Tech Torch

[jonny4846]

Have been diving twins for the past year, and have been upgrading my gear as I go and as course's require. Now it's time to upgrade the torch as it is not an umbilical, and thus is not supposed to be used in tech diver 1 IANTD. However upgrading to an umbilical poses some problems.... Which one,

The most popular Salvo, Sartek, Halcyon and etc. to me still seem to be very big, the lighthead and ballast, and are not what you call cheap for a torch that you don't pretty much like. The other options was to start with a cheap Green-Force (F2 or F3, with standard 35W head) and upgrade the head when affordable...

The other problem I have is that my existing torch is rather reasonable. It's burntime is 1 Hour and it has 1600 lumen output, not joking, its a Beuchat 30/50. These stats mean that the green-force will be a step down and that salvo's and sartek's etc. will at 21w HID only be 1500 lumen, less then mine for a lot more money.

So my question is shpuld I just use my existing torch as if its disposable and see if it survives Tech 1 or go and purchase something approved by tech courses.

penny for your thoughts......

Cheers Jonny

[steveharriss]

AFAIK the IANTD standards only require you to have a main torch and a backup. While they state a preference for the main torch to be an umbilical it is not a requirement.

Why not just use what you have and then, if you decide you're taking the tech route further, make a decision then....and leave a huge hole in your Bank balance!

[John_C]

Originally Posted by jonny4846

Have been diving twins for the past year, and have been upgrading my gear as I go and as course's require. Now it's time to upgrade the torch as it is not an umbilical, and thus is not supposed to be used in tech diver 1 IANTD. However upgrading to an umbilical poses some problems.... Which one,

The most popular Salvo, Sartek, Halcyon and etc. to me still seem to be very big, the lighthead and ballast, and are not what you call cheap for a torch that you don't pretty much like. The other options was to start with a cheap Green-Force (F2 or F3, with standard 35W head) and upgrade the head when affordable...

The other problem I have is that my existing torch is rather reasonable. It's burntime is 1 Hour and it has 1600 lumen output, not joking, its a Beuchat 30/50. These stats mean that the green-force will be a step down and that salvo's and sartek's etc. will at 21w HID only be 1500 lumen, less then mine for a lot more money.

So my question is shpuld I just use my existing torch as if its disposable and see if it survives Tech 1 or go and purchase something approved by tech courses.

penny for your thoughts......

Cheers Jonny

I know many will frown on this advice, but you could do a lot worse that a 50w JMD umbilical. You can get one of these new for under £300, bulbs cost a £5er and you can buy additional battery packs as spare ot to link with the main. I have one and thing its as good as many umbilicals Ive seen, its achilies heel thought is the burn time of 60 mins. But not being HID turning on and off when you dont need it isnt as problematic.

[Okeanos]

Originally Posted by steveharriss

AFAIK the IANTD standards only require you to have a main torch and a backup. While they state a preference for the main torch to be an umbilical it is not a requirement.

Why not just use what you have and then, if you decide you're taking the tech route further, make a decision then....and leave a huge hole in your Bank balance!

I couldn't agree more.

Although I do have a GF F2 & F3 with 2 HID 100 heads.

You should have bought Morg NZ's F2 + hid 100 for £250!!

[Scuttler]

Originally Posted by jonny4846

The other problem I have is that my existing torch is rather reasonable. It's burntime is 1 Hour and it has 1600 lumen output, not joking, its a Beuchat 30/50. These stats mean that the green-force will be a step down and that salvo's and sartek's etc. will at 21w HID only be 1500 lumen, less then mine for a lot more money.

I think it's always difficult to compare Lumen ratings. You have a 1600 Lumen output at 3300 deg c compared with a 1500 Lumen output at 6000 deg C so (IIRC) the higher temperature gives a "brighter" whiter light.

I would never buy a torch just based on the Lumen reading because this is taken at the strongest point in the beam. A torch like yours has quite a wide spread so I suspect that the centre might give a reading of 1600 Lumen but on the edge you only have 500 Lumen.

The article here explains it better than I ever could. Flashlight Reviews and LED Modifications

A reason that many choose the Salvo/Halcyon etc is that they use their torch as a means of communication when diving single file as many wreck penetrations tend to be. A wide beam torch may not be so suitable for this.


EDIT....forgot to add.....the burn times on the Salvo/Halcyon etc are much longer than the beuchat. You could get a whole day or possibly two days diving from one charge compared to just one dive.

[Craig]

I have a sartex 10W HID and cost £250 ish, new.

The head is quite small (fits on the back of your hand) as is the battery pack.

I really like although it would lack the punch of the 21w models you mentioned.

[Mark Chase]

I had a 50W Custom Divers Torch that was more than adiquate. The i got a much more than adiquate 10W Halcyon HID lead acid. With I still have.

Mearley because I wanted a longer burn time I went for the 21W Salvo which is epic. I recently purchased a Solus 1250 which is epic and LED so bomb proof as well which I like seeing as I am off to play cave diving.


The moral of the story is if you can aford it go for epic its realy great diving with an epic torch. If you cant, then settle for the more than adiquate 10 HID or Greenforce ones.


ATB

Mark

[RichC]

Originally Posted by jonny4846

Now it's time to upgrade the torch as it is not an umbilical, and thus is not supposed to be used in tech diver 1 IANTD.

Really? According to whom? An umbillical may be a good investment but you shouldn't need it to do the course so shouldn't feel pressured into making a quick decision.

As I read the IANTD standards tech diver doesn't even require a torch. You need a primary and 2 back-ups when you get into IANTD equipment requirements for cave courses but even then I don't think you'll find it specifies that it needs to be an umbillical. You may want to check that with your chosen instructor.

You've presumably chosen an instructor whose opinion you value so I'd go on the course with your kit as is and get advice from there. Also gives you a chance to see some different ways of rigging things and you can then decide what works for you and what doesn't

Rich

[Mark Chase]

Originally Posted by RichC

Really? According to whom? An umbillical may be a good investment but you shouldn't need it to do the course so shouldn't feel pressured into making a quick decision.

As I read the IANTD standards tech diver doesn't even require a torch. You need a primary and 2 back-ups when you get into IANTD equipment requirements for cave courses but even then I don't think you'll find it specifies that it needs to be an umbillical. You may want to check that with your chosen instructor.

You've presumably chosen an instructor whose opinion you value so I'd go on the course with your kit as is and get advice from there. Also gives you a chance to see some different ways of rigging things and you can then decide what works for you and what doesn't

Rich

Fair comment and i am sure its not in any standards, but in the UK we often have to lay a guide line to avoid accidental penitration of the wreck or to find our way back to the up line. So without a Goodmans handle type torch, isn't this a little hard to do?

ATB

Mark

[RichC]

Originally Posted by Mark Chase

Fair comment and i am sure its not in any standards, but in the UK we often have to lay a guide line to avoid accidental penitration of the wreck or to find our way back to the up line. So without a Goodmans handle type torch, isn't this a little hard to do?

ATB

Mark

Absolutely! It is doable with a normal torch but much easier with an umbillical and Goodman handle. Only point I was making was the agency doesn't dictate that (Page 62 of IANTD Standards and Procedures) and the original post implied it did.

My choice would be an umbillical with goodman handle but if I were in the position of the guy who posted originally I'd do the course with the kit I'm comfortable with and make changes after seeing some options first hand and discussing it with his instructor.

Cheers
Rich