What price a torch?

[stuartv]

we may be in so different diving environments that it also causes different needs in equipment configuration.
Here it is very normal to use a bit more powerful lights between 2000 and 5000 lumens as a primary light if the diver only has budget for it. not only tech stuff but for normal rec diving as well. usually this means some sort of canister light as a primary and the backup may be some kind of flashlight style torch or two in something like 250-500lumen range. this has to do with the murky waters and overall lower light levels underwater, one may very well need a light even in daylight if diving deep enough (this may not be deeper than something like 10 meters in some situations).

my 800 lumen primary is considered small power here which is why I am planning updating it to a canister light later when I get the funds and will do slightly longer dives

if a normal battery goes flat or leaks it is easy to recognise and one will test the light before the dive by turning it on anyway so it would show if there would be a dead battery in it

It is pretty normal here to have no ambient light at depth, even on daytime dives. The local quarry often has a very thick turbid layer in the 8 - 10m depth range. But, a 1000 lumen light (nominal) is more than adequate.

Regardless, if your primary is a can, I don't see what that has to do with whether a backup has a rechargeable or not.

The issue is not so much whether a normal battery is dead or has leaked. It is if you can tell that it has dropped to only, say 20% charge left. If you are checking by turning it on briefly, just before the start of the dive, how do you know whether it's full or at 20%? Do you really put a meter on the battery (or batteries) from your backup light before every dive day (or trip)? It seems safer, to me, to just put in a battery that is of known quality and known to be at full capacity.

Anyway, I reckon neither of us is going to change our mind about these things, so you do you. As my grandmother used to tell me (often), that's why there's chocolate and vanilla.

 

[Magnus Lundstedt]

Why no rechargeable stuff?

Do you put an alkaline battery in your backup light and then just leave it in there for 6 months or a year at a time? How do you KNOW it's going to work and have the full required burn time when you eventually need it? Have you ever seen what CAN happen with an alkaline battery that is left sitting in a device for a prolonged period? (i.e. when the battery leaks)

If you check your backup light's battery before every dive day (or even every dive trip) and you confirm its charge level and condition, why would a non-rechargeable be any better than a freshly charged rechargeable that is known to be good quality and have a low self-discharge rate?

I prefere to use the same type of batteries in my primary and my backup light.

Then i can every time I need to charge or replace the battery in my primary, take the ones from my backup and put a new/recharged one in the backup.

When doing so the backup lights battery is always good.

 

[stuartv]

My experience with just two magnetic on/off button lights says the switches are prone to failure...

Indeed, lower quality lights of any type can have issues. I have 2 of those Evolva lights and they seem to epitomize not "inexpensive" but "cheap".

I have 2 of the Xtar D26 lights and they have seen a fair number of dives, including a fair number in salt water, over the last year or 2 and they are still working perfectly.

I have never understood the issue with twist lights. Anybody that has one should know that you only need to twist it a fairly small amount for it to turn on. So, if you turn it the wrong way and it doesn't come on you don't keep twisting it. You turn it back the other way. Turning it the wrong way for less than 1 turn is not enough, on any that I've used, to get past even the first O-ring and allow it to leak.

 

[kelemvor]

I have never understood the issue with twist lights. Anybody that has one should know that you only need to twist it a fairly small amount for it to turn on. So, if you turn it the wrong way and it doesn't come on you don't keep twisting it. You turn it back the other way. Turning it the wrong way for less than 1 turn is not enough, on any that I've used, to get past even the first O-ring and allow it to leak.

That's my thought on it exactly. I think someone is teaching in a class that "twist lights" are a risk and nobody is questioning it... or something.

I do prefer pushbutton lights, but not by that wide a margin. My only experience with a magnetic slide was not good.. on the other hand that was a $17 no-name ebay light... I did take it apart trying to make the slide work better, but didn't solve the problem. I was surprised how many little pieces were involved in the magnetic slide mechanism.

Those xtar lights look pretty nice but I view them as "cheap chinese lights." Perhaps I shouldn't but the price tag plus my perception has kept me away.

I've got a project (canister) light I'm working on. I'm planning to put a CREE LED chip into it that's intended for street lights. I think CREE says around 50,000 lumens. It will make sol look dim, although I worry it might boil water in front of the lens. I've got a week's vacation coming up next week and I'm only diving 2 days. Maybe a good time to make some progress on my project! I'll probably have over $500 into it by the time I finish.

 

[almostDIR]

It is pretty normal here to have no ambient light at depth, even on daytime dives. The local quarry often has a very thick turbid layer in the 8 - 10m depth range. But, a 1000 lumen light (nominal) is more than adequate.

Regardless, if your primary is a can, I don't see what that has to do with whether a backup has a rechargeable or not.

The issue is not so much whether a normal battery is dead or has leaked. It is if you can tell that it has dropped to only, say 20% charge left. If you are checking by turning it on briefly, just before the start of the dive, how do you know whether it's full or at 20%? Do you really put a meter on the battery (or batteries) from your backup light before every dive day (or trip)? It seems safer, to me, to just put in a battery that is of known quality and known to be at full capacity.

