Inexpensive Blue / Uv Light?

[stuartv]

I'm planning a black water night dive in Hawaii in a few weeks. I'm thinking about getting a Blue/UV light.

I don't want to spend much money and I don't need The Best. More along the lines of "better than nothing" and "no big deal if I only use it once a year".

I've read what I can find and understand that there is debate about UV lights at 395nm vs Blue lights around 450nm wavelength. I also understand about the danger and being careful with a UV light, not shining it in anyone's eyes.

I read UK's page on the subject and 395nm seems like the way I want to go.

The UK Aqualite S or Pro looks kind of nice - except for being $200+. I have really nice "regular" dive lights that were $33 - 50 (e.g. DGX 600). I can't see spending more than that for a blue/UV light.

I'm thinking about one of these for $16.

10W 395nm XPE Blue violet UV Light LED Underwater 100M Scuba Diving Flashlight

Any better suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[stuartv]

Interesting. The BBS software will NOT let me put UV in all caps in the title.

 

[Charles2]

I have two of these lights with white LEDs in them. Paid about $15 for each one. So far, they have held up just fine. I, too, was thinking about buying the UV version. YMMV. My skepticism comes from the price alone and is perhaps unfair.

 

[stuartv]

Yeah, I have a version that looks almost identical, except for having a 5 white LED head and a body long enough for 2 18650 batteries. It is fine. I'm less concerned about the light itself than the Blue/UV part and the ability to make stuff light up and look cool on a night dive.

 

[DoubleAA]

Did one of these dives with a shop that had recently acquired the gear. The yellow mask filter will make a huge difference in how much fluorescence you see. Ikelite sells one for ~$50 and Fire Dive Gear also sells them for ~$35. You can search around and find more options. These masks covers filter out the UV and help show a lot more of the fluorescence.

 

[stuartv]

I have a mask with a yellow lens (SeaVision 2100). I just need the right light. And probably order a yellow filter for my GoPro.

 

[stuartv]

Though I should add that the UK page on the subject says that with a 395nm light, you don't need a filter.

 

[kelemvor]

I can confirm that the blue light without the filter does nothing but make things look blue! I think I paid around $80 for the light I got an LDS. I need to get around to buying a filter, I guess.

 

[stuartv]

This page shows pictures that seem to make it pretty evident a blue light (~450nm) needs a yellow filter, otherwise everything looks blue.

But, a UV light (395nm) does not.

Ultra Violet Lights » Underwater Kinetics

 

[kelemvor]

This is worth reading. Why NIGHTSEA uses blue light for underwater fluorescence - NIGHTSEA

It's true you can see flourescence with no filter with UV. Supposedly, blue + filter results in far more visible flourescence, and you've already got the mask for it.

UK sells both, my blue light is a UK SL4 L1 eLED.

I was pretty sure scubanation had an episode about this but I'll be darned if I can find it.