Dive Light Safety

You know the term "better safe than sorry"? That is especially true as it pertains to scuba diving at night and maintaining the proper amount of light sources. This includes a primary light as well as two backup dive lights (for each individual diver, not teams).

The primary light should have a wide beam so as to conquer pure darkness. It should not be extremely bright as that could make floating fragments more visible instead of the captivating sea life. This is especially important to those who wish to partake in underwater photography. A bright primary light can create a reflective spot on the picture as well as send fish scurrying away from the light. It is okay to have a smaller secondary light that is brighter than the primary because it will allow you to have a more refined view of the more subtle, less-visible areas underwater.

As a safety precaution, if any one of your lights or your dive team members' lights expire during your descent, call off the operation. It may seem excessive given that three lights per individual seem to provide ample protection, but when in doubt, revert to the old adage!

Don't Forget Your Batteries!

Different dive lights require different ikelite batteries. The type that will be used depends on the size of each light and level of brightness desired.

Smaller lights such as backups use AA and AAA batteries. Strobe lights and laser lights would fit into this category. They are very compact and can also be substituted for regular flash lights because they are waterproof and durable.

The larger dive lights use C and D batteries; these are generally primary lights, while some are secondary. This size group also includes rechargeable batteries. These kind tend to be a bit brighter because the light is converted to a rechargeable pack.

There are certain accessories that should always be used in case you get into a bind with your regular lighting. These include clips, lanyards, extra batteries and spare bulbs.

HID vs. LED Dive Lights

HID and LED are the two best choices when it comes to picking a solid dive light. You do have a choice of incandescent bulbs, but they have some major disadvantages. Sure, they are very inexpensive and have widespread availability. However, they are easily broken and only last up to about one hour at the most.

HID torches give off a similar light strength (around 35 watts) but last a lot longer. They will continue to burn for up to four hours and can project light at great distances. The downside to HID lights is that they are also very easy to break which could end up costing you more in the long run in repairs.

The LED light is one of the best to have in overall value. It will highlight the beautiful colors of the underwater sea life and is nearly impossible to destroy. They are the most cost-friendly.

Mounting Your Lights

There are different ways to mount your lights for your dive. The most popular is a tank-mounted light. This will allow others underwater to see you clearly along with anyone on the boat. Another popular place to put a dive light is on the strobe head, which will not light the same area as the primary light. It may not be the most advantageous when trying to focus on a specific piece of sea life up-close, but it can be useful as a back up. Shoe-mounted accessory lighting are attached directly to a camera or a camera's body.

Night Diving

As you might agree, diving at night is more visually exciting than during the day. All kinds of oceanic creatures including fish, turtles, invertebrates, and other crustaceans will reveal themselves after the sun goes down. The entire picture of a coral reef changes as the larger schools of fish that can be seen during daylight hours disappear into the dark while other nocturnal deep sea fish come out of the woodwork.

With the beauty of night diving comes more responsibility and more need for plenty of dive lights. There are many to choose from that will provide sufficient lighting for nighttime diving. Not only will you need a primary light and strobe but also a secondary backup and preferably a spare that you can attach to your BC. A lot of light is particularly important if you are aiming at photography or a videography of your visit with these exotic critters. If your primary battery dies or your strobe floods you must always have some form of dive light to fall back on. Not only will you not want to lose out on that pretty picture but the perilous nature of some of these nocturnal fish should not be taken with a grain of salt.

Remember to always have many forms of back up lighting and your diving partner should have plenty of light sources on them as well. Diving at night is a thrill, and as long as you are well-prepared, you will have a blast!

Types of Lights

There are three significant types of dive lights: LED (Light Emitting Diode), HID (High Intensity Discharge), and Conventional (Xenon or Halogen). The latter expends the greatest amount of energy, burns the hottest, and emits a white light. HID has a blue light and takes a little while to completely shine. LED is the most durable, has blue light, and is the coolest.

Any kind of light is necessary not only for diver safety but in order to see the truly beautiful colors of all forms of sea life. During the day these colors are faded into a muted blue shade, so nothing really stands out visually. When a scuba diver uses an artificial light, they are capable of seeing all nuances of brilliance, which makes any dive more fruitful at night. The lessened visibility and lack of natural light make artificial light a necessity when night diving.

When used, artificial lights will not only make the scenery come alive with utmost clarity, but they will provide safety in the event of equipment failure or any other unforeseen circumstance.