DIY Dive/Video Light

[James_sgp]

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]

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]

Looks great! Is it cost effective to build your own, or just an exercise to see if you could?

[James_sgp]

Seasnake,

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

[padipro]

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]

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

[lars2923]

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]

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.

[James_sgp]

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]

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,