LED or not

[mfalco]

I'm looking at backup lights now. (I'll be diving with a 10w HID as my primary) There are 2 models that I'm looking at. Both are available as a led light for more money. I know you get longer battery and bulb life with the LED. Is the light output better?

 

[PerroneFord]

Depends on what you mean by "better". If you mean brighter, then probably not, but you'd have to look at the lumen ratings.

Having a light that is durable, long lasting, and requires batteries FAR less often, is a good thing in my book. I don't have LED backups yet... yet. But I may convert at least one of them after the summer.

 

[Mark Vlahos]

For cave diving I have an HID as primary, an Incandescent as a backup, and a high quality LED as a backup.

The incandescent is my first backup since it is quite a bit brighter than the LED. The disadvantage of the incandescent is the battery life is substantially shorter and the bulb is far more fragile than the LED. The LED is a higher color temperature so I have the illusion that the light is brighter than it actually is. For me the LED made a good choice for the second backup because if I ever actually need to deploy it I need to be absolutely certain it will work, no dropped and broken bulb or worn out batteries because it kept getting turned on in my dive gear bag.

Mark Vlahos

 

[mfalco]

I'm lloking at getting 2 back up lights. One I've decided on definately getting LED version. It's the underwater kinetics mini pocket light. The price difference between that and the regurlar bulb is very small. This light is going to be the backup to my backup, and will brobably be a permanant attachment to my BC. The other lights I'm looking at (for my primaray backup) seem to have allot bigger price difference between LED and regular bulbs. I'm trying to figure if I should go with the LED. I would rather buy the more expensive light upfront, rather than upgrade later.

 

[Humuhumunukunukuapua'a]

I like LED a lot compared to the incandescent versions of the same light. The light is nice and white and the durability and battery life is really awesome. I'd go with the LED option, personally. I no longer even consider incandescent options myself. Chers

 

[mfalco]

does anybody know watt per watt which produces more light? Or does it depend upon the light?

 

[PerroneFord]

I think the LED is brighter watt to watt. But since LEDs use so few watts, they extend battery life by a long way.

I could be wrong, but this was how I understood it.

 

[jim T.]

The Princeton Tech "Recoil" small LED flashlight can be found for around $39 on sale and would be a great back up light and an inexpensive way to see if you like the LED light's quality. My last dive's buddy had a Light Cannon and this little guy did such a good job (in daylight) that I wasn't even jealous of his Cannon.

 

[CompuDude]

I just ordered the UK mini Q40 eLED Plus from scuba.com for $25. I had been all set for pay $45 or so for the Pelican StealthLight Recoil LED, when I learned about this new UK light, which was redesigned for 2006 and uses 2w LEDs vs. 1W LEDs in all others in it's class. Hard to beat!

Note: Pretty much everyone is backordered on the NEW q40's right now, because UK has been really slow to ship, so make sure you're getting the new 2W version if you buy somewhere else.

For me, it was all about LED. Longer burn time, more reliable. Backup lights tend to be neglected, and take a bit of a beating hanging off a BC that gets tossed around a boat. I don't ever want to have to reach for my backup light and find out the bulb busted last time it got dropped on the deck, or when I giant-strode into the water. Regular bulbs are just way too fragile for my tastes on something this important... if your primary light dies, you reach for your backup. And what if that's dead?!?! The only time you NEED your backup light is in a real bad situation. So I take no chances there.

 

[Manta]

I'm looking at backup lights now. (I'll be diving with a 10w HID as my primary) There are 2 models that I'm looking at. Both are available as a led light for more money. I know you get longer battery and bulb life with the LED. Is the light output better?

Take a look at our Diamond back up light, www.mantaindustries.com. I am not sure the price range you are looking in but let me provide some information to you.

Our Diamond has a 6 hour burn time with a 3 watt LED, (equivalent to 15 watts halogen) it runs off of two 3 volt lithium batteries and has a 10 year shelf life. It is extremely bright, very durable and very compact. It's rated to 900 feet and is triple O-ring sealed. When complared to a scout, it is much brighter.

If you have any questions let me know.

Thanks - Greg