Cave Hats (lighted)

[normblitch]

Now that I have a helmet inbound, on to the next issue...

Cindy B has suggested a UK SL4 on one side and one of the new-fangled focused LEDs on the other...

Best ways to mount?

Norm

[MikeH]

Zip ties. It's all about zip ties and ball bearings these days.

I have a couple of Princeton Tec Impact XL. They work great....so much so that I'm ditching the Tec 40's that I have on my sidemount harness as backup lights and going to use the Impact XL's as my backups. I'll still carry a couple more Tec 40's in my drysuit pocket, but I've used the Impact in the caves and found that it's better, IMO, than the halogen backups.

Using one of those and an SL4 would be a good start.

Mike

[normblitch]

Zip ties. It's all about zip ties and ball bearings these days.

I have a couple of Princeton Tec Impact XL. They work great....so much so that I'm ditching the Tec 40's that I have on my sidemount harness as backup lights and going to use the Impact XL's as my backups. I'll still carry a couple more Tec 40's in my drysuit pocket, but I've used the Impact in the caves and found that it's better, IMO, than the halogen backups.

Using one of those and an SL4 would be a good start.

Mike

Rajah the zip ties and B/B's ...can you source digital rated and O2-safe part #'s for these?

<g>

Good ideas all...

Norm

[MikeH]

can you source digital rated and O2-safe part #'s for these?

Only necessary when you're breathing O2. Because of the distance between the helmet and your regulator, you can breathe anything but pure O2 and not need the O2 safe components. Just make sure you take your helmet off before you switch to pure O2, or else your helmet and lights will spontaneously combust.

Mike

[normblitch]

can you source digital rated and O2-safe part #'s for these?

Only necessary when you're breathing O2. Because of the distance between the helmet and your regulator, you can breathe anything but pure O2 and not need the O2 safe components. Just make sure you take your helmet off before you switch to pure O2, or else your helmet and lights will spontaneously combust.

Mike

So...Oil-based plastic antlers are contra-indicated as well?

DARN!
Back to the Taxidermist...

nhb

[ARY]

So...Oil-based plastic antlers are contra-indicated as well?
Norm, only natural antlers will make real Rudolf :-)
I personally use nice bold surgical tubing loops connected by zipties, two loops per light. There might be a moment when you need to take light in your hand or place it back to helmet. I didn't do that, but i think you may also use short aluminum rivets and innertube loops.

[normblitch]

So...Oil-based plastic antlers are contra-indicated as well?
Norm, only natural antlers will make real Rudolf :-)
I personally use nice bold surgical tubing loops connected by zipties, two loops per light. There might be a moment when you need to take light in your hand or place it back to helmet. I didn't do that, but i think you may also use short aluminum rivets and innertube loops.

Is the back (rear-ward) loop big enough for aiming, or do you just "tip your Hat"

Norm

[ARY]

Is the back (rear-ward) loop big enough for aiming, or do you just "tip your Hat"
Norm, if i understood you correctly you want all your lights focused in one spot (or at least one large flooded spot). Here is what i imagine. Put your hemet on your head, step away from the wall to your most favorite photo-distance, make a horizontal "cave diver posture" laying on a chair, look to you target at the wall and mark the point on a helmet/light where light will touch the curve. Then you can fix it in a position with bands of adjusted diameter and aiming light on it , sort of like you already have with your handheld camera setup. Fine aiming can be adjusted moving lights forward and back in loops.

BTW things that i find interesting:
- reading all this i'm thinking that the dogma "backup light shouldn't have a switch - a point of failure" is not exactly good for helmet lights. I have 2 UK40 xenon, 1 ImpactXL eLED, 1 tektite LED (all powered by NiMH rechargeables). When i switch any of these lights off (none of them have toggle switches) i'm always guessing if it really went off because i can't see it. If i unscrew it a bit more than i need - they'll flood. Should my light have "real" switch i would know for sure that it is off.
- you probably know it yourself but i'll post it anyway, here is where eLEDs are coming from http://www.lumileds.com and http://www.luxeon.com/technology/# and they are becoming brighter and brighter. Princenton Impact XL has 1W eLED, but they already have 5W available for almost any conventional voltage! I wonder if eLED light narrowed color temp will spoil the color of pictures.

