Dive Lights

[Graham Brierton]

I'm diving Scapa this year and want to buy a reasonably priced main dive torch. I had just about settled on the UKD4R when everyone seems to be introducing LED technology to their product range. Has anyone out there used LED lights? I know how robust, battery friendly and long lasting the bulbs are but are they bright enough to use as primary units?

[Woz]

I would look at the UK light canon 10W HID non-rechargeable. Apparently the batts last for ages so the rechargeable option is a bit of a waste of money.

From what I've seen of LED, they are not a very penetrating light. However I've got a Tek-Tite 2W LED and this 3 C-cell torch lasts a whopping 15 hours and is perfect as a backup, or a primary in blue-water. It's much brighter than a 5.5W SL4 and it's even brighter than my Peli 8 D cell 14W monster.

For a UK primary light I would stick with HID. Then again I've got a 21W Salvo Umbilical so can immediately go into Smug Mode as it lights up the scenery like the Sun. Very very expensive, though. Think £700. But still cheaper than the equivalent Halcyon and the bulbs don't break if you sneeze.

[Roz]

Yes are you right that LEDS have an awesome burn time, and you can be seen with them very well. They haven't yet got such a pentrating beam as other torches.

If budget is an issue, you might want to take a look at the Princeton Tec range of torches. They offer a lifetime guarantee to first owner, and are well made torches. The Shockwave Rechargeable is a good option, and gives a bright penetrating beam, making it ideal as a primary torch. The rechargable battery gives 100 minutes of burn time. Alternatively if you don't have the option to recharge your torch you just remove this battery and fit 8 C cells instead, which gives about 4 - 5 hours burn time. I don't know any other rechargable torches that allow you to swap between recharge and normal batteries.

Alternatively the torch that a lot of divers covert is the Kowalski. The baby, the Classic 620, is a staggeringly bright torch. The guy who invented these torches is a Precision Engineer, so every torch is hand assembled and individually tested. His torches are that good that many of the original lights manufactured in 1973 are still working today. So you may pay a bit more for this torch, but does last a very long time. Several cave divers use Kowalskis.

[Garry Whyke]

I have a FAMI LED umbilicle and can confirm that they have a very strong penetrating light which is blue in colour. Forgot the actual wattage but its equivalent to a 50w torch. I used to have a UK 8DR, which is nowhere near as powerfull.

I have also found it very rugged and reliable.

(Don't get confused between these and some of the cheaper LED's on the market which do appear to be under powered.)

If I was to make any negative comment about the torch it would have to be about the spread of the light. It is a little narrower than I would have liked.

Overall though, certainly a torch I would (and have) advised others to consider.

............... Garry

[Finless]

I'm diving Scapa this year and want to buy a reasonably priced main dive torch. I had just about settled on the UKD4R when everyone seems to be introducing LED technology to their product range. Has anyone out there used LED lights? I know how robust, battery friendly and long lasting the bulbs are but are they bright enough to use as primary units?

I have the UKD8 as my main dive light (apart from a Niterider I bought at LIDS) and have used it regularly for the last 5 or 6 years. It is still on its original bulbs and is as tough as they come. You can switch between the diff intesity bulbs during the dive (reassuring if a bulb were to blow during a dive). Mine is a bit of a lump but I still use it in preference to anything else I own.

I am not trying to persuade you to not buy a LED light but am just confirming that the D8 (and presumably therefore the D4) is a bloody good light that I would recommend to anyone.

LIDS is not far away .... could you not wait and have a look then?

[Graham Brierton]

Thanks to all who replied. I will certainly be at LIDS and definitely will be waiting till then to see what's on offer.

I've heard that bulb replacements for the Light Cannon HID are very expensive and that the bulbs tend to be a bit on the fragile side (and after switching on you should leave the torch switched on for the whole length of the dive).

I'm afraid the Kowalskis and others in the higher tech range are a bit out of my budget for a while. It seems that the good LED torches are probably on the expensive side for the moment too.

Looks like one of the Princeton Tec or UK torches then (or maybe a stupendous bargain on ebay:)

[Woz]

Cornish Diving are knocking out the UK HID for £135 at the moment.

If you are feeling really flush then have a look at www.divingniknaks.com (http://www.divingniknaks.com)- he does the Salvo HID umbilicals but also has a rather tasty 21W HID lantern for £230. Rechargeable too and uses the Brightstar HID which is almost indestructable (ask him to show you the "bang it bloody hard" test).
http://www.divingniknaks.com/proddetail.php?prod=lantern

[garethwoodruff]

Just a thought.....

I've got a UKD4, non rechargeable.

You can get NIMIH cells, much better than the NICaD cells supplied with the D4R cheap at Argos or wherever and a fast charger for them. Get a high powered set of NIMIH D cells and use them instead.

You can get 2 sets of rechargeable batteries and a charger plus a D4 for the same price as a D4R and you have the option of taking it abroad without batteries to save weight (get duracells at duty free!)

The only thing you will need to do is get a bulb for the rechargeable D4R, I think its 18w and fit that as the D4 come with 2 6 watt bulbs, but at least you end up with a spare low powered bulb.

Gareth.