best torch

[Rob Dobson]

Originally Posted by Mark Chase

The 10W Halcyon Proteus 3 HID would be my budget choice

Another HiD in the budget range: *Dive Rite* 10W HiD.

When it's focused it doesn't give the light sabre effect of the Salvo / Halcyon lights - it's even tighter than that. It's like a razor has slashed the fabric of the water and let light spill in from another dimension. It's weird but it works...

[divingniknaks]

Originally Posted by Mark Chase

Also consider the LED torches. Not the light sabers like the HIDS but bomb proof bulbs and excellent burn times.

You haven't seen the Salvo LED have you Mark ?

It's a completely different animal to other LED's you have seen.

Anyway, thanks for turning up all of you, eventually

As for the OP, you're pretty near us, if you want to drool over Salvos why not have a wander over, we'll put the kettle on for you.

Meanwhile here they are

Salvo HID and LED Primary Dive Lights

Cheers

[Mark Chase]

Originally Posted by divingniknaks

You haven't seen the Salvo LED have you Mark ?

It's a completely different animal to other LED's you have seen.

Anyway, thanks for turning up all of you, eventually

As for the OP, you're pretty near us, if you want to drool over Salvos why not have a wander over, we'll put the kettle on for you.

Meanwhile here they are

Salvo HID and LED Primary Dive Lights

Cheers

21W HID and LED Side by side picks in air and in water M8 please, or send it over hear and ill do it

ATB

Mark

[divingniknaks]

Originally Posted by Mark Chase

21W HID and LED Side by side picks in air and in water M8 please, or send it over hear and ill do it

ATB

Mark

Being organised mate. I'll have done 'em pretty soon.

Cheers

[Fiona]

Originally Posted by Phil Mauer

and/or a FA&MI 50w

Phil

Sorry the FaMi 50w will not cut the mustard, I had one then I dived with that Bridgeman bloke and immediately went out and bought a Halcyon 10w.

[RichW]

Hi Chris,

There are a number of things to consider when choosing a light for cave/cavern diving. Some of them have been discussed already.

I've written a piece here, Primary Lights at Wreck and Cave

which will give you some idea of the important things to think about. Also, if you want to meet up and try out some of these lights, then I offer that service free of charge.

Best wishes,

Rich

Originally Posted by f1wade

hi all,

im just wondering which is a good torch to get, for caverns and then moving on to caves if i actually like it.

im going abroad to see a few caverns with a training company,
but il be takinig my twin setup - tanks, (get them over their)

i want to have spares, just in case.

anyway please advise on a good torch?
for reference my main at the mo is a UK800.

many thanks

chris wade

[NotDeadYet]

Originally Posted by Mark Chase

10W HID is plenty. 50W Halogen is more than adiquate. 21W HID is a light saber

There is a lot to be said for 50W halogen. For cave diving, I find the light a bit kinder on the eyes than HID, I find my ability to pick out detail is a lot faster on halogen, I just find it easier to see with halogen light. I don't know if that's because it tends more towards the red end of the spectrum rather than the HID blue, if HID washes everything out or what but I do prefer halogen for cave diving.

Other advantages, bulbs are piss cheap and readily available (I got a pack of five 50W bulbs in a French village shop for a few quid last year), the technology is very simple if you need to field service a light, HID ballasts are very sensitive to voltage drops, like low batteries, cold water, damaged wiring, etc., whereas holgen is much more tolerant. I even changed a halogen bulb underwater, if you can get the test tube off then flooding the slug doesn't matter in fresh water, can't get away with that on a HID.

Downsides, they drink power but with a NIMH battery pack that can be extended. You can't use them out the water as they burn so hot.

I had a Halcyon Pro 14 HID (worst torh I've ever owned) which the ballast flooded on so I was forced back on to my old trusty AUL halogen. I have been very surprised by just how much nicer the light is underground. HID chuck out a whopping amount of light but it isn't necessarily the right kind in the right situation.

