Nocturnal Lights question

[scubamickey]

I did do a search but I still can't decide.

I need to buy a light and although I had originally thought about getting the Light Cannon, I decided against after seeing some divers with their dangling lights hooked on their BC. I much prefer the cleaner style of the cannister light, I think.

I am seriously considering the Nocturnal lights because of the their design and cost. I bought my hubby a diverite can light for Christmas and I just can't afford another one right now.

I was thinking about the SL50 because it looks leaner than the traditional lights that UK and others make. I am also considering the TL 50. Here are my questions:

1) Does the SL50 have an attachment point at the end for a D-ring? Otherwise how is it secured?

2) How long does it take to recharge the TL50? I don't need it on every dive, but it would be nice to have for a 2 tank dive on the Spiegal Grove for example. Or for every other dive on a liveaboard.

3) Has anyone made a Goodman handle for this light? I don't like the lantern grip on the cannister version.

I am a recreational diver who likes to dive on wrecks but only non-tech penetration at this point.
Warm water with max visibility is the norm (Mostly Carribbean diving)
45 minute bottom time is norm but can do up to 60 minutes. Light not necessary though as I can switch to a back up for a day time light if needed.

Thanks!

 

[scubamickey]

I am also considering the TL50 Pro which is the larger (4in dia) cannister.

Any suggestions are welcome.

 

[ae3753]

I have an SL50, and am very impressed with the construction and design. It's actually the second one in the family, as I got my wife one for her b-day, and then I get mine for x-mas

The SL50 is indeed leaner and quite comfortable with the lantern grip.

1) Yes, there is an attachment point at the end. Actually, it's a hole on the back of the handle, and that's how we secure a snap-bolt. We stow the light away in similar manner as hog divers stow away their backup lights. Snap-bolt on the shoulder D-ring and the handle is threaded through a piece of inner tube on the shoulder harness. No dangling.

2) With the standard charger takes 10 hours to charge. The quick charger is 4 hours. The Nocturnal Lights comparison page has nice chart on burn times for different light combinations.

For two dives, if you need the light on the entire time, then you'll be using the 20w or 35w bulb. In retrospec, I'm thinking that I should have gone for a larger light or canister light for more bottom time. We plan on cavern training, and the SL50s may not have enough burn time, even at 20w.

3) According to Tim's (of Nocturnal Light) posts, there are custom fabricated goodman style handles. Unfortunately, I haven't seen any but would be curious too.

However, SL50 is only little more than one pound in the water, so it's very light and manueverable. We use a lanyard around the wrist for extra security. Our last dive, we assisted in an OOA situation, and the light did not get in the way.

-Don

 

[MoonWrasse]

One thing I like about a light such as the Nemo, is the balance and specifically my hand position to use it for night dives where I'm holding the light for 30+ minutes.
http://www.scubatoys.com/store/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=Nemo8

Of course it's not as bright as the SL50, but I find it's ok for needs.

 

[Metalsub USA]

I am also considering the TL50 Pro which is the larger (4in dia) cannister.

Any suggestions are welcome.

Hello Scubamickey

The SL50 and TL50 look like good enough lights, but have you taken a look at Metalsub light (http://www.metalsub.nl/eng/) yet?

A Metalsub light setup has the advantage that it can easily be upgraded as your type of diving changes. All of our Battery Packs work with all of our light heads, so you can start with a low priced 50 watt Xenon bulb cable light like the KL 1255 now and then upgrade to a 24 watt HID when you need to and still save money by using the same Battery Pack.

Since you're looking for a 50 watt light I would recommend the following set.

Cable light KL1255 50 watt 0%-100% variable light output.
Goodman handle
Batterytank FX1206 12 Volt, 5 Ah slim tank mount battery pack
Battery fast charger MP2500 Charges the FX1206 in 2.5 hours

And then, when ever you needed more light you would just have to buy a new cable light head like the HID125 or the HID200 and the goodman handle works on all of our cable likes.

If you are swaying more toward a handheld light Metalsub New Handheld XL7.2 sports a 15 watt LED module that shines brighter than a 10 watt HID and has a burn time of 90 minutes.



Unfortunately there is no Goodman handle for the XL7.2 but there is a hole in the lantern handle for a snap-bolt and the included wrist lanyard.

 

[scubamickey]

Metalsub, thanks for the info. They seem very nice and compact. Unfortunately it is out of my price range at this time. The only reason I can even think about buying a NL is because of the discount they offer. But I will bookmark the site and keep your light in mind for the future.

 

[Nocturnal Lights]

Hi ScubaMickey,

Sorry I got to this post late, let me know if you have any additional questions.

 

[scubamickey]

I thought maybe you were on vacation

I am PMing you.

 

[Nocturnal Lights]

Hehe I wish! I was actaully sick the last couple of days but that doesn't usually stop me from posting. I found your thread through a search because I can't monitor all the new threads on a daily basis. Anyhow, I replied to your PM and I'm looking forward to hearing from you.

 

[Manta]

I did do a search but I still can't decide.

I need to buy a light and although I had originally thought about getting the Light Cannon, I decided against after seeing some divers with their dangling lights hooked on their BC. I much prefer the cleaner style of the cannister light, I think.

I am seriously considering the Nocturnal lights because of the their design and cost. I bought my hubby a diverite can light for Christmas and I just can't afford another one right now.

I was thinking about the SL50 because it looks leaner than the traditional lights that UK and others make. I am also considering the TL 50. Here are my questions:

1) Does the SL50 have an attachment point at the end for a D-ring? Otherwise how is it secured?

2) How long does it take to recharge the TL50? I don't need it on every dive, but it would be nice to have for a 2 tank dive on the Spiegal Grove for example. Or for every other dive on a liveaboard.

3) Has anyone made a Goodman handle for this light? I don't like the lantern grip on the cannister version.

I am a recreational diver who likes to dive on wrecks but only non-tech penetration at this point.
Warm water with max visibility is the norm (Mostly Carribbean diving)
45 minute bottom time is norm but can do up to 60 minutes. Light not necessary though as I can switch to a back up for a day time light if needed.

Thanks!

Hi Scubamicky,

Take a look at Green Force systems, www.mantaindustries.com . I don't know what you are looking to spend but you can a great Green Force system at several different price points. On key thing to remember is that the system NEVER becomes obsolete. We have attachment points for D-rings, recharge time is 2-3 hours full charge and we offer 2 different Goodman handles.

Thanks - Greg