Anyway, I reckon neither of us is going to change our mind about these things, so you do you. As my grandmother used to tell me (often), that's why there's chocolate and vanilla.

sounds pretty similar than here in quarries and lakes. one thing may be that it is common sport to visit the numerous wrecks at sea here so extra power does not go to waste in any cases

yep it seems like chocolate and vanilla, I would prefer alkaline to be sure the battery is most likely full in all cases if I know its history and maybe a little bit less hassle with changing them and keeping them charged etc. but if I would need the backups often it could be useful to have at least one of them with rechargeable batteries. I would maybe not know if an alkaline battery would have internal short circuit and thus lowering the capacity but generally they are very reliable

 

[stuartv]

Those xtar lights look pretty nice but I view them as "cheap chinese lights." Perhaps I shouldn't but the price tag plus my perception has kept me away.

I'm actively working a plan to be diving in Key Largo for a week or so shortly after Christmas, if you'd like to meet up and try one...

 

[stuartv]

less hassle with changing them and keeping them charged etc.

I generally never need to use my backup. But, when I'm charging the battery from my primary it's really trivial extra hassle to also charge the battery from my backup (or not, if I know I charged it in the last few days and haven't used it). And then I KNOW it's full.

 

[divinh]

Indeed, lower quality lights of any type can have issues. I have 2 of those Evolva lights and they seem to epitomize not "inexpensive" but "cheap".

I have 2 of the Xtar D26 lights and they have seen a fair number of dives, including a fair number in salt water, over the last year or 2 and they are still working perfectly.

I have never understood the issue with twist lights. Anybody that has one should know that you only need to twist it a fairly small amount for it to turn on. So, if you turn it the wrong way and it doesn't come on you don't keep twisting it. You turn it back the other way. Turning it the wrong way for less than 1 turn is not enough, on any that I've used, to get past even the first O-ring and allow it to leak.

After the switch problem on the Evolva, I got the DGX light. It didn't fair better, though granted, they're both in the same price range, ~$50 USD.

I saw your review of the Xtar D26, unfortunately too late after getting the DGX... I did get the Xtar charger you recommended. Thanks for that!

For twist lights, I have mine twisted so that it's a very small turn to switch it on. I wonder if people don't have it set that way, requiring more twist and thus potential confusion? Maybe the thought is that if you have it twisted on the edge of turning on, you're going to drain the battery more?

 

[almostDIR]

For twist lights, I have mine twisted so that it's a very small turn to switch it on. I wonder if people don't have it set that way, requiring more twist and thus potential confusion? Maybe the thought is that if you have it twisted on the edge of turning on, you're going to drain the battery more?

I don't believe they would drain any battery if being "on the edge" , my twist light just has the electrical contacts which will touch the main body when you twist the front deep enough and thus conduct the current to the LED . just direct contacts and nothing else, totally on/off style.

I have the light currently set to turn on with about a little over half a turn twist but would be a matter of taste I think as long as one does not unscrew too much to expose the o-rings or to get them dirty.
it would also be very annoying to twist it couple of turns when you really need it (need to switch on before unclipping from harness) so about half a turn or a little more works fine for me

 

[KathyV]

I have had one night dive and a few wreck penetration dives but so far I have used borrowed / hired torches.
I am thinking of buying a couple of my own.
One of those I borrowed cost £125.
I see there are huge differences in price for those that look to be similar spec. Starting at about £10 on Ebay all the way to £100 plus.

To me £50 seems a lot to pay for a torch, that could easily be dropped or lost.

Anyone know the reasons for the difference in prices, is it justified? and would I be better with a couple of cheapies bearing in mind I do relatively few night dives and can always hire them for night or wreck diving on holiday. Torches take p a fair bit of baggage allowance particular with Ryanairs new baggage policy.

I think that divers should carry a flashlight with them at all times. You never know when it may be helpful to have a light with you. We learned that lesson during a dive in Bonaire.

We went out for a shore dive during the afternoon. It wasn't dusk yet and it was still light outside but it was a little cloudy - and we forgot how quickly dark can descend in the tropics - there's not a lot of evening twilight as you travel closer to the equator and we got careless.

Close to the half-way point we noticed that it was getting darker so we turned back, but it got dark quickly. By chance, I had a small flashlight in my BCD pocket and we stayed together and used it to slowly make our way back. It was dark night when we finally exited the water.

Since then we always carry a flashlight on a retractable lanyard in our BCD pockets, and they have come in handy for looking into holes, wrecks, and other dark places.

We have 2 of the Light and Motion GoBe 500 Spot flashlight for $100 USD and they have worked well for us. It has lithium batteries and comes with a cable connection for easy recharging. Figure in another $20 USD for the clip-on, retractable lanyard.

You can easily adjust the brightness by clicking the switch. You can also lock and unlock it easily so that it won't burn out inside your bag or pocket. It's not big or heavy and you don't need to bring extra batteries so that makes it easy to carry on dives and when traveling, see the link below:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016LCV9DM/ref=s9_dcacsd_dcoop_bw_c_x_3_w?th=1