dive light with a 5w ls?

anyone know if there are any dive lights with a 5w. i currently use my uk sl6 while spearfishing and lobster hunting.i have never used a led in the water. has anyone went diving with an led? i think a 5w in the ocean would be real nice. if the 5w does not exist do any of you have suggestions on a good waterproof host?
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif

Try this address. I do not know their prices.
http://fotoleone.netsurf.it/

Anthony

You can try http://www.tnccustomproducts.com

Check out Manufacturers Announcements on CPF Forum.

I would assume that night diving in clear water would be fine with a 5W LED. In many cases though, I think the single 5W would be underpowered or under focused for your needs? The 5W lights don't have the throw that you get from many of the tight beamed incandescents. In the link above, The lowest power light being offered is 10 watts and the small halogen are reasonably efficient.

- Don

Hi,

I found a Security LED dive light on the www.Fa-Mi.com website.
I don't know what type of LED is used. It could be a Luxon as it runs off 4 AA Batteries. I have sent them an email asking for more information. A got the price for it from a UK based dive shop and they said it would be around £125 ($200)! So i would hope it would be luxon based! They also told me that the Fa-Mi factory is closed for the whole of July! (Great holidays) So we will have to wait for a reply. I have the Fa-Mi Spitlight (20W Incandescent) and it is fantastically bright and as well made as a Surefire.

Mark

don, do you dive? what do you mean by clear water? have you tried led for night diving?

I think it should be good enough to find a host that is made for at least 3-4w, as the led won't make as much heat?
I have a 4d incand dive club that I want to convert with Badboy700 or 750. I would also like to make cyan 5w divelight from something else. Maybe an otter box or something?

rdeloviar353,

I have spent my share of time blowing bubbles but the last few years my diving has been limited to a few dives a year when I am in Maui. This year in Maui I took a 5W LED light under a couple times but in daylight. I wanted to see how it would perform in bringing the reds back. The light didn't have enough output to compete with the overwhelming ambient levels and only up close, in the spot, was the lights presence seen. By clear water, I am referring to the visibility. Silt and bloom can keep many of the photons from your intended destination! I usually dive by myself and have yet to do a solo night dive in Maui. Next year, for sure! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

- Don

One thing about an aluminum host is the water tends to keep the aluminum cool. Which is what the LED is mounted on. Flashlight stays nice a cool in the water.

don,

thanks for the feedback i just wanted to research a bit before i invest too much effort into this. blue water hunting(spearfishing) req stealth i'm not looking to create a massive amount of light just good ambient light. i think i'll keep using my incans a bit longer till i come up with more info.

rdeloviar353,

Are you free diving or scuba?

Anyway, I have a theory that is probably totaly wrong but if all you need is some visibility and if monochromatic light is acceptable, you might find that a blue or cyan LED 5W might be pretty effective. I have noticed that a white sandy bottom returns a cyan hue of light back to the surface in blue water. That seems to tell me that the blue and even cyan wavelengths can travel further than other wavelengths. We know that reds are lost within just a few feet. I'm thinking that blue or cyan photons make better swimmers and might bring back more information for you??!?!

See with an incandescent source, you are sending out energy in wavelengths that won't do much for you under water. I would like to do a *real* cyan in some type of dive capable housing and test my theory. Probably signal all the tiger sharks in the area and identify me as dinner. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

- Don

One problem I have with my incandescant dive lights is that I get a frikking red beam when there's ambient light, I'd like to see your idea tried out myself.

One guy had a nosebleed on while descending and it was strange watching him bleed 'green'. Thankfully he didn't panick and rush up to the surface /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

wow, bleeding green. I bet that was rather interesting.

don,
i freedive while i spearfish? i think i'll try your idea as i have both a 1w and a 5w cyan on the way. i'm thinking of making a sealed pvc with clear acrylic lens to put different flashlights inside. it would only be for testing before i commit to making one. i only descend about 7 to 10 meters while freediving so i does not have to tolerate much pressure. any thoughts.

rdeloviar353,

I was just curious 'bout the freedive aspect. I've seen some amazing shots and video of "Blue Water Hunters"! Through a mutual friend, I became acquainted with Jean-Michel Cousteau and he has some old B&W film his father took of friends bringing up some fish way bigger than they were! I guess Jacque's love of film making and spearfishing in his youth were the basis of what he went on to do and become.

As to your test housing, sounds like you have a good idea there. I think a PM6 could be modified to serve as a host for your experimenting. The tail switch could be replaced with a simple rotating cap for on and off; no pressure induced auto on problems. I also think you could beef up on sealing out the water in your expected pressure conditions without too much trouble. I think it would be handy to be able to make modules with the various LED's you might want to test and not have to build a host or do a tear down for each experiment.

I just ordered one of TNC's lights and will see how amenable it is to accepting transplants. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif I like the looks and package but would prefer a different photon generating source and management system. Unfortunately but understandably, the web site doesn't show the light in various states of undress.

- Don