Lights in the meantime

[AndyNZ]

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

Ye gads, this is a tough one.

Outside of the DIR forum, I'd give this a resounding YES! A 3W LED scout is as bright as any cheap light on the market, and if you buy one (or two) then it's not money wasted.... you'll never get your money back on a cheap light that you flick on to some suck who doesn't know any better.

I've used just my 1W scout lights for cavern, wreck and night dives....... no, you won't be able to really signal your team with them in the same way as a 21W HID, but they are bright enough to see by and nice robust lights. A 3W would seem a nice compromise for now, that you add to later.

Of course, this is the DIR forum..... so I won't say any of that, you should of course by a decent primary from the outset.

 

[a22shady]

Watch the boards. For the price of a "cheap" new light that will give you some sort of good light as a primary you can find a used 10watt HID for about 250-400 I have seen them go for.

 

[humanbeing]

OK, so these 10w hid things exist for $275? Wow! I've given it the old college try, and . . . nada.

 

[Rainer]

From the past week on TDS (The Deco Stop). 10W for $200.

Go over there and put up a WTB thread. I'm sure you'll have a few offers shortly.

 

[Rainer]

And re-reading your first post (as applies to MA diving), if buying an HID takes any money away from your drysuit fund, rethink this expenditure. You'll be MUCH better off picking up a $20 light if it gets you dry faster.

 

[Van Isle]

I'd focus on dry suit first, as mentioned above. But if you're working on a concurrent sort of budget, I'd get a Halcyon Scout with the halogen or xenon bulb and drop in an LED module. You would get a really bright light, suitable for night use, for under $100 per light. I don't have part numbers to share yet, sorry. Save spending the $275 on a used 10W HID can light; you will very quickly get strong light envy when diving with the newer 21W lights. (Although you could re-work the "old" can and battery to power your heated vest when you upgrade to the 21W ...)

VI

 

[Guy Alcala]

I'd focus on dry suit first, as mentioned above. But if you're working on a concurrent sort of budget, I'd get a Halcyon Scout with the halogen or xenon bulb and drop in an LED module. You would get a really bright light, suitable for night use, for under $100 per light. I don't have part numbers to share yet, sorry. Save spending the $275 on a used 10W HID can light; you will very quickly get strong light envy when diving with the newer 21W lights. (Although you could re-work the "old" can and battery to power your heated vest when you upgrade to the 21W ...)

VI

Haven't used them that much yet, but so far I've had good expereinces with my Dorcy Penetrators. I got them at Piranha:

LED Lighting Products Piranha Dive Manufacturing

on sale for something like $35 each (I got the slightly older 180 lumen version in the new body). They have a tight spot and a good spill. I've used them as daytime crevice lights and as a night primary, and they're more than bright enough for murky Monterey; I was able to light up squid egg clusters 30 ft. out on a night with good vis. And they're DIR-compliant, as I used them for Fundies (after first checking with my instructor that they'd be okay) for my back-ups. I bought the soft Goodman handle that Piranha offers for when I'm using one as a primary. They're a bit weak in bright sunlight for signaling; haven't had the chance to try them in more typical (local) daytime conditions yet. For a daytime light I'd prefer one of the Intovas, as I use lights intermittently by day and having a switch is easier to operate one-handed, but as mentioned they aren't DIR-compliant as back-ups.

Another option, for ~$260, would be the MbSub X1-VB with Raider light sock. I suspect that I wouldn't need a can light for the dives I want to do if I had one of these, as the burn times are more than adequate.

Guy

 

[TSandM]

I'd second the recommendation for the Dorcy light. It's twist-on and very bright. The only complaint I have is that the first batch had sharp holes in the end that cut cave line. It is my understanding that they have fixed that now.

 

[Van Isle]

Dorcy light sounds great. Buyers should be advised that GUE requires for its technical courses: "[t]wo reserve lights: Reserve lights should be non-rechargeable in-line three c-cell battery lights with a minimum of protrusions and a single attachment at its rear. The light should be activated by twisting the front bezel towards the body, deactivated by turning it away from the body." (Emphasis added)

UTD doesn't specify for back up lights on the site.

IMO that's silly. But there you are. I have no experience in how that "rule" is practically applied. Comments?

VI

 

[Rainer]

See the following for GUE's current stance on backup lights (the three c-cell part is out):

GUE Forums

Or just consult the latest version of the GUE standards to see that the requirement has been re-written:

http://www.gue.com/?q=en/standards