Need a good night dive light - Sub $200

[ChrisA]

Edited of Sat. Feb 5, 2005:
OK, For all of you who pointed out the mistake: Where it says "minute" below, replace it with "moment" or "short interval of time". I ment "miniute" as defined in the forth definition of theThe American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition which says "A short interval of time, moment", not as defined in the first which says "a period of time equal to 60 seconds" . Sorry for any confusion. The LC does take a _moment_ to power up not a full 60 seconds.

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I have a theory about the root cause of the Light Canon's problems. The HID bulb, like all HID lamps is not "insant on". If you apply power to it there is a delay of about a minute before the bulb starts emmiting light. OK we can live with that. Just turn it on before you get in the water.

Now the problem comes if there is any kind of poor electrical connection. If the power source is interrupted even briefly the light shuts down and then it takes a good long time to re-start.

Now look at the light. How many electrical connections are there inside, where each must be perfect? There are 8 batteries that butt together nose to tails A little metal jumpper plate and two springs in the bottom of the housing and the two contact up near the bulb and then the swtich contacts and some that I've missed. Something like a dozen metal to metal contacts that are held in contact only by spring pressure. If any of there are broken even momintarly the light shuts down for a minute of so.

In a "normal" light with a halogen or LED bulb a brieft interruption of power means only a small fliscker, maybe not even noticed. The "dozen metal to metal contacts held together with a spring" design works fine for a normal bulb flashlight.

How do the HID canister lights solve this problem? Better enginerring, different battery types. I've never seen the insides of one.

 

[mossym]

Hey Larry, you sell the things, how many do you see returned?

 

[jonnythan]

The HID bulb, like all HID lamps is not "insant on". If you apply power to it there is a delay of about a minute before the bulb starts emmiting light.

In other words, you've never used an HID light.

Right?

 

[H2Andy]

The HID bulb, like all HID lamps is not "insant on". If you apply power to it there is a delay of about a minute before the bulb starts emmiting light.

hmmmm... not in my experience. there is a slight delay, perhaps a second
or two before the light "comes on" and then a slight delay of perhaps
five seconds while the light "powers up" to full strength.

i would say all HID lights i've come across are at full strength after
no more than 10 seconds, max... and it's probably closer to
5 seconds all told.

but yes, there is a slight delay for the bulb to "power up"

 

[mossym]

thats what i see with mine,bul catches, then steadily increases in light output for few seconds then is on..nothing near a minute

 

[BlueDolphin]

Jonnythan.... "Fragile and quirky" have no place on MY dive.

 

[jonnythan]

Jonnythan.... "Fragile and quirky" have no place on MY dive.

Then don't use em. No one is twisting your arm

 

[BlueDolphin]

I won't be. It just makes me cranky that they are still selling.

 

[jonnythan]

I won't be. It just makes me cranky that they are still selling.

Have you ever used one?

I gladly put up with the minor "quirks" of my 10W HID canister light for 5 times the battery life of a similarly bright halogen. Small price to pay, IMO.

 

[AtomicWalrus]

A 10 W HID canister and a C8 dive light are rather different animals, and the price differential isn't exactly small! Needless to say, I agree that there's a huge advantage to HID in the high light output, long duration application. In a few years, though, I wouldn't be surprised to see LEDs start to displace HIDs at the lower end of the range as LED technology becomes capable of higher output. LEDs are cheaper, tougher, and have even better power consumption. I think a lot of the issues with the Light Cannon result from it being at the bottom end of the HID price range. It's still a nice light, but I think for the price difference between a Light Cannon and the eLED, I'd stick with the eLED at the low end of the price range and suck it up and pay the difference for a canister light at the higher end of the price range.

Have you ever used one?

I gladly put up with the minor "quirks" of my 10W HID canister light for 5 times the battery life of a similarly bright halogen. Small price to pay, IMO.