HID v LED Torches [Archive] - BSAC Scuba Diving Forums

steve swift

14-12-2005, 20:19

Eugene Farrell

14-12-2005, 20:47

Hi Steve

I have both having just purchased a Fa & Mi LED torch.

I would say that I prefer the LED, the burn time is excellent, the light is bright and of good colour, and the size is smaller and lighter than HID.

Output is great considering the power required - I am using 4 AA batteries to genrate 40W:D

My 400 is pretty much redundant now.

I have seen a couple of the umbilical LED's which look superb too.

Anyway - you can never have too much dive kit!;)

Alan Ewart

14-12-2005, 21:36

Hi

I'm thinking of upgrading my torch as the reflector in my old UK400 is starting to fall apart. I'm looking at the FaMi Power 40 which is LED or the UK Light cannon which is HID. Anyone any thoughts on either, or been able to compare?

As a general rule which do you think it is better to go for LED or HID?

Thanks
Steve

Steve,

As always I guess it depends what you want it for. I have a Greenforce 100W HID. It really is brighter than a very bright thing. With the impact head the bulbs are well protected, which is a must as HID bilbs are very fragile and very expensive to replace (£180!!!) in my case. Fa-mi HIDS can be very easily broken!!

In poor vis in the UK the amount of back scatter from the hid can really affect performance. I'm hoping that nice Mr Claus will bring me a an LED head for my torch. :)

With the choice of two heads I will simply select the correct head for the diving I'm doing.

Hope that helps

James - Narked@50

14-12-2005, 23:54

I own a 50w equivalent HID and rekon it's better than the LED ones I've seen on dives. I'm not saying this to wind people up, it's just there are still very few "good" LEDs about, the earlier ones were pants, so HID has had time to grow and get better. £ for £, I still think HID is in front just now, this may change in a couple of years, but you don't see car headlights going LED yet do you?, and that industry is worth trillions of dollars.

James

Paul Oliver

15-12-2005, 01:33

I have one of these LEDS and its the dogs :) 20 Hour burn time and a very nice beam ;)

Greenforce AA12 with Tristar LED head (http://www.divingdirectshop.co.uk/acatalog/AA12_TORCHES.html)

purdy

15-12-2005, 09:53

I have a Fami 50w with a 3 hour burn time off 4AA batteries.

I love it, it is nice and neet, a great white light and I would recoment them to anyone

But the choice is going to b hard to make and I wish you luck.

Purdy

PeteM

15-12-2005, 10:09

but you don't see car headlights going LED yet do you?, and that industry is worth trillions of dollars.

http://www.electronicsweekly.com/Article4455.htm :D

Also very common as tail lights on new designs now

OK the electronics Weekly article is a bit dodgy in that its headline is about headlights but the article is about running lights but the technology is already there just too expensive at present. When car manufacturers are decontenting the cars to the extent of not painting the bottom of ash trays to save half a penny (as Mercedes have started doing) then a few quid extra for the new technology of high power LED's is definitely not going to make it - although expect it on top end cars this decade.

steve swift

15-12-2005, 23:42

Thanks guys

Looks like the LEDs have it!! I might just try to persuade Santa, err Mrs S, to let me go for the 50W....

Thanks for your comments
Safe diving
Steve

Alwassia

19-12-2005, 09:24

Sorry mate but LED's have been in use d in the automotive industry since about 4 year, mainly as rear / brake lights. Legislation, EU Regulations not cost is holding up the use in headlights, remember HID are bloody expensive compare to a LED. So we would love to save cost on that area as well while improving reliability and user satisfaction.

Thanks

Khaled

steve swift

31-12-2005, 13:55

Went for the FaMi 40 in the end. Very nice, solid torch with a very bright white light. I have yet to try it underwater to compare with other torches/ lamps in the club, but above water it's as good if not better than the club ones which are brand new LED Sunlight C8s.

A word of caution to anyone who gets one of these torches: the head is not supposed to unscrew, even though it can. It was a good job I did though as I found the O ring had got a kink in it. SDS very kindly put a new head on, with a warning not to undo it again! They insist that mine was a one in a million and they will replace the torch if it leaks and i haven't checked the O ring.

