Night Diving Accessories

[MSilvia]

Get the FX, so you can vary the intensity (to conserve batteries) or pattern (to distinguish yourself from another diver with the same color). IR is useless as an underwater marker for recreational divers, since you can't see the light without night vision.

Red is the best color for not blinding other people, as your night vision is least sensitive to it, but it penetrates the least distance through the water, so white or blue might be a better choice for a marker strobe for an upline.

 

[crpntr133]

Is the Glo-toob actually a tube were you could stick a colored gel inside it or is it solid down the middle?

 

[idocsteve]

Is the Glo-toob actually a tube were you could stick a colored gel inside it or is it solid down the middle?

The Glo-toob is a solid plastic cylinder, with a screw on top that allows the battery to be replaced by the user. There is no gel. The light is supplied by a bulb, which I believe is sealed within the unit. I agree that the model with the computer chip is the better choice, because it allows you to vary the pattern and it's only slightly more expensive. One consideration: the Glo-toob is negatively bouyant, so it may be hard to see if it settles in among your tank valve. Consider adding a float to it for better visibility. I think that chemical light sticks are an unnecessary contributor to environmental waste. There are too many better alternatives.

 

[captndale]

Please don't use strobes, they're annoying to others and can be confused with strobes hung from a boat or used by people to mark exit points UW on shore dives. Good to have for an emergency but not to mark a diver.

Strobes are not only annoying and confusing but are illegal to display on the surface except in an emergency.

 

[String]

I find a strobe distracting underwater - its only on my kit as a surface location aid.

If its dark the flashing distracts you and catchs your eye. I can also hear the build up whine and click before each fire of the light and find that annoying.

I do use it sometimes if buddy separation. During the pre-arranged search time i turn strobe on and my torch to make myself more visible in case we find each other again. Its not worked yet though...

Chem sticks and so on are the way to go on night dives - dont rely on something with a battery.

 

[HowardE]

Strobes are not only annoying and confusing but are illegal to display on the surface except in an emergency.

Where does it say that it is illegal to display a strobe on the surface? I am curious, because I have one that we put on our dive flag for night dives. Is this illegal in Florida? I scanned through maritime law, and dive law, and can't find any reference to support this statement. If anyone can show me where it states this, I would appreciate it, as we enjoy night diving, and feel that the strobe on the flag helps make it more visible.

Thanks...

 

[captndale]

Where does it say that it is illegal to display a strobe on the surface? I am curious, because I have one that we put on our dive flag for night dives. Is this illegal in Florida? I scanned through maritime law, and dive law, and can't find any reference to support this statement. If anyone can show me where it states this, I would appreciate it, as we enjoy night diving, and feel that the strobe on the flag helps make it more visible.

Thanks...

It is illegal to signal an emergency when none exists. A strobe light is specifically designated as an emergency signal. Operating a strobe light where it can be seen by others on the water is equivalent to shooting off a flare gun.

 

[captndale]

It is illegal to signal an emergency when none exists. A strobe light is specifically designated as an emergency signal. Operating a strobe light where it can be seen by others on the water is equivalent to shooting off a flare gun.

I just checked the Rule book on this question. I wanted to cite the appropriate rule.
Rule 37 of the Inland rules establishes a strobe light as a distress signal. However, it is not included in the list of distress signals mentioned in the international rules. So a strobe is a designated distress signal in inland waters but not in international waters.

I still believe that it is ill advised to use a strobe as a beacon on the surface in international waters either, since they are commonly uses as emergency signals on PFD's, life floats, life rafts and the like.

 

[HowardE]

Well... That's good to know... I'll just keep a solid light on the flag from now on.

Thanks.

 

[crpntr133]

The Glo-toob is a solid plastic cylinder, with a screw on top that allows the battery to be replaced by the user. There is no gel. The light is supplied by a bulb, which I believe is sealed within the unit. I agree that the model with the computer chip is the better choice, because it allows you to vary the pattern and it's only slightly more expensive. One consideration: the Glo-toob is negatively bouyant, so it may be hard to see if it settles in among your tank valve. Consider adding a float to it for better visibility. I think that chemical light sticks are an unnecessary contributor to environmental waste. There are too many better alternatives.

If the Glo-toob was hallow I was going to get a couple pieces of theatre lighting gel so I could change the color. Since it sounds like it is solid and the battery is down the middle, it won't work.
If I am thinking right the Glo-toob has three LED's in one end. I also agree with going with the FX.
With a burn time of around 30 hours I don't think batteries are going to be an issue. Even if it is, this is a marker light and not a primary. Even if it was a primary most of us carry a back up.