DIY CANISTER LIGHTS

[ian Price]

Hi all,

Ive just got my copy of divelight companion with the intention of having a go at making a diy canister halogen or HID light. Before I dive in head first, if anyone has advice I would be grateful for it. I know one or two people have already had a stab at building them...

Ian

[Mary]

I do beleive digger can offer lots of advice on what not to try........

[Dominic]

Give up all hope of ever getting it to the point where it's perfect and you don't want to change anything else.

Mine has spent more time diassembled in bits waiting for upgrades than it's ever spent in the water.

Currently I'm convincing myself I don't need a torch on any dives, simply because I haven't put the thing back together yet. So it's a great money saver - I don't have a cannister torch, but I don't feel the need to go and buy one, as I have one sitting in bits in my spare room

[kramynot2000]

Ian,

I'm with Dominic on this!     My DIY cannister has not been to 1m yet (all testing has been in a bucket) but I've been through two sizes of batteries, various o-rings, etc.  The toughest part I'm having is getting a good seal for both the light head I'm using, which is an old aluminum maglite, and the cannister.... which I guess is pretty much everything.

However, in my garage at night, it works just great!

To be honest, I just haven't had time to deal with it lately as I've been concentrating on putting together a video housing and camera, but as soon as I get back from this upcoming trip to the Isle of Mull, I'm gonna finish that light.  Putting together the electrics was pretty easy, my big problem is finding the right o-ring for my cannister.  I'm using a 4" PVC pipe.

Tony

[kramynot2000]

Here's a link to some very good pictures of DIY cannister lights to get some ideas:

http://groups.msn.com/Divelight/pictures

Good luck

Tony

[Mdemon]

Make sure you can recharge it without taking the whole thing to bits.

Waterproof boots for toggle switches work well - fill them with vaseline in case of leaks.

Have some way of locking the torch Off when using toggle switches, or protect it somehow to stop it coming on in your dive bag.

Reed switch/Relay switches are simpler than they look to make.

30w halogens are fairly pathetic underwater.  50w halogens are fine.  For real "Nightsun" stuff, Thorn, Osram and Phillips do higher wattage bulbs.  I use an 85w bulb which isn't as white as a 10w HID, but it lights up the whole area like a floodlight.  I get between around 40mins @ 85w before it starts to dim.  I get light from it for around another 40mins before it dies.  However, I have two 12v 7ah Yuasa batteries in my torch, so I can switch to the other battery and bingo, back to buddy-blinding strength!  At 50w, I reckon to have at least 3 hours light.

Make your cannister connection in such a way that you can put a HID head on it when you can afford the pennies.

Bronze plumbing fittings make cheap connectors.

Never underestimate the ability of water to find a way in.

You can never have to much epoxy steel or Araldite.



HTH

[Dominic]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]Waterproof boots for toggle switches work well - fill them with vaseline in case of leaks

Argh! No!
Most boots are rubber - vaseline, being petroleum jelly, will eat away at them. Silicon grease is more likely to give a lasting boot.

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]Have some way of locking the torch Off when using toggle switches, or protect it somehow to stop it coming on in your dive bag.

I just unplug the bulb

[Mdemon]

Well spotted Dom!  You're quite right - check what your boots are made of first!

The high wattage bulbs can be up to a tenner each, so I'd rather keep them safe in the lighthead.  But it is an option, I'll grant you!

[Dominic]

Oh, I leave it IN the lighthead - it's just not plugged in

Besides, I stick to 20 or 35w bulbs - could use a new bulb on every dive without caring about the cost

[Dave J]

well ive made the light head, and it water tight down to 20 meters, but can i find any 5" PVC or acrylic, NO, does anybody know were i can get hold of any (in short lengths). phoned loads of companys in the north west but with no luck.

Dave J