UV Dive light

[ReefHound]

Oooooooh. Now, THAT I want. Thanks for the link.

Not so fast. This is simply a rebranded Evolva light (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FD3QQGK). I had bought two last year, ignoring a number of poor reviews about failing quickly. The first one lasted 2 dives then went nutso - refusing to turn off, cycling through modes automatically, etc. while on a 20' night dive. Next day it seemed to work ok on first dive then flooded and quit completely. Other one lasted til the 5th day, acted erratically, flooded, and died.

I think the switches were defective. Reason being is they survived the deeper dives where they were not used much but flooded on the shallow dives where the modes were changed a lot. Also, lookat the reviews on my link, first one shows the switch assembly rusted corroded.

I was really disappointed because on paper these are great lights at an economy price.

 

[nwflyboy]

I've gone through a lot of odd Chinese dive lights, with wildly varying success. I've come to think of them as disposable - usually good for a trip or two, maybe more, maybe less. But great while they last (although due to lack of reliability, I always bring 1 or sometimes 2 backups). Some put out an incredible amount of light - seemingly lighting up the whole ocean - before they stop working.

Of the two links posted, I was actually more intrigued by the first one - which claims an astonishing 4000 Lumens(!). That's pretty impressive (and surely inaccurate, but still impressive). Love that the listed features include: "revealing...odor of other small animals on carpets clothes floor,scorpion hunting" (OK, if I was writing a product description in Chinese I'm sure it would be even funnier). This light appears to use 26550 batteries - that's a new one to me, I always assume these lights use the 18650.

Looks like the second linked light uses a single 18650, which means it's not going to be very bright (or not for very long). Maybe you don't need a lot of Lumens for this UV output?

 

[ReefHound]

I've gone through a lot of odd Chinese dive lights, with wildly varying success. I've come to think of them as disposable - usually good for a trip or two, maybe more, maybe less. But great while they last (although due to lack of reliability, I always bring 1 or sometimes 2 backups). Some put out an incredible amount of light - seemingly lighting up the whole ocean - before they stop working.

$60 for a video light is quite economical but I wouldn't say "disposable". My $180 UK Aqualites (I actually got them on a sale for $140) have lasted over 50 dives so far with no issues at all. That's a lot better than going through a $60 light every trip. And as you noted about backups, the worst part of my Evolva lights flooding wasn't the monetary loss of the lights - I returned them for a refund - but the loss of use of the lights for the remainder of the trip.

I always thought rechargeable lithiums output full amps until discharge which would mean they don't get dimmer. They maintain brightness until they go off. My UK lights must have some circuitry that when the battery gets too light, the bulb goes to very dim and flashes slowly. I guess maybe it's so you aren't completely deprived of light, which is good because I often use them as my lights on a night dive (I jump with one off, one on low) with maybe a cheap backup light in a pocket.

 

[rmssetc]

Looks like the second linked light uses a single 18650, which means it's not going to be very bright (or not for very long). Maybe you don't need a lot of Lumens for this UV output?

The light uses a 26550, or a 18650 in a plastic sleeve.

 

[rmssetc]

Not so fast. This is simply a rebranded Evolva light (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FD3QQGK).

I wouldn't say "simply ... rebranded". The Evolva to which you linked does not have UV LEDs, just red & white.

I'll find out if the light is reliable soon -- and if it's not...that's what the warranty is for (and a refund from Amazon, if needed).

 

[ReefHound]

I wouldn't say "simply ... rebranded". The Evolva to which you linked does not have UV LEDs, just red & white.

I'll find out if the light is reliable soon -- and if it's not...that's what the warranty is for (and a refund from Amazon, if needed).

If you search around on Alibaba you can probably find the actual Chinese manufacturer that is making them for everyone.

 

[marcin.a]

I am sorry for bringing this old thread back from the abyss. I am 'researching' options for fluoro dives and am looking for answer to a question:
Do the UV light works reasonably well? I mean the 395 nm 'black light' which doesn't require yellow mask filter.
There is heaps of info over the net that blue light is better. I accept it, but want to know if that less cumbersome black light could possibly be good enough.

 

[tursiops]

I'm a little surprised a red filter isn't more effective. Obviously, I am not a lighting/optics engineer, but the red filter on my GoPro seems to help mitigate the heavy "blue" influences at depth.

The red filter for the GoPro doesn't mitigate the blue; it puts the missing red back into the image.

 

[DandyDon]

which doesn't require yellow mask filter.

I have a yellow lens mask for night dives, altho I don't dive with black light. It's supposed to enhance night vision, but skip it if you wish.

 

[Snoweman]

The red filter for the GoPro doesn't mitigate the blue; it puts the missing red back into the image.

I disagree. If this were the case, you would have a super saturated photo. From what I have read, it does not add color but filters out the blue.