Salvo Cans

[piikki]

If you were deciding between Salvo 21 Watt 14.4 Volt Remote Head Can light ( http://www.salvodiving.com/nimh_lighting ), which battery option (1 or 2) would you get and why? If this was not your only can light, would you decide otherwise?

 

[Adobo]

If you were deciding between Salvo 21 Watt 14.4 Volt Remote Head Can light ( http://www.salvodiving.com/nimh_lighting ), which battery option (1 or 2) would you get and why? If this was not your only can light, would you decide otherwise?

I'm getting about 2 hours of burn time from the 4.5amp batteries. So one battery seems enough to do two medium length dives or one super long dive (like with doubles).

The thing I don't like with the big battery is if you get water in the cannister, you're light is out of commision until you fork over $250 for a new battery.

If I had another light, I would probably still get the two battery setup. I haven't run into a situation where I felt like the 4.5 amp batteries were inadequate. But then again, I try to get the batteries to full charge before I take them out.

 

[dsteding]

I get about 2.5 hours off my 4.5 amp batteries. This is good for two dives for me. I think the only reason I'd get the 9a battery is for longish technical dives where I didn't want to push the limits of things (but, we do have backups . . . )

Seems like most ocean divers use the smaller cans, and cave types use the bigger battery.

 

[Adobo]

I get about 2.5 hours off my 4.5 amp batteries. This is good for two dives for me. I think the only reason I'd get the 9a battery is for longish technical dives where I didn't want to push the limits of things (but, we do have backups . . . )

Seems like most ocean divers use the smaller cans, and cave types use the bigger battery.

I haven't taken any cave training yet so I really don't know how they figure out how much burn time they need on primary lights. But, even for people just starting out in caves (cavern, intro to cave, gue cave 1, etc.), 2 to 2.5 hours of burn time per dive seems like a lot.

And entry level tech dives seem the same way. 2 hours is a prettly long tech dive.

 

[cerich]

nope 2-2.5 hrs burn time isn't a whole lot even for a cave 1 student. You want enough power to last you the whole day diving (2-3 dives) without worry. Get a 4 hr burn time.

I use a 24watt 9 amp salvo.

 

[Adobo]

I can wait until I take some cave training but if you are feeling generous with info...

Can you not change batteries in between dives? Presumably, you will be doing surface intervals between dives anyway.

Incidentally, how long do cave 1 level dives last anyway? Probably shorter in Florida than in Mexico given that the FL caves are deeper. I was thinking that 1/6ths dives on something like double al80s probably would not last much longer than say an hour to an hour and a half.

 

[Kevrumbo]

Some Light Head Length Specs:
Salvo 21W head with ballast in head.....9.3"
Salvo 21W head with ballast in canister.....7.75"
Dive Rite 24W head...4.5"

Why carry a "brick" on your forearm? Go with the smaller head Dive Rite Canister HID Light (save even more money and just purchase the 10W Canister model --that's all the light you need):
http://www.diveriteexpress.com/lights/

 

[rjack321]

I can wait until I take some cave training but if you are feeling generous with info...

Can you not change batteries in between dives? Presumably, you will be doing surface intervals between dives anyway.

Not in MX, I was in the water 3+ hours for 3 dives.

You want a sufficient burn time to match with the amount of backgas you're carrying. So in AL80s in MX you've got 5 (or more) hours of backgas (160cf lasts a long time on 30-50ft dives), that's about how much burn time you want.

No you're not planning on using alot of that gas. But if you do need it, the last thing you need on top of that is a primary light failure too.

If you can't afford the huge battery, go for a 10W. That's is ok for MX since the walls reflect alot of light. Just bring 4+ hours of burntime, you'll need it.

 

[rjack321]

Incidentally, how long do cave 1 level dives last anyway? Probably shorter in Florida than in Mexico given that the FL caves are deeper. I was thinking that 1/6ths dives on something like double al80s probably would not last much longer than say an hour to an hour and a half.

Actually its 500 psi not 1/6ths. Makes a diff when you start with 2800.

But after that 70 min dive you debrief on the surface and do another penetration without getting out.

 

[piikki]

Some Light Head Length Specs:
Salvo 21W head with ballast in head.....9.3"
Salvo 21W head with ballast in canister.....7.75"
Dive Rite 24W head...4.5"

Why carry a "brick" on your forearm? Go with the smaller head Dive Rite Canister HID Light (save even more money and just purchase the 10W Canister model --that's all the light you need):
http://www.diveriteexpress.com/lights/

I have personally not decided whether I get 10W or more. Gotta wait for few more months to fit this purchase into my budget anyway…

However, this light seemed popular, and I was wondering what the benefits/downsides of each battery (and size of can) were. Is the run time and recharge time the main concerns? Different batteries do not have any known issues, for example wearing down quicker or so?

I would have thought 2 batteries would give me an option to have other recharging while I do a dive on multi-dive days. Or does everyone anyway end up getting extra batteries for their cans?

I thought the light head on this remote one was same size as on Salvo’s 10W ones. That is one thing that I would look into. I’d hate to have any bigger brick on my wrist than I have to. I am pretty set on Salvo - whichever model it will be