So how exactly do you break a HID bulb?

[Scuby]

Having (finally) decided that I don't like the switch (a multi-brightness/flash/backup LED thing all from a single switch) or size of my current umbilical head (FaMi Multistar 50W halogen) i'm looking at options for replacements. One option is a smaller version of the 50W halogen, with a plain simple switch in it. However, as i'm spending the money i'm considering LEDs and HID. The FaMi Solar 12 HID looks good (small, simple switch again), but just don't know what to make of all the comments about HID being fragile.

What I really want to know is (for those who have broken HID bulbs), *how* have they become broken? If its just dropping tanks on them, flashing them on and off, that kind of thing then to be honest i'm happy with that - I tend to look after my torch pretty well I think, so don't think that would be a problem. If however people have had bulbs blow just turning them on one day, or tapping the side of the casing, then i'd be more wary of getting one.

I'm going to have to be watching for people with the LED heads too though, start following people around on dives to see what they look like in the water :O)

David

[Narked@50]

Be happy and buy one! All the ones I've heard of being broken have been design faults or what you state. Mostly it's divers over tightening and causing the focusable type to crush the bulb.

James

[Brian of Aquanauts]

i broke 3 bulbs last year!!! at 90 quid each i was put off HID for life.

1 dropped torch - ooops
2 knocked torch against car door while closing it
3 torch flooded, batteries OK, bulb f*cked

Decided back then that i would only buy a torch if i could get the bulb from halfords... am now thinking about HID again - no idea why, think star wars was an influencing factor

[nigelH]

Originally Posted by Scuby

So how exactly do you break a HID bulb?

Proteus 6 10W Focusable.
1) Wound the focus forward, bulb hit glass, broke.
2) Failed to clip off the torch and it banged about climbing the ladder of Loyal Watcher is rather a lot of sea.

[nickb]

I have a 21W Salvo and despite my best efforts have failed to break the bulb yet.

It's been dropped onto a ceramic-tiled kitchen floor from waist height.

I've smashed the test tube, flooding the front end and the bulb not only stayed intact but kept putting out light for a couple of minutes before going out.

I've chipped the ceramic part of the bulb whilst extracting it in order to dry out the front of the ballast after the above flooding.

Life's too short to waste it handling my dive gear with kid gloves, and this includes my most expensive item of kit. It gets slung in with all the rest of the stuff and has to fend for itself. So far it's stood up to the abuse admirably.

[rahughes]

I have a 10W sartek umbilical. Similarly the bulb broke when I was on the Loyal Watcher. I stupidly forgot to clip the lighthead off after a dive, I think I must have gotten distracted. It rolled about with the boat, eventually falling off the bench, hitting the deck and breaking. Sartek bulbs aren't too expensive, but its something I don't want to replace regularly!

[divingniknaks]

Interesting comments so far, I feel it's worth pointing out that some HID's will stand a lot more abuse than others. The Welch Allen bulbs used by a certain well known DIR company are renowned for being fragile.

The other well known HID manufacturer uses a far more robust bulb and ballast as Nick points out (oh what a giveaway)

The Salvo's are focusable in a way which doesn't affect or touch the bulb in any way either, so no problem that way.

Of the Salvo lights supplied so far by us, I'm not aware of anyone breaking a bulb. A cpl of bulbs have failed but were replaced immediately as you would expect us to, FOC of course.

[Angus]

Originally Posted by nigelH

Proteus 6 10W Focusable.
1) Wound the focus forward, bulb hit glass, broke.

Like Nigel I broke the bulb in the Proteus 6 in the same manner, however only the outer shell and over 12 months on and the same bulb is working fine still. (There is a spare in my kit just in case though)!

[And]

Hi

Broke a bulb on my 10w proteus head, banged the head and I reckon the spring inside broke it. Also broke the test tube round another bulb but that carried on working fine. Have just bought a third bulb so I have a spare light.

My 18W Helios has been going strong for well over a year and over 100 dives including two trips cave diving in Florida. It has been dumped in with the rest of my gear at the bottom of the dive box and banged about with no probs so far. I don't look after my kit at all apart from maintenance and washing with fresh water.

Its in for a warranty repair at the mo as it has a small leak which has knackered the battery. But overall I am very happy with it. All lights have their faults. Electronics and water just do not work well together

Andy

[AMW]

HID`s can be vulnerable (although not to the point of braking if you look at them :-) I have broken one "bulb" so far in three years, it is a 10W umbilical HID light made by Pro Watt (USA). I do take it caving although the head set is carried in a BDH and is well padded. I fit it to the helmet as I kit up (small head set ,smaller than a four AA torch). For replacement bulbs and ballast the cheapest place I have found is a cycling light manufacture they do both ballast (£45) and light units (£75) go to Cycling link . having dived with both HID and LED I have no reservation in that the HID has a better light , in poor vis it cuts through silty vis more readily than an LED., but you do pay with a slightly more fragile design (but not that fragile) .You also can not turn it on and off quickly as you need to allow the light to get up to temperature and then when off let it cool down (five minutes).
Andrew.