Steve

Andy Powell

04-01-2006, 16:23

I'm in the process of converting a UK C8 to LED - its a bit tight but I should end up with 4 x 3W Luxeon stars in the head. (I'll change to 5W when the price drops a bit more) Which should make it fairly bright to say the least. I'm going to be running it off 12 x AA NiMh rechargeable batteries to give a burn time of 3 hours +.

Component wise it should cost around £50 - 60 including the batteries plus the C8 body - which was donated after someone else flooded it.

I'll let you know how it turns out.

If you're at all interested I can let you know a list of suppliers for the components.

Andy

Paul Morris

04-01-2006, 17:29

I'm in the process of converting a UK C8 to LED - its a bit tight but I should end up with 4 x 3W Luxeon stars in the head.

...
I'll let you know how it turns out.

Sounds like a cracking home project. Would definitely be interested to hear how it goes. Can the NiMH AAs handle the sustained power drain of the Luxeon LEDs? I thought that was why most manufacturers shyed away from them.

Cheers,
Paul.

Garry Whyke

06-01-2006, 13:44

Woz

06-01-2006, 13:57

I've been diving with the Fami umbilical since last May and am very impressed. Power, colour, durability and long battery life are the main features I like. Only thing I'm a little disapointed with is the light spread. Overall though excellent.

Like many when I looked to purchase a more powerfull torch I considered the HID. The susceptability of HID's to blow bulbs when receiving a knock turned me off them.Buy a Salvo. They are very bright, very tough (the only manufacturer that offers a gurantee on the bulb) and you'll get so many other divers going "I want I want I want" round you.

The Welch Allyn HID bulbs use a small striker wire which is very very fragile and the main reason for failure. The Brightstar bulbs used by Salvo don't have this problem.

Don't bother with the 24W- it's too bright and only good for video use, really. The 18W is a fantastic unit and the 10W unit is absolutely fine for any diving you will want to do in the UK. I've got a 21W 9Ah unit and you can get a 4hr + burntime out of it with a light output that scares the crap out of the fish. Lovely.

www.divingniknaks.com

Beanie

06-01-2006, 15:12

How about a solid State Light Engine Technology lamp?

The SSP lights from Divertec (http://www.divertec.net) are very impressive they put HIDs and Halogen to shame isntant bright white light fantastically engineered. They were launched at last years NEC dive show. the hole unit is sealed no opening the canister to charge the battery no bulbs to change, two power settings.

more details here (http://divertec.net/category.php?catId=17&cat=SOLUS%20TORCHES)

Ian@1904

06-01-2006, 18:21

I have been using Greenforce lighting systems for several of years.
I have a Tristar head for murky conditions and 18w HID for wreck illumination.

Very expensive, very bright, very robust, very pleased with the kit

David Walker

06-01-2006, 20:24

How about a solid State Light Engine Technology lamp?

more details here (http://divertec.net/category.php?catId=17&cat=SOLUS%20TORCHES)

Ummm... you mean LED, whatever they like to call it.

Not seen one working, but given the information on the website I wouldn't even consider buying one - there are ways to market your product to reflect its advantages, but frankly they got carried away on the website and just make themselves look stupid.

David

Alan Gough

06-01-2006, 23:44

Ummm... you mean LED, whatever they like to call it.

Not seen one working, but given the information on the website I wouldn't even consider buying one - there are ways to market your product to reflect its advantages, but frankly they got carried away on the website and just make themselves look stupid.

David

David
I have. I have their 250 demo which I will be trying out u/w this week-end. The above surface comparison with my present 20W is very good with a narrower whiter beam. I'll post here after the dive.
However if the light is half as good as the service received from Barrie Law then I will be very pleased and after all I'm happy to look Stupid ;)

David Walker

07-01-2006, 00:02

David
I have. I have their 250 demo which I will be trying out u/w this week-end. The above surface comparison with my present 20W is very good with a narrower whiter beam. I'll post here after the dive.
However if the light is half as good as the service received from Barrie Law then I will be very pleased and after all I'm happy to look Stupid ;)

Ah no, I wasn't saying their torches were bad, but their marketing of it leaves a lot to be desired. Not the way to win customers (in my opinion). Like I said, it could be the best torch in the world, they might sell them much better in person or in shops, but based on the website if they miss the key advantages of the competition out in their comparison, and don't list many of their own product's disadvantages, then why would a customer believe anything they say? :confused:

David

Louby Lou

07-01-2006, 00:11

Although the website leaves little to be desired the passion and the dedication that the chaps at Solus have for their product is second to none.

