Restowing backup lights

[TSandM]

I'm using a PT backup light, with the inner tube around the light behind the light head. I deploy by just pulling the light out and up, so the inner tube runs up the light and ends up around the joint between the bolt snap and the D-ring. It's not the smoothest deployment, but I get the job done.

The problem is putting it back. To get the inner tube to slide back down the light take two hands and a lot of force, and even then, I often don't get it all the way down, it takes too much time, and the light isn't doesn't end up lying flat and smooth against the harness like it was before.

I don't know if I have too small a piece of inner tube or what. Has anybody secured their light with bungie instead? It seems as though bungie is much easier to stretch, and since there's no particular reason why a backup light would want to move around much, it might suffice.

Any other tips (technique rather than equipment? ) will be gratefully received.

 

[Jasonmh]

Well, the way I do it pretty much leaves the inner tube close to the original location. I hook the inner-tube with my thumb, and push the light up and out of the tube. That leaves the inner-tube pretty much in place. To restow I clip the backup light off, turn the light off, then pull the inner-tube out with one hand and tuck the light in with the other.
HTH

 

[JeffG]

How thick (width wise) is your inner tube?

If its thick, you could cut your inner tube width in half. Makes it easier to stretch and move around.

(Mine is ~ 1/2 in)

 

[PfcAJ]

I do mine the same way that Jasonmh does. Trying to wrestle that piece of innertube down the harness never works out right.

 

[TSandM]

I tried the method of pulling the light completely out of the inner tube loop, and that was way worse, because I had to stretch the loop enough to put the bulbous end of the light in it, and do it way down by the backplate.

Jeff, I'll try cutting it in half. I think it's between 3/4 and 1 inch. It probably doesn't need to be that thick. Thanks.

 

[chickdiver]

My innertube is about a half inch wide. Also, I have 2 pieces per side. I only slide the light under 1, but having 2 allows you to have a ready placed piece for restowing without having to drag one down, ~and~ when one breaks (which it will) you'll already have a backup there.

 

[chickdiver]

Oh- also-

try clipping the light off, then slide 2 fingers and your thumb under the innertube from the bottom. Reach up through the innertube and grab the fat end of the light and pull it through the innertube and then straight down.

 

[limeyx]

Well, the way I do it pretty much leaves the inner tube close to the original location. I hook the inner-tube with my thumb, and push the light up and out of the tube. That leaves the inner-tube pretty much in place. To restow I clip the backup light off, turn the light off, then pull the inner-tube out with one hand and tuck the light in with the other.
HTH

Same here, and it works well.
I tried to make various comments about Lynne's inner tube being too tight/too small etc. but they all just ended up sounding like I was making a dirty comment!

 

[SparticleBrane]

When I first started out, I had the opposite issue. I could get the backup light and inner-tube in place again but I didn't quite get it clipped off. On one dive I didn't realize that I hadn't re-clipped off the bolt snap until the end of the dive. Felt something a little 'loose' and realized it wasn't connected. That could have been an expensive mistake...although not as expensive as losing an O2 bottle over the side.

After that incident, I now give a slight tug after clipping something off on a D-ring to make sure it's secure.

 

[JeffG]

After that incident, I now give a slight tug after clipping something off on a D-ring to make sure it's secure.

Don't worry. At some point you will have the pleasure of finding out that you have clipped "stuff" off to the most bizarre places. Primary regs clipped to backup lights...Deco bottles clipped to SPG's...etc etc