Chancer Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 I am an old school diver and eschew all the expensive must have equipment that my colleaugues spend so much on, all my kit ame very cheaply from Ebay some of it being very old.The one thing that I dont own (for reasons of money) but really should is a dive light, I actually get quite a kick out of the technical/bad viz dives without a light. There are some very powerfull LED dive lights available now, they have far greater autonomy and are safer, I once was on a Zodiac that nearly caught fire when a dive in a kitbag got switched on, we quickly had to deep six the bag and all its contentsAnyway a couple of years ago a guy had bricolaged his own dive light using a length of soil pipe with screw on end caps, the light source was one of the first surface mount led GU10 spotlight bulbs, it was a neat solution as the bulb had its own reflector and the optics were quite good.Now that the price has come down and the performance up perhaps its the time for me to make mine, what led bulb would you people recommend?Needs to be low voltage (12v) have a decent heat sink unless it can operate underwater and have a parabolic reflector.Over to you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Théière Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 Although funds may be tight Chancer I wouldn't even get my hands dirty and would get one of these, or similar. i bought something very similar recently as a bike like and it's incredible, needs a fair size battery pack for a long burn though but may also double as your strobe if you use one.http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/80M-Underwater-Diving-1800LM-CREE-XM-L-T6-LED-Flashlight-Rechargeable-Torch-Lamp-/190899467668?pt=UK_SportsLeisure_Camping_LightsLanternsTorches&hash=item2c727eb594#ht_10367wt_1142If you want to go the DIY route a Cree LED chip would be the way I would go or certainly the COB led chip I showed earlier. The chips are available on their own, I have a number of the 10w ones here as I have to build the LED conversion for some customers outdoor lamps which the ordinary lamps cost £22 and don't last more than about 8 months. The heat sink is vital, I make my own from sheet Ali pop riveted together and you must use the heat transfer compound or the LED lifespan will be minutes not years.If you have to go 12v then you need to look for the 13v forward voltage chips. They may look physically the same as 24v or 36v but will be wired differently. Alternatively of course you can series the batteries, your call. Use any old reflector you can find from an old torch and mount around the outside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 Blimey the price has dropped since I last looked, I think I will follow your advice.I found these last night and put them in my (virtual) basket but thankfully the web site would not allow me to go any further, god bless America [:D]http://dx.com/p/5-cree-r2-1200-lumen-white-light-drop-in-led-module-52-7mm-42mm-8-4v-max-35241 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Brown Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 Chancer, a "handle" has never been so aptYou make me laugh out loud and brighten up my day. Thank youPlease check what they are putting in your oxygen tanks in future[:D]JB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 Why thankyou [:)]Although on this occasion I cannot see what I have said or done to merit the accolade [8-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Brown Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 I imagined all the other divers with their posh lamps and you with a metre of soil pipe with a candle burning at one end[:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Théière Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 On our longer dives we used to take those cartons of drinks with the straw on the side and sip those, my dive buddy Amy used to pack a mars bar too [:-))]I am sure I still have my dive lamp upstairs somewhere in the loft with the rest of the gear......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbie Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 JB, I have this picture of Chancer with his soil pipe and candle fitted with its own oxygen cylinder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 Amy AKA Marion? One way of equalising an air void [6]While searching Google for DIY dive light info I found a guy who made his from a laxative!!!!He filled a cheap pound shop LED torch with mineral oil, you will understand Théière but for the others its non conductive and filling the torch with an incompressible fluid prevents it from collapsing under pressure, anyway the cheapest and easily available mineral oil was castor oil from the chemists [:-))] Worked a treat!I am actually quite dissapointed that I wont now be making my own but at that price there is no incentive, off to buy one right now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 I use my Ikelite diving lamp as a household torch, it's bright lime green so not easily lost and it shouldn't suffer from any damp !!!!!As I am now an ex-diver with no intention of using my kit again I have wondered if there is a market in France for second hand diving kit ( reulator, dive computer, wet suit etc) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 Yes either Leboncoin or contact some dive clubs in your area, I would do the latter.You could also send out a flyer to the dive clubs in the area and then put the stuff on ebay.fr which might take some of the pain out of the dealings.What dive computer do you have and what wet suit, size type etc?I have wet suits coming out of my ears but they are all the older type and very restrictive compared to newer ones, my new one is now far too big for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Théière Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 Wimpy drysuit diver [:P] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 Chancer, I will PM you soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lehaut Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 Wimpy drysuit diver.+1 but in my defence it was Scotland and justified when the sea loch edges were frozen! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Théière Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 Yep me too, diving the sound of Mull with my dive leader taking photos, frozen to the core after 55mins so went out shopping!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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