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> What is the verdict on the Blue Grotto Special? 

I also have one of these lights (please don't laugh it me - it was
purchased, as in Graeme's case, before I knew about the AUL lights).
I kind of have mixed feelings about it.  I bought a "complete setup"
consisting of parts for both single- and dual- battery configuration,
two lightheads, and four reflectors (two polished ones, and two with
a white finish for U/W video).

I chose that particular light because a friend of mine and I had done
a side-by-side comparison between Ed's light and a DiveRite, and
decided that Ed's light was better (I realize that in the opinions of
some of you, that's not saying much :-). For what I got, I paid a
little above what I would have paid for an AUL with a single head,
and *much* less than what I would have paid for a DiveRite with the
same configuration.

So far it has done "OK" on the dives that I have used it on (all in
fresh water), but I've never been happy with some of the construction
details (mostly the wiring, which is really cheap - I've since
replaced all the original wiring, and have been using different bulbs
and batteries from what came with it originally).

For me, it's been kind of fun to "tinker" with the light, trying
different types of batteries, wiring configurations, and bulbs. For
that reason, I don't feel like the purchase was a total waste - at
least I learned a few things from owning it.  I plan on keeping it to
use for video and possibly as a backup light, but I will definitely
purchase an AUL for cave diving as soon as I can afford one.

> Ed P told me that the light would go to 400 feet WITHOUT the
> batteries. (ie the batteries are not a bulkhead as in the diverong)

I can't attest to the depth rating, but it is true that the batteries
do not act as a bulkhead in Ed's light - it has a separate bulkhead,
made of 1" thick Lexan.

-JimG

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