I happened to meet them at the Dive Show, bumping into them in my village on the Friday night. The guys were more than happy to spend hours and I mean hours, it was the early hours of the morning before we finally put the torch down, going over the details right down to the nitty gritty finer points of the torch and demonstrating it.

Its a shame you didn't see them at the NEC, they had a lightbox developed that compared the different styles of torch and the Solid State (technically an LED but a lot more sophiscated - think new age) wiped the floor completely especially with the HID and not only on the quality of light but all over this torch was amazing.

If I had the money I would definitely go for it...

But then that's only my opnion :cool:

EDIT - Plus Barrie's customer service is first rate too :) He did post on Rebreatherworld more information on the torch as a press release HERE (http://www.rebreatherworld.com/rebreather-accessories-books-dvds-other-dive-kit/1846-solus-torches-spec-pic.html)

Alan Ewart

07-01-2006, 10:26

Ah no, I wasn't saying their torches were bad, but their marketing of it leaves a lot to be desired. Not the way to win customers (in my opinion). Like I said, it could be the best torch in the world, they might sell them much better in person or in shops, but based on the website if they miss the key advantages of the competition out in their comparison, and don't list many of their own product's disadvantages, then why would a customer believe anything they say? :confused:

David

David,

You may not have come across Barrie & Dive tec before. I agree that it's not the worlds greatest website, but the diving world is a small one and IMHO selling great equipment at great prices with great customer service is a sure fire winner. All I need is the website to tell me the price and contact details.

Alan Gough

08-01-2006, 16:23

As promised above.
I tried out a Solus 250 unit today at NDC. It gives a clean white light from 3 LEDS in a fairly close focused beam and compared very well to the 18W HID my buddy was using. The hand unit needs a "goodman style handle" for ease of use and rigidity on the back of your hand. Needless to say I am very pleased with it and can't wait until mine arrives. (Barrie very kindly sent me a demo whilst I wait for mine to be built).
However the web site describes the machine, it certainly works!
Alan

Beanie

09-01-2006, 16:31

Ah found a link to the manufacturer

http://www.ssp.ie/solid.htm

Beanie

15-05-2006, 14:30

Just a quick update on this thread to say that there is a review of the Solus SU-500 carried out by an independant user, this includes a direct comparison with a 10w HID torch.

Solus SU-500 Review (http://www.rebreatherworld.com/rebreather-accessories-articles/4828-solus-su-500-review.html)

MattS

15-05-2006, 22:15

venom

31-05-2006, 00:31

Re: HID v LED Torches

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm in the process of converting a UK C8 to LED - its a bit tight but I should end up with 4 x 3W Luxeon stars in the head. (I'll change to 5W when the price drops a bit more) Which should make it fairly bright to say the least. I'm going to be running it off 12 x AA NiMh rechargeable batteries to give a burn time of 3 hours +.

Component wise it should cost around £50 - 60 including the batteries plus the C8 body - which was donated after someone else flooded it.

I'll let you know how it turns out.

If you're at all interested I can let you know a list of suppliers for the components.

Andy

hi , i would like some information re' suppliers please. has anyone came out with something?

I have just bought the barbolight from custom divers and it is amazing !! I already had the hid but comparred to the led's it sucks!!

The only prob is that i paid around 500 euros which is expensive. now i am trying to use the housing of the hid and try to convert it in to something with led. Well actually i am try ing to go smaller on the battery pack.

cheers
johann

Woz

31-05-2006, 12:17

Personally, after seeing one in the flesh last weekend, I would get one of these:

Diving Niknaks 21W HID lantern (http://www.divingniknaks.com/proddetail.php?prod=lantern&cat=1&nav=)

21W HID lantern style. Incredibly bright in the water- much much brighter than any LED or the 10W UK HID. Rechargeable too. And only £230. Bargain.