I need to see the light!

[Dominic]

I knocked up my own umbilical torch for £100ish.
It runs on standard spotlight bulbs (As do a lot of dive torches, though they charge you five times the price for a replacement bulb) that I can vary any time I like - I can put anything from a 20watt to a 100watt bulb in, depending on the dive.
I usually use 20 or 35, tho, which give me a 3 or 2 hour burn time respectively, and a better amount of light than my D4R ever did..

[Dr Stevil]

Sounds very interesting indeed, would you be amemable to sharing the plans, component suppliers etc with the rest of us? Paxo has already offered his engineering services in exchange for GBPs (great british pints)

[Dominic]

Umm... let me see....

Cannister body: PVC drainpipe & end caps availble from any DIY plumbing store.

Watertight cable glands: Brass compression fittings, available from any decent plumbers.

Sealed lead-acid batteries & charger, switch & rubber switch boot from Maplins.

Torch: Butchered Maglite.

Glass disks: Any glass cutters.

Cable: Any DIY shop.

Duck tape, silicon sealant, O-rings and the like: Any decent DIY shop.

See http://www.oneandoneis2.demon.co.uk/DiveWeb/torch.htm for a few more details. I haven't had time to put a full-on "How to" guide together yet...

I WILL get a better torch body put together someday, so I can have it on a Goodman handle, but I've been busy with other things lately (The two week holiday and new weight system, for starters)

[Dr Stevil]

Good call ! Far more attractive than paying 300-400 quid for similar OEM stuff. Does the gaffa/duck tape stand up ok in water?

[Dominic]

I don't know how waterproof duck tape is, but I don't use it as the sealant: It's there to stop the cable taking too much stress, and to cover the silicone sealant that IS used for waterproofing.
I doubt it'd be suitable for any techy divers, as the walls are only 3ish mm thick, but it can go to 35m just fine, and that's all I need it to do..

[Dr Stevil]

Ah..I see. Guess you could always make a more techie torch with thicker material if you needed it.

Forgot to mention to Timing - last months Dive mag (red cover) reviewed a whole bunch of torches of varying prices. If you don't know anyone with a copy I could scan the pages and mail them if your e-mail program can handle several largish files, alternatively I could photocopy them and post them if you like but they'll be in B&W.
Let me know if this is any use to you.
Regards
Steve

[Tim Ingmire]

Thanks Steve,

Just Popped to the Dive website and read the reviews there.  Must say that I'm still none the wiser after reading that tho.

I was suprised that they didn't include Kowalski lights.

I think I may get that ex-demo Kowalski 620 from Lighthouse.  At £130 it looks to be good value - just a pity about the long recharge times.

[Scuba1]

Try and get the "Speed" vresion of it . That will charge in about 30 mins. One Bonus about the Kowalski is that you can get different reflectors for it i.e a 5° spot amd a 10° flood giving you a more versitile use for it.

Michael

[Tim Ingmire]

Ok now this is typical.

After all I said about wanting a good rechargable torch that doesnt need to taken apart to charge, what do I go and do?

Thats right, I buy one that you have to take apart and is non-rechargeable.  It's the UK 100 HID.  Can't wait to try it out.

It's a pity that I'm not allowed out to dive tho.

[Dr Stevil]

Oh Dear, you still in the dog house then ? Is this because of the pony incident? Perhaps we could organize a petition "Dear Mrs Tim , please let Timing come out and play with us, we promise we won't let him into a dive shop..." ;)
Cheers
Steve