Lights in the meantime

[humanbeing]

Hi!

I am saving up for a drysuit and lights, and this will take me 2 years. In the meantime, I would like to do some night dives. Can anyone suggest a cheap light that I can use until I have enough $$ for a Halcyon Explorer or other such light. I will probably get the Halcyon Scout light in the meantime. I'll sell the cheap light when I have enough for a better one. Also, if anyone wants to suggest different lights than the ones I mentioned, I'm all ears.

Thanks!

 

[TSandM]

Well, a Scout with the LED upgrade is a darned nice light. If you want to go really inexpensive, the UK SL4 eLED is the same LED module, and you can take it out and put it in an older Scout body later, if you want.

If your budget extends to 2 to $300, watch the Deco Stop classifieds like a hawk. I have picked up several HID lights there for very low prices and passed them along to friends.

 

[kanonfodr]

If your budget goes to $500, Dive Gear Express is offering a Dive Rite LED 700 kit that allows you to run the light as a canister, but for only $300 you can buy just the light and then get the goodman handle and cord later. I have used the light here in Hawaii, Lake Travis, and also Monterey with good results.

Peace,
Greg

 

[humanbeing]

Could I use the scout as a primary during a night dive?

 

[TSandM]

It depends on where you are diving. If you are diving in very murky water, it's going to be marginal, because to get the brightness, the spot is VERY small. If you are diving in the tropics, it's quite enough.

 

[ligersandtions]

I used a Salvo Rat as a primary light before I got my can light. The Scout is the Halcyon version of the same light. It was sufficient (not necessarily ideal) for night diving....and it became a back-up after I got my can light, so it wasn't a piece of equipment that I ended up just not using later on. You can't go wrong getting a nice back-up light for your primary until you come across a good deal on a primary light.

 

[humanbeing]

It depends on where you are diving. If you are diving in very murky water, it's going to be marginal, because to get the brightness, the spot is VERY small. If you are diving in the tropics, it's quite enough.

I'm diving in New England, so I'll have to say no .

Which, by the way, brings me to my next question: Why is it a backup light if it can't function on its own in those conditions?

 

[nwbrewer]

I'm diving in New England, so I'll have to say no .

Which, by the way, brings me to my next question: Why is it a backup light if it can't function on its own in those conditions?

It will function plenty well enough to get you out of the water, and to be able to signal your team that there is trouble. That's why it's a backup light, and mot a primary light. It really depends on the types of dives your doing. In Puget Sound, I've dove with folks on a night dive before who used an SL4 LED as their primary without trouble, but these were fairly shallow shore dives. In something more challenging, you'd want something brighter.

How handy are you? The DIY folks have hacked some drop ins for surefire lights to work in the RAT/PT/Scout body that will make it about 2x as bright and make it a very serviceable primary. Other than that I second TS&M, you can get some good deals on used 10watt HID's if you look for them.

What's your budget? That might help to nail something down for you.

Jake

 

[humanbeing]

How handy are you? The DIY folks have hacked some drop ins for surefire lights to work in the RAT/PT/Scout body that will make it about 2x as bright and make it a very serviceable primary.

I'm extremely handy, so I will have a look over in the DIY forum. My budget would be $200 or less. Thanks to all for the responses.

 

[nwbrewer]

Well, new the scouts/PT/Rat are in that neighborhood, but you'll still need 2 lights so you have a backup if you're doing night dives.

Keep a sharp eye on the 'for sale' sections. I picked up both my photon torpedo's for less then $50 each. Add some $12-$15 drop-ins and you're good to go.