophic explosion, but there was a real problem and of course the light was ruined. They will be fine for camping.

 

[Scubaroo]

Alkaline batteries react with salt water too. The main problem with a flood at depth is that water is sucked into the light over the course of an hour or however long the dive is, as any dead air space surrounding the batteries is at 1 ATA, and it's as good as a vacuum at depth because of the pressure differential. On ascent, the light sometimes remains pressurised - and the first thing divers tend to do when they notice their light is flooded is open it. SPLASH - nasty battery juice / saltwater cocktail sprays like an aerosol out of the light from the now compressed air in the remaining space around the batteries that isn't taken up by water. Know two guys it has happened to.