Looking for new cordless primary light for wreck diving

[oldschoolto]

I'm glad I bought the cheap dive lights from china... Spent about $ 30 bucks a light with batteries and charger for a total of 4 lights... I don't really care how many " LUMENS " they put out... They are super bright and last the dive... I guess if I spent $500 - $800 bucks for a light, I'd feel cheated if it was no better than a $25 dollar one....

Jim...

 

[Nasser]

Yep, back in stock! oh, and I fixed the hyperlink text too

Do you have a photo of someone holding the light? It's hard to tell how big it is and how it sits in the hand without a point of reference.

 

[eelnoraa]

I am sorry, I think I am the one stirred up the pot. Sorry for all the technical details and measurement number. The main problem in dive light manufactures is lack of understanding of the LED diode spec for most.

Ideally, one would take every light he/she is interested in to the environment he/she plan to dive for a test run. This unfortunate isn't practical for most if not everyone. So buyer usually reply on manufacture spec, and or word of mouth, or feedback from other users (say here). If you are the potential buyer spent $500 on a Viz 35 think you got 3500 Lumen, but when you put it next to a DRIS1K or DGX600, $80 lights, you find Viz35 is just marginally brigher, I am sure you will regret spending that $500. How about Viz35 next to a LD15 @1500 lumen ($1000) but significantly brighter?? For those who don't mind, please ignore my comments all together. I am just pointing out facts to those who want to know what they are getting for the money.

Back to Viz35 a little. I just watch AG's video. I do NOT think he intentionally lie about output, but rather, he has a wrong understand about lumen. He keep mentioning 3500lumen at 1 meter. I think what he really means is 3500 lux at 1m. Because lumen is total amount of light, it only depends on the light. Distance to measure isn't a function of this number. 3500lux at 1m is a very reasonable number for a well focus Cree XML light, but it isn't anything to ride home on. A typical 21W HID will can do 20,000 lux at 1m

---------- Post added July 16th, 2015 at 11:11 AM ----------

says max drive current is 3a which yields the 1200lumen, so either way everyone is either exaggerating based on the max published lumen of the emitter behind the glass, and/or just making lots of assumptions. If you have the equipment I'll believe your numbers, there is a DRASTIC difference between my UWLD-13 and even a pair of the backup lights claiming 1000lumen together, but with a single Cree behind the LX20 I wouldn't even bother with it. For handhelds, the backup lights really are king right now for cost/brightness if you don't need the hours of burn time. I'd rather just buy a pair of them and extra batteries.

Just read the Cree XML data sheet. The highest LM bin, U2, produce 300lumen at 0.7A. That is their nominal design operation point. Max current supported is 3A. You get 325% of lumen value. So at 3A, you get 975lumen, still shine of 1000, but I call it close enough. I can see many quote against this spec, including DRIS1000 3C, DRIS 1K 3AA, Morph1000. But 3A coming out of 3C or 3AA in series, or 1 18650 is just not possible. And even if you can, driving this Cree at 3A is like driving you car at its top speed. A lot of thing needs to go right for this to happen. Not to mention, it won't be too reliable.

 

[oldschoolto]

I am sorry, I think I am the one stirred up the pot. Sorry for all the technical details and measurement number. The main problem in dive light manufactures is lack of understanding of the LED diode spec for most.

Ideally, one would take every light he/she is interested in to the environment he/she plan to dive for a test run. This unfortunate isn't practical for most if not everyone. So buyer usually reply on manufacture spec, and or word of mouth, or feedback from other users (say here). If you are the potential buyer spent $500 on a Viz 35 think you got 3500 Lumen, but when you put it next to a DRIS1K or DGX600, $80 lights, you find Viz35 is just marginally brigher, I am sure you will regret spending that $500. How about Viz35 next to a LD15 @1500 lumen ($1000) but significantly brighter?? For those who don't mind, please ignore my comments all together. I am just pointing out facts to those who want to know what they are getting for the money.

Back to Viz35 a little. I just watch AG's video. I do NOT think he intentionally lie about output, but rather, he has a wrong understand about lumen. He keep mentioning 3500lumen at 1 meter. I think what he really means is 3500 lux at 1m. Because lumen is total amount of light, it only depends on the light. Distance to measure isn't a function of this number. 3500lux at 1m is a very reasonable number for a well focus Cree XML light, but it isn't anything to ride home on. A typical 21W HID will can do 20,000 lux at 1m

---------- Post added July 16th, 2015 at 11:11 AM ----------



Just read the Cree XML data sheet. The highest LM bin, U2, produce 300lumen at 0.7A. That is their nominal design operation point. Max current supported is 3A. You get 325% of lumen value. So at 3A, you get 975lumen, still shine of 1000, but I call it close enough. I can see many quote against this spec, including DRIS1000 3C, DRIS 1K 3AA, Morph1000. But 3A coming out of 3C or 3AA in series, or 1 18650 is just not possible. And even if you can, driving this Cree at 3A is like driving you car at its top speed. A lot of thing needs to go right for this to happen. Not to mention, it won't be too reliable.

No, I for one like reading stuff like this... You're like a poop-a-scoop.... But in a good way....

Jim...

 

[tbone1004]

Cree XLamp XM-L2 LEDs

that was the number I was going off of.

Should also note, I think that Light and Motion quote true lumen specs as well

 

[eelnoraa]

You link says 1052lm. The data sheet I read says about 975. Close enough. That is at 3A driven into the LED. The actual current consumtion from the battery will be higher by easily 20% at this kind of current. The lost can include heat lost due to battery internal resistance, heat lost due to resistance in the wires, efficiency of the driver itself .... So the actual current drawn from battery is more like >3.5A. It is NOT likely in any of the handheld light we mentioned here.

For light application, everyone knows a linear contant current or voltage regulator is preferred because lack of flickering at less than 100% output. But linear regulator is low efficiency, a 10-15% lost at 3A is not unreasonable due to inherent design limitation

 

[Jemdee]

I'm glad I bought the cheap dive lights from china... Spent about $ 30 bucks a light with batteries and charger for a total of 4 lights... I don't really care how many " LUMENS " they put out... They are super bright and last the dive... I guess if I spent $500 - $800 bucks for a light, I'd feel cheated if it was no better than a $25 dollar one....

Jim...

You mentioned a thread where you guys talked about that chinese dive light... where can I find it? Or the website for the dive light you are talking about?

 

[Diverspoint]

I love my Archons. Especially the video lamps.

 

[oldschoolto]

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/lights/504205-dive-light-e-bay-great-buy.html

This should get you there.....

This the light ...

 

[darushin]

How about the TL4000 from Big Blue? Or TL2800 if you want something smaller.

There's claims that they don't output the given light, but imo it's still more than enough.

I have the 4000 and I don't know if it is 4k lumens, but I do know it is brighter than any can light from Hollis and diverite I have seen and in most cases illuminates to the point the cave water limits visibility.

Daru

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