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This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0005_01C3050F.5349CE20 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hey Dave, The Helios 4.5 will give you about four hours of burn time at 10 watts = HID (apx. 50 watts Halogen). Unless you are diving relatively shallow = wrecks for very long periods of time that are very dark on the exterior = this should provide you with ample lighting and burn capacity. Your = penetration time on deep wrecks is generally very short. Even during = deco I tend to use a small penlight to monitor gauges so the primary = light is turned off. The canister on the 4.5 is smaller and will result = in a more streamlined configuration (I assume you will wear it on your = harness belt on the right side). 'And besides it is much lower in cost. = You may be better off to invest the difference in cash between the two = lights in a second battery pack. That way you will not discharge the = NiMH pack close to its recommended minimum cell voltage on subsequent = repetative dives. These packs do not develop a memory like NiCads so you = can discharge them partially and then recharge without having to = periodically cycle the battery. If you were diving big cave you may want to consider the 18watt Helios = 9, but IMHO it will be like shooting a deer with a 460 Weatherby magnum = for most dives. The 10 watt lamp is focusable which will give you a good = very white signal beam. Note that your partner should have a similarly = capable light. In addition the lower wattage light, especially when held = to the side will have less backscatter from particulates in a silty = wreck. I believe the new Halcyon Helios 10 watt lighthead uses an = integral ballast and lamp socket like the Sartek 10 watt head I have. = The ballast in an HID light can be quite picky at times during startup = as it expects certain electrical characteristics to reliably start the = lamp. The integral ballast-lamp socket improves reliability by reducing = the distance between the ballast and the lamp. Also maintaining a low = impedence (resistivity) in the cable, on-off switch, and in-line = connectors is crucial for reliability. Check out Welsh-Allyn's website = for more information on HID light technology (www.walamp.com).=20 IMHO, Doug Chapman ------------------------------------------------------ I'm considering getting a Halcyon Helios 4.5 canister light ($887) but I = would like to know if the Helios 9 ($1,367) is really worth the extra = money.=20 I recognize it may depend on the type of diving and intend to use it=20 mostly for ocean wrecks/light penitration (but not planning on cave = diving). Thanks for any advice in advance, Dave Swift ------=_NextPart_000_0005_01C3050F.5349CE20 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=3DContent-Type content=3D"text/html; = charset=3Diso-8859-1"> <META content=3D"MSHTML 6.00.2800.1141" name=3DGENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Hey Dave,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial>The Helios 4.5 will give you about four hours of = burn time=20 at 10 watts HID (apx. 50 watts Halogen). Unless you are diving = relatively=20 shallow wrecks for very long periods of time that are very dark on the = exterior=20 this should provide you with ample lighting and burn capacity. Your = penetration=20 time on deep wrecks is generally very short. Even during deco I tend to = use a=20 small penlight to monitor gauges so the primary light is turned off. The = canister on the 4.5 is smaller and will result in a more streamlined=20 configuration (I assume you will wear it on your harness belt on the = right=20 side). 'And besides it is much lower in cost. You may be better off to = invest=20 the difference in cash between the two lights in a second battery pack. = That way=20 you will not discharge the NiMH pack close to its recommended = minimum cell=20 voltage on subsequent repetative dives. These packs do not = develop a memory=20 like NiCads so you can discharge them partially and then recharge = without having=20 to periodically cycle the battery.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial> If you were diving big cave you may want = to consider=20 the 18watt Helios 9, but IMHO it will be like shooting a deer with a 460 = Weatherby magnum for most dives. The 10 watt lamp is focusable which = will give=20 you a good very white signal beam. Note that your partner should = have a=20 similarly capable light. In addition the lower wattage light, especially = when=20 held to the side will have less backscatter from particulates in a silty = wreck.=20 I believe the new Halcyon Helios 10 watt lighthead uses an integral = ballast and=20 lamp socket like the Sartek 10 watt head I have. The ballast in an HID = light can=20 be quite picky at times during startup as it expects certain = electrical=20 characteristics to reliably start the lamp. The integral ballast-lamp = socket=20 improves reliability by reducing the distance between the = ballast and=20 the lamp. Also maintaining a low impedence (resistivity) in the cable, = on-off=20 switch, and in-line connectors is crucial for reliability. Check out=20 Welsh-Allyn's website for more information on HID light technology (<A=20 href=3D"http://www.walamp.com">www.walamp.com</A>). </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial>IMHO,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Doug Chapman</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT=20 face=3DArial>------------------------------------------------------</FONT= ></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial>I'm considering getting a Halcyon Helios 4.5 = canister=20 light ($887) but I <BR>would like to know if the Helios 9 ($1,367) is = really=20 worth the extra money. <BR> I recognize it may depend on the type = of=20 diving and intend to use it <BR>mostly for ocean wrecks/light = penitration (but=20 not planning on cave diving).<BR><BR>Thanks for any advice in = advance,<BR>Dave=20 Swift<BR><BR></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_0005_01C3050F.5349CE20-- -- Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. 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