I've just bought a 21W Salvo replacement for my old halogen head for caving with but that is purely based on that it doubles the life of my battery. I've got a 10W handheld HID frm Dive Rite (about the size of a scout) which is a superb little torch, near enough 3hrs burn time on a set of NiMH batteries. I use it as a main light in open water and as a backup for caving so that I have the option of continuing the dive or using it as a decent light for exiting on rather than a small candle (especially when scootering). If I went somewhere with very good vis then I'd be tempted to just take that.

Cheers,

Stuart

[devilgas]

am only qual'd to cavern, so may be talking a load of bollocks, but my simple set up is 2x frogman lenser LED (the switched version) and 2x uk mini q40 eLED torches, all helmet mounted with one lenser & one q40 being run at any one time - backup is then identical to the primary. burn times are more than adequate, over 20hrs per lamp. with relatively low power (3 or 5w per lamp), backscatter isn't too much of an issue in poorer viz and can be reduced further by turning one of the lights off.
my backup and main setups are identical so there's no difference in light output should i need to swap from main to backup.
lamps cost about £130 in total iirc.

[Mark Chase]

Originally Posted by devilgas

am only qual'd to cavern, so may be talking a load of bollocks, but my simple set up is 2x frogman lenser LED (the switched version) and 2x uk mini q40 eLED torches, all helmet mounted with one lenser & one q40 being run at any one time - backup is then identical to the primary. burn times are more than adequate, over 20hrs per lamp. with relatively low power (3 or 5w per lamp), backscatter isn't too much of an issue in poorer viz and can be reduced further by turning one of the lights off.
my backup and main setups are identical so there's no difference in light output should i need to swap from main to backup.
lamps cost about £130 in total iirc.

It really depends what you want to achieve.

I recently spent over £200 on a back up tri LED torch. I did this because having had a primary torch fail on me I switched to a Photon Torpedo which felt like a candle in a jam jar by comparison. End result is my dreamed of dive inside the Justicia was ruined by lack of light.

My new back up is right up there with my LED primary so Ill hopefully never suffer that disappointment again.


Having said that, there is a limit to whats required. I dived a 10W Halcyon and was totaly Happy with the light output. In the end Salvo launched their 21W units for the same money as it would cost for the 10W NiMH Halcyon so I went for the 21W Salvo.

This is an epic torch and if you have the cash then go for the 21W but I beleive its really unnecessary, its just for childish grin factor, but you will seldom find a disappointed Salvo 21W owner. Having the 10W is like owning a Porsche Boxter when you m8's are tooling around in 911 Turbos

I have recently moved over to LED because of weight saving on overseas flights. If i am tight on weight I take the LED and leave the Salvo at home. I do this because i believe/hope/am told the LED is indestructible so its not going to arrive in Mexico smashed or fail half way through the weeks diving.

If I have the weight allowance I take both.

I am excited to see the new Salvo LED torch and I can't wait to see some video or pics of it in action. I am using the 1250 Solus which is not the light saber of the Salvo but it plenty of torch and still good enough for signaling. Id just like to have adjustable focus on it to make it perfect. There is a 2500 solus which I am sure will fry fish but battery size and head size put me off going up to what I ultimately believe is an unnecessary level of light. (but again nice for a giggle if you can afford it.)

My only issue with the Solus is the price. They are very expensive imports. If the Salvo LED can match it that has to be the one.


As for the Salvo failure? I am concerned as to whether or not the Salvo has a temperature cut out on it? The Solus will switch its self off if it gets too hot. I know this as it did during some dry testing i was doing.

ATB

Mark

[Leg Of Salmon]

Originally Posted by Mark Chase

As for the Salvo failure? I am concerned as to whether or not the Salvo has a temperature cut out on it? The Solus will switch its self off if it gets too hot. I know this as it did during some dry testing i was doing.

In air, the Salvo cuts down to half power after five minutes. I dont think it has a similar cut off in water.