LED canister lights

[NorthWoodsDiver]

I just posted in the DIY about building a light cause I cant find what I really want commercially but I wanted some opinions on light options.

Really I like HID lights and would snatch one up if they were more durable and the bulbs had a good lifespan. I want a light thats as bright or brighter than a 25W HID but I what one that durable and gonna last. for this reason I look to LED's.

I have looked and looked for a canister light in the realm of a 25W HID with little luck until today when I discovered Solus who claims to have an LED light head equivelant to a 50W HID!!. If I could build one for way cheaper I would but I know nothing about lights so buying is my safest option but does anyone have experience with this brand and style of light?

Does anyone know of other high output LED canister lights or places to find more info on DIY light building (besides air speed press, I am headed there next)? How about info from real people on how durable and user friendly the current HID lights really are, is HID a better way to go for high output lights. Thanks

 

[D_B]

Mike here on Scubaboard ... ScubaBoard - View Profile: MikeRD03 ... has made an outstanding lamp using 4 of the highest rated LEDs available ... Mike´s Tauchseiten ... OSRAM OSTAR

 

[marchand]

I replied to your other post.

 

[KOMPRESSOR]

Have a look at the Dragonsub Snake 7 LED. Dragonsub. Sistemas de iluminación portátil

Now this picture shows the old model. The new one has 7 pcs of ZP4 diodes from Seoul Semiconductor ( www.zled.com ). I don't think you'll find a better LED light for diving anywhere just now. I have one in the shop and it knocks the socks of most other lights I've seen in an over-all comparission. 240 minutes of light, and a lot of it too. At 6500 Kelvin it gives off 7x200 effective* lumen in a very nice narrow beam. Note that for instance HID lamps gives off a lot of lumen outside the range of the human eye (infrared etc), where as this one most of it is visible to us. The lamp is also rock solid. I think our Norwegian distributor has them custom made with a specific cable lenght for us Hogs.

I don't know if there's a US distributor, or if it's sold there at all. But it should be. It's a great dive light. They have smaller handheld versions and video lamps too.


* In theory they can give 240 lumen each, but you need to put some extra voltage on them, which is not possible in this case. So 7x200 EFFECTIVE lumen is more correct, and plenty!

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

Really I like HID lights and would snatch one up if they were more durable and the bulbs had a good lifespan. I want a light thats as bright or brighter than a 25W HID but I what one that durable and gonna last. for this reason I look to LED's.

What makes you think they aren't durable and don't have a good lifespan? My oldest HID light is 5 years old and I'm still using the original bulb and battery. I will admit that every HID I've had needed to be repaired almost immediately after purchase; however, once the bugs were worked out, they became reliable.

I am not as convinced that LEDs will be any more reliable. The construction techniques will be the same with just a different 'bulb' if you will.

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

Have a look at the Dragonsub Snake 7 LED. Dragonsub. Sistemas de iluminación portátil

Now this picture shows the old model. The new one has 7 pcs of ZP4 diodes from Seoul Semiconductor ( www.zled.com ). I don't think you'll find a better LED light for diving anywhere just now. I have one in the shop and it knocks the socks of most other lights I've seen in an over-all comparission. 240 minutes of light, and a lot of it too. At 6500 Kelvin it gives off 7x200 effective* lumen in a very nice narrow beam. Note that for instance HID lamps gives off a lot of lumen outside the range of the human eye (infrared etc), where as this one most of it is visible to us. The lamp is also rock solid. I think our Norwegian distributor has them custom made with a specific cable lenght for us Hogs.

I don't know if there's a US distributor, or if it's sold there at all. But it should be. It's a great dive light. They have smaller handheld versions and video lamps too.


* In theory they can give 240 lumen each, but you need to put some extra voltage on them, which is not possible in this case. So 7x200 EFFECTIVE lumen is more correct, and plenty!

The light looks impressive, but the way it's rigged leaves a lot to be desired.

 

[Skookumchuck]

Hey kompressor would there be a link in english? I only know enough spanish to make people think I'm an idiot.

 

[KOMPRESSOR]

Hey kompressor would there be a link in english? I only know enough spanish to make people think I'm an idiot.

Their website sucks, sorry! It's only in Spanish, and with enough Flash to make you dizzy! To bad about that, but I love their lights. I have received 18 lights in all now before Christmas, and with a few words on a Norwegian board 15 flew out of the web shop in a few days.

Now there are even stronger LED diodes available. To bad they need 18 volts to operate, and costs a fortune each. And with all the stuff one needs to make it happen in compact a dive light, they turn out more expensive than HID's. The Dragonsub offers a lot to the Dollar, even though they don't come cheap either. In Norway the Snake 7 retails at USD 1300. That includes our 25% sales tax, and the Dollar is really low at the moment so it might seem expensive. I suppose you'd be able to sell them in the US for less if anyone will try.

Just a note. I'm a dealer, but we do not export, if anyone wants to get me for "advertising"! You have to find somewhere else to buy these lights.

Here's the smaller Lux 4:

 

[Skookumchuck]

One of the instructors at my local dive store is from Mexico. Perhaps I can convince him to act on my behalf. I thought Canada's sales tax of 7% was outrageous!!!

 

[KOMPRESSOR]

One of the instructors at my local dive store is from Mexico. Perhaps I can convince him to act on my behalf. I thought Canada's sales tax of 7% was outrageous!!!

Why Mexico? Dragonsub is made in Spain!