OW backup light strategy?

[jtivat]

I read a thread involving a hand-held HID light, in which the OP described being unable to strike the light, despite the batteries registering near complete charge. The company (which was not identified), when contacted, said this was typical for HIDs -- The voltage required for striking is far higher than that required for ongoing light, and they said their lights were generally only good for a half dozen strikes before the batteries would have to be replaced.

HIDs also have high current requirements, so they need a lot of battery to have significant burn times. The LED backups have burn times that can go as long as 50 hours for the 1W lights. I like that better.

I use rechargeable AA's and get 3 hours which is fine for my OW night diving. Then just recharge them I have not had a problem with re strikes on my Dive Rite unit but YMMV.

 

[Mo2vation]

I use rechargeable AA's and get 3 hours which is fine for my OW night diving. Then just recharge them I have not had a problem with re strikes on my Dive Rite unit but YMMV.

Why carry a light when you can wear one?

I don't get it. I mean, on a night dive, you need to have the light on the whole dive (put down the mouse, Florida and Carrib people... talking real water here) - why carry the thing around for an hour or more when you could just wear your light.

If you have the means to obtain a Can light (10W DR are $350 - $400 on eBay all the time) or if you have one already, why would you select a hand held version of same that you need to schlep, as opposed to the one you strap on and wear?

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Ken

 

[Charlie99]

My goodness; backup lights are cheap. Number 3 can be as small as a Pelican MightyLite AA for $20 or less.

My #3 light is a tiny 2 AAA light by UK. More than enough to read gauges. I usually warn my buddy that I'll be doing part of my dive using just the weak light of the 2 AAA light. It's amazing how much you can see if you let your eyes get night adapted. While brighter is always better, even a tiny light is very visible on the surface in the dark.

A reasonable sized #2 light that can work as a backup primary (for continuing the dive instead of aborting) is the Ikelite 6AA PcA light. It's a 7.5watt light that is brighter than most 7.5W lights, and since it uses 6AA cells, it is very small and convenient as a backup primary.

 

[Charlie99]

Why carry a light when you can wear one?

I don't get it. I mean, on a night dive, you need to have the light on the whole dive (put down the mouse, Florida and Carrib people... talking real water here) - why carry the thing around for an hour or more when you could just wear your light.

So far, you're making a good argument for head mounted lights Ken.

Cavers (as opposed to cave divers) have used head mounted lights for years in order to have both hands free, and somehow manage to avoid blinding each other.

 

[ArcticDiver]

I use rechargeable AA's and get 3 hours which is fine for my OW night diving. Then just recharge them I have not had a problem with re strikes on my Dive Rite unit but YMMV.

Agreed. That is my experience as well. I have a UK Light Cannon and a DiveRite Cannister. Of course the can light is rechargeable but I use both alkaline and rechargeable NiCd in the UK. No problems.

Well, one problem; once I started using the cannister light I decided it was so much more approrpriate for my diving than the hand held the UK sits at home most of the time. I'll probably sell it to someone who likes handhelds and whose diving accomodates them.

To me, as I said before, the key to kind and number of lights is to think through the kind of diving you are going to do. Combine that with just how cheap some of the smaller LED or AA lights are and it just doesn't make sense not to have the right tools.

 

[Mo2vation]

So far, you're making a good argument for head mounted lights Ken.

Cavers (as opposed to cave divers) have used head mounted lights for years in order to have both hands free, and somehow manage to avoid blinding each other.

Photographer. Can't use a headlight.

Cavers don't need to see each other to communicate when in close proximity. They can speak. Cave divers (and other divers) need to see each other to communicate - hence the bogusnessness of a headlight.

But I get what you're saying. I use my headlight to fish - but that's all its good for.

As to having a third backup light in descending quality, value and light output that is good for little more than reading gauges, I also don't get that one. There isn't a gauge made (with the possible exception of some bogus HUD wack thing) that I can't read with the corona of my can light. And its always on the back of my hand.

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Ken

 

[Blitz]

Matt,

I have a Photon Torpedo as a back up and bought one for my girlfriend. Great light lights and the LEDs have awesome burn times. There are some other good lights out there, but they are hard to beat.

As an aside, you may want to watch taking BDubs advice when you are at the surface.... He doesn't start making sense until 4 ATAs. Anything deeper than that he is pure genius.

In open water night diving, what is the purpose of a backup light? I mean, do divers intend to finish their dive plan with the backup acting as primary, or do they just use the backup to safely end the dive as soon as possible?

If you keep going, don't you need a backup for your backup?

If you just thumb the dive, how much light do you need to surface safely?

I'm just trying to plan out future gear purchases for my wife/buddy and I. We have 1 HID can light between us now. The next light will probably be a handheld HID for her, since she doesn't seem to like the can too much. THEN I get to think about buying backups so we can learn night diving... hence my question about the strategy for using a backup.

 

[Charlie99]

As to having a third backup light in descending quality, value and light output that is good for little more than reading gauges, I also don't get that one.

If all you are going to use your "backup" light for is to abort the dive, in open water you don't need much of a light. You declare "abort", maintain touch contact or nearly so with your buddy, and ascend. The only thing I need my light for is to read my computer/bottom timer/depth gauge & watch while ascending; and then perhaps to signal a boat. The descending item is SIZE. The other descending features are a result of that. If size and clutter wasn't a problem, I'd just wear 3 can lights.

 

[ArcticDiver]

...As to having a third backup light in descending quality, value and light output that is good for little more than reading gauges, I also don't get that one. There isn't a gauge made (with the possible exception of some bogus HUD wack thing) that I can't read with the corona of my can light. And its always on the back of my hand.

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Ken

Backup Light: The light used during the aborted dive process when the primary light fails to provide light .

Backup Light 2: The light used during the aborted dive process in some diving environments for minimal illumination, primarily gauges.

 

[Mo2vation]

If all you are going to use your "backup" light for is to abort the dive, in open water you don't need much of a light. You declare "abort", maintain touch contact or nearly so with your buddy, and ascend. The only thing I need my light for is to read my computer/bottom timer/depth gauge & watch while ascending; and then perhaps to signal a boat. The descending item is SIZE. The other descending features are a result of that. If size and clutter wasn't a problem, I'd just wear 3 can lights.

Sporting the Bat Utility Belt of lights....


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Ken