Replacing Primary and Backup Lights..Need help!

[PARADISE HUNTER]

I have managed to break both my primary and secondary dive lights over the past year. :shakehead Both were entry level lights. So I am in the market for some lights. Durability is high on my list of features for both lights.

The main use for the primary light is for night dives in tropical locals. The main use for the secondary (smaller) is for day use in swim throughs and as a back up during night dives.

I am looking at the following lights and was hoping for anyone's comments on them. Good, bad or indifferent.

Primary: Ikelite Super 8 RCD (40 Watt Halogen) or
Pelican Aqua King Lite (14.4 Xenon)

Secondary: Ikelite PC-A Halogen (7.5 Watt Halogen) or
Best Divers UBL 9 (5.2 Volt Halogen)

I am open to additional canidates, please tell why.

Thanks for all help.

 

[CompuDude]

I would look at the LED-based lights, for the durability reasons you mentioned. Ikelite, UK and PrincetonTec all have good lights, and the Pelican Recoils are good, too.

I dive with a UK Light Cannon HID, but they might be overkill for tropical night dives.

 

[PARADISE HUNTER]

So a halogen bulb is weaker than than a LED?

 

[tedwhiteva]

For a back-up, look at the new OMS VEGA - 3W LED. Comes close to equaling my 10W HID! The only downside is 3 hour duration- short for an LED - otherwise I'd use it as a primary in what you describe (night in tropical waters). About $85 US

 

[CompuDude]

So a halogen bulb is weaker than than a LED?

Depends on what you mean by "weaker". As far as light output, halogen is available in far brighter varieties than LED (although LED is available in most common light levels you would need for diving, unless you are comparing to high end HID systems, which are, again, incredibly fragile by comparison). In terms of shock resistance, NOTHING can touch LEDs. There are no filaments to break, nor is the bulb made of breakable glass.

If the flashlight body is tough enough, you could drive nails into a board with an LED light, and then go diving with it. Try that with a traditional halogen bulb and you'll have a very dark dive.

 

[soonerwink]

Primary - Princeton Tec Shockwave LED, Backup - Princeton Tec Impact XL, both are very rugged lights and last longer on akaline batteries than most because of the LED's. Also if anything goes wrong with them, even if it is your fault, like accidently flooding, just send back to PT and they will send you a brand new one batteries included. They have a lifetime warranty. PT has the best customer service in the business.

 

[JD Johnson]

I might be a little bias but if you want a reliable light with the added feature of Hands Free ability, try the MP-1 Hands free light. Lifetime warranty, and can not flood - ever. I invented the lights and even Hal Watts (Mr. Scuba) bought a set at the Our World Underwater Show. www.handsfreelights.com

 

[purduerules]

I might be a little bias but if you want a reliable light with the added feature of Hands Free ability, try the MP-1 Hands free light. Lifetime warranty, and can not flood - ever. I invented the lights and even Hal Watts (Mr. Scuba) bought a set at the Our World Underwater Show. www.handsfreelights.com

I am also in the market for a dive light. The MP-1 sounds interesting. JD, can you provide additional information? What is the output of the MP-1 in Lumens? Is the output adjustable? What is the beam pattern? How much does it weigh? etc.
Thanks

 

[PARADISE HUNTER]

Thanks for the help folks.

I elected to get the Princeton Tech Shockwave LED and the Princeton Tech Impact XL. I don't need all the output (both light and money) of an HID at this point. I liked the durability of the LED and the lifetime warranty that PT offers.

Thanks again.