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James_sgp
04-12-2007, 04:28 AM
Here`s a photo of my prototype dive light, the final version is going to use a high power white LED (equivilant to 10W Halogen bulb). Its has 3 power settings, I may modify it in the future to have two heads, but will try it with one first. Battery life on full power should be 2 hrs, on low setting should be 6 hrs.

padipro
04-12-2007, 11:07 PM
Here's a picture of my DIY light. It's a 10 Watt HID built from PVC pipe and a custom made Delrin light head.

seasnake
04-13-2007, 02:23 PM
Looks great! Is it cost effective to build your own, or just an exercise to see if you could?

James_sgp
04-13-2007, 03:14 PM
Seasnake,

Material sost wise, adding it all up is probably someing like US$60. Which I ocnsider to be pretty cheap.

padipro
04-14-2007, 12:00 AM
For a 50 watt Halogen light $60 might be close but for the 10 Watt HID the light head, bulb and ballast cost $200 alone. When I first started building the lights I was building the Halogen type and it was cost effective but after I started building the HID lights with the custom built light heads and bulbs ballasts and battery it kind of evens out.

Packhorse
04-16-2007, 05:23 AM
Looks good. What is the wattage of the LED? what deg spread is it?
I really like the idea of LEDs but they seem a bit to spead out in coverage for my liking. I am currently using a 35watt 10deg spot lamp with a 5ah 14.4 nicad battery. Had it down to 48meters with out incident but then also had it down to 43m and the plastic lens went concave and smashed the bulb. Didnt leak though. Need a thicker lens.

http://www.caralarms.co.nz/Dive%20light.htm


http://www.caralarms.co.nz/Dive%20light_files/image002.jpg

lars2923
04-16-2007, 10:22 AM
I am glad to read these reports.
I'm in the market for some very bright, blue light, HID.. I say
somewhere around the 200+ wattage output. I would need somewhere
around 8 of these lasting about 2 hours...
Possible to make for less than $500 each?

Thanks,

padipro
04-16-2007, 10:16 PM
I am glad to read these reports.
I'm in the market for some very bright, blue light, HID.. I say
somewhere around the 200+ wattage output. I would need somewhere
around 8 of these lasting about 2 hours...
Possible to make for less than $500 each?

Thanks,

8, 200+ watt HID lights? What are you planning on doing with those???

Seriously though I don't know the exact price but I would say that if my 10 watt HID cost nearly $100 for just the bulb and ballast that there's no way you can get a 200 watter for less then $500.

Good luck though in your quest to remake the sun. :D

James_sgp
04-17-2007, 04:22 AM
I`m using the latest generation of white LED's, its 140 lumens which is about 10W, angle of the beam is adjustable depending on the lens mounted infront of it. I have 3, 6 & 12 degree lenses.

lars2923
04-17-2007, 01:54 PM
I know carrying the equivalent of the SUN (lol) in caverns and caves may be
overkill but I would rather have than have not while there. As for the $$ ($500),
i just threw that out there.. It will cost more, but the best price is alway... The
best..

Cheers,

padipro
04-22-2007, 01:12 AM
I know carrying the equivalent of the SUN (lol) in caverns and caves may be
overkill but I would rather have than have not while there. As for the $$ ($500),
i just threw that out there.. It will cost more, but the best price is alway... The
best..

Cheers,

When you get around to building this thing give me a shout, and then checkout my DIY Site (http://groups.msn.com/Divelight) for more information on how me and others have built our lights.

aerospot
07-19-2007, 11:21 PM
Buying a cheep pair of Rocket Fins on Ebay the first thing I did was bust a strap...:mad: Surf'in the web I found some articles on DIY (http://www.cyber-strategy.org/pers/ScubaSystem.html) Spring Straps. Havent made them yet but if I can get some stainless spring I'll try em.
The LDS has nice ones so I plucked the buck. They are nicely manufactured and not that expensive for the hastle...
Saving all my pennies for a good reg & BC...:D

acelockco
07-20-2007, 12:27 AM
This should probablly be in a different thread, but I am always breaking fin straps. New ones don't seem to even last a year either. I was also thinking about making some spring straps out of stainless steel spring and some silicone tube. The problem is finding and the cost of the stainless steel springs.

Anyway I was surfing ebay and found some spring straps for about $22 buy it now price plus reasonable shipping. I would think they are stainless steel, but a quick email could take care of that. They look just like the nice ones in the dive shop too, but are less than 1/2 the price.