[normblitch]

Is the back (rear-ward) loop big enough for aiming, or do you just "tip your Hat"
Norm, if i understood you correctly you want all your lights focused in one spot (or at least one large flooded spot). Here is what i imagine. Put your hemet on your head, step away from the wall to your most favorite photo-distance, make a horizontal "cave diver posture" laying on a chair, look to you target at the wall and mark the point on a helmet/light where light will touch the curve. Then you can fix it in a position with bands of adjusted diameter and aiming light on it , sort of like you already have with your handheld camera setup. Fine aiming can be adjusted moving lights forward and back in loops.

BTW things that i find interesting:
- reading all this i'm thinking that the dogma "backup light shouldn't have a switch - a point of failure" is not exactly good for helmet lights. I have 2 UK40 xenon, 1 ImpactXL eLED, 1 tektite LED (all powered by NiMH rechargeables). When i switch any of these lights off (none of them have toggle switches) i'm always guessing if it really went off because i can't see it. If i unscrew it a bit more than i need - they'll flood. Should my light have "real" switch i would know for sure that it is off.
- you probably know it yourself but i'll post it anyway, here is where eLEDs are coming from http://www.lumileds.com and http://www.luxeon.com/technology/# and they are becoming brighter and brighter. Princenton Impact XL has 1W eLED, but they already have 5W available for almost any conventional voltage! I wonder if eLED light narrowed color temp will spoil the color of pictures.

Ary,

Very refined thoughts, Thanks! (I know that it has been a while in dog-years since you have actually seen me, but I'll most likely need a sofa instead of a chair)

I'm thinking along the lines of TWO different aiming spots, each purpose set for looking at things held in either hand...camera, compass, wetnotes, etc. Sounds like a good rainey-day (yeah, like THOSE never happen) dry-dive Science project to see if I can get multiple uses of the two sweet-spots...

Norm
soon to be seen in the Ballroom resembling a Cyborg from Heavy Metal

[Webmaster]

Princeton Tec makes a couple of headlamps that are depth rated (vortec) and make suitable task lights, although I don't think I would count them as backups. Mounting the light on the front of the helmet is still the best way to get the spot to line up where you want it.

There are some brackets designed to hold lights on the side that provide a great deal of flexibility in adjusting the position.

Switches are very nice for helmet mounted lights, and you can always take a couple or four extra. ;-) To check if it's on just hold your hand out to look for the spot on it. Another thing to consider although it's not as big an issue while actually in the water is weight distribution. Try to keep the weight more or less evenly distributed on either side of your head.

[Duncan Price]

Now that I have a helmet inbound, on to the next issue...

Cindy B has suggested a UK SL4 on one side and one of the new-fangled focused LEDs on the other...

Best ways to mount?

I use forcused LED's exclusively now. I've even replaced the bulb in my last remaining SL4 with an LED.

Mounting is with snoopy (inner tube) loop though holes drilled in helmet. Surgical tube would do. Some divers mount brackets (as used for attaching polastic piping to walls) to their heads so that their primary can be clipped to the helmet when hands free lighting is needed.

[DeWayne]

Now that I have a helmet inbound, on to the next issue...

Cindy B has suggested a UK SL4 on one side and one of the new-fangled focused LEDs on the other...

Best ways to mount?

I use forcused LED's exclusively now. I've even replaced the bulb in my last remaining SL4 with an LED.

Mounting is with snoopy (inner tube) loop though holes drilled in helmet. Surgical tube would do. Some divers mount brackets (as used for attaching polastic piping to walls) to their heads so that their primary can be clipped to the helmet when hands free lighting is needed.

Are you DIY'ing these, or replacing the bulbs/reflectors with commercial units? What exactly are you using for the SL4 replacements?

[Duncan Price]

Are you DIY'ing these, or replacing the bulbs/reflectors with commercial units? What exactly are you using for the SL4 replacements?

For the SL4 I drilled out the dish and screwed in a commercially available LED from Hitch'n'Hike here in the UK see: http://w01-0504.web.dircon.net/acatalog/6v_1_5w_Luxeon.html

However I've mostly gone over to Princeton Tec Impacts (either the older focussed ones or the newer side emitting LED).

[FW]

Yes, Princton Tec Impact XLs are great lights.