Wich new torch should I get?

[Janos]

Oh dear. Not good news. More unhappy people then happy people. Nice link to lighthouse diving though. Thanks.

My home made attempts are based on a MR16 in a Maglite head (Thanks Dom) but I just can't get the bugger watertight. It works in the pool, but leaks deeper than about 10 or 15m. I've sealed up bits with epoxy resin but the water keeps getting in and it's doing my head in.

I am going to persevere, but even if I get it working, I doubt that I'll ever get it so that it works even on 4 out of 5 dives. And it seems that all the brands are more reliable then that.

If you're bored, you can read about my attempts to build the torch here I need to update it as I haven't written about the latest failure at Stoney yet, and I'm also going to put up instructions on how to make homemade flags and also my new "arse pocket"

Laters,
    Janos

[daz]

Oh I think I see the problem.

You kept the lamp head and binned the rest.  I basically kept the lamp head, cut the remaining section 2inchs from the end and araldited the shortened end section into the lamp head.  Plenty of sealant, a waterproof gland on the end and roberts your fathers brother.

I then got a piece of glass cut to replace the plastic lense I can still remove the lens cap bit to replace the bulb.

Beginners luck?  Well it has worked to 20m.  I don't really need it and have not got around to making a battery pack so will probably flog it or swap it for something useful (Anyone got some large jetfins they don't want?) .

Daz

[Janos]

Your way does sound better, and if I was doing it again I would probably do that. But I don't think the water is coming in through that end of the lamphead. It's first visible between the lens (I'm still using plastic and it hasn't melted) and the bulb. So I glued all that up as much as possible with epoxy. I can only think it's coming up through the thread on the maglite.

Do you know what size the o-rings are?

Laters,
   Janos

[daz]

Don't know what size the 'O' rings are but the plastic lense is quite fin and prone to flexing as it gets deeper and I think this might affect the seal against the 'O' ring.

Try replacing the standard lense with a glass lense or a thicker plastic lense.  I just use the standard 'O' ring with a thinker lense and it did not leak.

Daz