Strobe light

[Puffer Fish]

Originally Posted by terrillja

If someone strapped a strobe light to their tank on a night dive, I'd cut it off, the strobing will ruin your night vision, and will probably get annoying after a bit. On the other hand, I carry a strobe with me on night dives for emergencies, it just stays off until needed.

I could not agree more!!!!!

But there are those small Princeton tec lights that work very well (as already posted)

I do not do a night dive without an emergency strobe, just in case.

[Goober]

I'm under the impression that a strobe would be for surface location not under water vision....am I wrong here?

[terrillja]

Originally Posted by Goober

I'm under the impression that a strobe would be for surface location not under water vision....am I wrong here?

They can be used for both, I have no issues with a strobe on an ascent or anchor line, or one used on the surface. Just as long as it isn't on and attached to a diver during a night dive.

[rfreddo]

I guess I'm a little bit confused by the terminology. When I did AOW, we were required to attach a strobe to our tank valve for the night dive. I just looked in the Naui Advanced Scuba Diver manual and found the following passage in the section on night dives:

"A glowing or flashing light is attached to each diver, usually on or near the tank valve. They are available as battery-powered strobe lights or with a long, translucent front lens or as chemical glow sticks." Is the OP referring to something other than the "strobe" referenced here?"

[buddhasummer]

If youre wanting a strobe as part of surface safety equipment then I think the Jotron AQ4 is perhaps the best on the market, although not small, if youre looking for a "less annoying" tank marker, IMO dont, then perhaps a lithium Glo-toob in blue or green.

[rox@ucf11]

I would just zip tie a glow stick to the your reg/valve hook up point (assuming you have a yoke connection tho i dont think it would be much of a problem to figure something uot if you had din either) it seemed to work pretty well when we did a super dark cavern dive. (could barely see the light from the surface 200 ft in and 100 ft deep in paradise springs so might as well have been a night dive)

[CompuDude]

Originally Posted by terrillja

They can be used for both, I have no issues with a strobe on an ascent or anchor line, or one used on the surface. Just as long as it isn't on and attached to a diver during a night dive.

There are a number of different types of strobes. High intensity Xeon strobes (usually) are very bright, and unbelievably annoying to dive anywhere nearby. Good for marking a location, as was said, and fantastic in an emergency for surface location, but not good for a general diver marker.

That said, there are actually some countries (Australia, unless I'm recalling incorrectly) that legally mandate they be carried and used. *twitch*

There are lower intensity flashing lights that work better for personal markers. I'm not a huge fan of many of these, either, but there are some that are ok, including the PrincetonTec Eco Flare mentioned above (very low impact flashing red LED under a diffusion cone).

There's really no need, IMO, however. A glowstick works quite nicely. If you want to take it up a notch, the GloToobs work nicely as well, if you want a high tech option. I really like the "throb" setting on the GloToob FX, which sort of dims and brightens rather than actually flashing. That's what I use, and the light carries better than glowsticks do, but it doesn't rise to the annoying levels of flashing lights.

True strobe lights are for permanent placement marking and emergencies only, IMO. Not to be used during a routine dive without a really good reason.

[rox@ucf11]

Originally Posted by CompuDude

There are a number of different types of strobes. High intensity Xeon strobes (usually) are very bright, and unbelievably annoying to dive anywhere nearby. Good for marking a location, as was said, and fantastic in an emergency for surface location, but not good for a general diver marker.

That said, there are actually some countries (Australia, unless I'm recalling incorrectly) that legally mandate they be carried and used. *twitch*

There are lower intensity flashing lights that work better for personal markers. I'm not a huge fan of many of these, either, but there are some that are ok, including the PrincetonTec Eco Flare mentioned above (very low impact flashing red LED under a diffusion cone).

There's really no need, IMO, however. A glowstick works quite nicely. If you want to take it up a notch, the GloToobs work nicely as well, if you want a high tech option. I really like the "throb" setting on the GloToob FX, which sort of dims and brightens rather than actually flashing. That's what I use, and the light carries better than glowsticks do, but it doesn't rise to the annoying levels of flashing lights.

True strobe lights are for permanent placement marking and emergencies only, IMO. Not to be used during a routine dive without a really good reason.

glow tubes can you link me I thought glow tubes and glow stix were the same thing whats the difference?

[Damselfish]

There's a specific model of battery operated light out there called a GloToob (not glow tube.)

I wouldn't generally wear a strobe as a marker light, especially a bright one, 'cause I sure can't stand when someone else does. It's not going to bother the wearer, since it's behind them where you can't see it, it's going to bother other people, like their buddy. I carry one in case of emergency, or to use to mark an exit point on a shore dive. (Or to loan a boat when theirs dies, as they will typically put one on the anchor line at night.) It's especially nice (not) in the occasional situation where you can't tell if some strobe is the boat or a diver.

If you want a marker light, steady-on lights serve the purpose just fine, whether you use a chemical glow stick or a battery operated one. Some places don't allow chem sticks due to environmental concerns.

[SarahBella]

I like the idea of a strobe for location on the surface and the glo stick on my first stage during a night dive...I did a low vis dive in a lake last summer that glo sticks would have made a lot easier...live and learn.