Have you used the spring straps? I wonder how tight the get and how comfortable they are. I like the rubber straps because they get tight, but they don't last long enough.

padipro
07-20-2007, 12:39 AM
You can get the springs at McMaster Carr (http://www.mcmaster.com/).

Long Type 302 SS Extension Spring 11" Length, 1/2" OD, .062" Wire Diameter, $4.42 Each
Catalog # 3932K54

Also checkout this site Spring straps (http://www.atlanticunderwater.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&itemid=66). I made a set of the Delrin straps. I've been using them for well over 2 years and they work perfect.

James_sgp
09-17-2007, 04:43 AM
Its finally finished and working, made a design change part way through. So now it uses a ULTRA bright LED instead of a halogen bulb. See the picture,also more details about it on my blog:

http://www.dolphinscuba.com.sg/blogs_wp/

seasnake
09-17-2007, 04:18 PM
I remember reading some discussions somewhere about DIY lights and the problem of gas buildup in the battery case, and installing a oneway valve to allow them to release. Is that really an issue to be concerned with? Did you install one? It was probably more to do with in the event of a leak?? Maybe??

James_sgp
09-18-2007, 05:30 AM
I don`t believe it is an issue, as the commerical units you can buy don`t have them (or at least the ones i`ve seen!). Another way to look at it, does you normal underwater torch have a pressure release value?

When I charge it, I remove the bottom cover to get access to the connector; if any gasses where generated I`d assume its during charging and they can escape then!

acelockco
09-18-2007, 02:15 PM
I don't think the valve is necessary. I did notice that most dive lights have a small catalyst in them though. They are small pelets that cause a chemical reaction to take place. I am not sure exactly what happens, but I am sure it is important as all my dive lights have them. They also came with a warning sticker stating if the pelets were ever damaged to replace them promptly. I am sure you can just use some replacements from another light and plop them in your setup.

Nice job by the way! Can you post some additional photos. It is hard to see much in the one photo you have. Some inside views and some explanation on how you did it would be great.

James_sgp
09-19-2007, 05:06 AM
acelockco,

My torch seems to be getting alot of interest from around the net, so I`ll publish more photo`s and details of how I made it soon. Thanks for your comments....

seasnake
09-21-2007, 02:28 AM
I'm no expert for sure, but if I understand it right I think the issue is if there were ever a leak and the batteries got wet, that is when there could be gas build up? Have you ever had a light flood and when you open it up and take the wet batteries out, they are like a million degrees . . .

James_sgp
09-21-2007, 05:26 AM
I am no 'battery' expert either, but yeah I do know that if you get salt water on NiMH batteries some nasty gases come out and the get hot!

Then again, hopefully water doesn`t get inside; that isn`t part of my plan!

HAHA

Anyway, I`ve now written a set of intructions on how its built; check out my blog.

www.dolphinscuba.com.sg/blogs_wp/

James_sgp
09-24-2007, 05:40 AM
Update after this weekends deep water test!

Good news and not so good news... The torch performed very well, but had some leakage problems!

Read the story and see the photo`s on my blog

http://www.dolphinscuba.com.sg/blogs_wp/?p=137

acelockco
09-24-2007, 08:03 PM
It's all part of the research and development. Sounds like you are doing well though. I can't wait to see the final product.

James_sgp
10-02-2007, 01:44 AM
Ladies and gentlemen, the weekend is approaching and my latest version of my torch is about to go for a test. More details on my blog (www.dolphinscuba.com.sg/blogs_wp), as well as some details on an issue that can happen with NiMH batteries (producing Hydrogen).

James_sgp
10-08-2007, 03:54 AM
Latest update on my DIY dive light, 2nd underwater test complete see my blog for details:

http://www.dolphinscuba.com.sg/blogs_wp/

If you have any comments, please feel free to post them on my blog. If you’d like to post articles, just simple click Register from the page above!

If you like my blog, why not use my RSS feed to make it easier:

http://www.dolphinscuba.com.sg/blogs_wp/?feed=rss2

James_sgp
10-16-2007, 12:38 PM
The torch has now completed another weekends worth of diving! This time everything went perfectly...no leaks!

See more here http://www.dolphinscuba.com.sg/blogs_wp/?p=148

acelockco
10-16-2007, 01:37 PM
Allright!!! Now you are talking.

So what is it going to take to get my hands on one of your homebrew lights?

James_sgp
10-17-2007, 05:21 AM
I`m still deciding if i want to build these for people....
I learnt alot doing it myself, and there are many pitfalls (not least the flooding!...hahaha).

I did publish instructions on how I built it on my blog:

http://www.dolphinscuba.com.sg/blogs_wp/?p=134

hbh2oguard
10-18-2007, 08:27 PM
for some reason I couldn't open the link to the instructions. But probaly my computer. I was wondering how much it cost to build vs.buying?

James_sgp
10-19-2007, 05:21 AM
Hmmm...not sure why you couldn`t see the instructions...try this link:

http://www.dolphinscuba.com.sg/blogs_wp/wp-content/uploads/file/DETAILED%20BUILD%20INSTRUCTIONS.pdf

Total cost of the project including the expensive parts like batteries, was about S$70. At the time when I started building it, I don`t think there was any dive lights on the market using the 6W LED; if there where I`m sure they didn`t have the burn time of mine! ;o)

James_sgp
04-24-2008, 05:12 AM
Ok, ladies and gentlemen....

I`m back, apologies for the long delay in getting back to you on the progress of my lights!

Here is an update, both my video light and dive light worked and water tested well!
I had many enquires form people who wanted to buy a light, and I`ve spent some time looking at options to make it manufacturable.

Unfortunately it isn`t easy, as there are many expensive components involved, my original reason for developing these was just to prove it could be down simply using everyday products (like plumbing pipe). I didn`t realise there would be so much interest.

My LED light deveoplment took a slight change in direction, I have taken a Nocturnal Lights SLX 3 LED torch (originally 3 x 100 lumen LED's) and upgraded it with 3 x 228 lumen LED`s. It is now stunningly bright, with a large spot that easily lights up items 100m away above the water. Below water, 10 to 20m range is no problem and its depth rated to 100 meters!

See my blog for how I upgraded it:
http://www.dolphinscuba.com.sg/blogs_wp/?p=213

acelockco
04-24-2008, 03:19 PM
Wow, how simple was the upgrade? Besides soldering new led's in place, did you have to replace anything else?

Now, where did you get the better LED's? And I wonder if there is a way to convert older bulb style lights to LED? That would be insanely awesome, as I have some old dive lights that would be of great use if they were LED.

rzade@hotmail.com
07-12-2011, 06:02 PM
I am a retired aviation machinist and toolmaker. I set out a year ago to make a can light since I couldn't afford the high prices charged for those on the market. I have always been a tinkerer and have a pretty complete shop with a lathe and mill so I knew I could make a pro level light if I could just come up with the right components. I started as most do using standard plumbing fittings and was displeased with the look and performance of the resulting lights. I wanted something to be proud of and perhaps something that would be marketable. After many hours and many changes and up grades I am finally happy with the results. No cheap components, no hacking, no grinding, filing or gluing. No clamps to snag or break. Everything is precision machined and o-ring sealed.

I use a maglight head machined to my spec's because mag is a proven quality product that is quality anodized to resist saltwater. The one thing I couldn't do in house. The canister is machined from high strength type II PVC and double o-ring sealed. The sealing glands are nickle plated brass not plastic. The switch boots are made of silicone not rubber and the lens is 1/4" thick Plexiglas.

The light head is an all aluminum unit for excellent heat dissipation and maximum strength. It uses a 5 led 5 mode light module that produces 1200 lumens on high.

Each unit is pressure tested to 10 BAR/300 ft.

Pix are here http://underthesound.smugmug.com/Underwater/Zlights-canister-dive-lights/18013709_xNwvxS#1380575672_CWPf94k

rzade@hotmail.com
07-15-2011, 06:10 AM
Here are the Pix

http://underthesound.smugmug.com/Underwater/Zlights-canister-dive-lights/i-CWPf94k/1/M/4958net-M.jpghttp://underthesound.smugmug.com/Underwater/Zlights-canister-dive-lights/i-dPqn9LW/1/M/fulllight-M.jpg

The Publisher
07-16-2011, 07:10 AM
I fixed the link, you used the url to the entire album rather than a url to each individual image.

Slick machining work!

rzade@hotmail.com
08-11-2011, 05:09 AM
The above lights are for sale. If you want a canlight but can't afford the brand names drop me a line.