Can you upgrade my light to a focusable LED solution?

No. We can upgrade the 10w HID heads that are focusable (e.g. Sartek), but the LED optics we use don’t allow the beam to be user focusable. Beam angle must be specified at time of order.

 

I don’t have a 10w/MR11 HID head (e.g. a test tube style head), do you offer complete replacement heads?

We are currently testing a new LED light head design. Our aim is to produce a small light head that is compatible with current and future LED designs (ie. we want it to be upgradeable). Please contact us for more information.

 

I don’t have a light but want the latest LED technology, do you offer a complete solution?

Yes. We have well priced, off the shelf light solutions that we have ‘pre-upgraded’ and are ready to go. Please contact us for moreinformation.

 

What kind of beam can I get?

The primary light LED solutions we offer comprise of LED emitters and an ‘optic’ which channels the light. Each generation of LEDs have different optics, and within these various beam angles. Typically we use a tight ~10-15 degree beam. In our opinion, these beam offers the best all-round performance for most divers when it comes to signalling, punching through silt and lighting the environment. If you would like a wider beam, these are also offered but you will lose intensity as the beam widens.

 

Do you offer a ‘light sabre’ or extremely tight beam solution?

We are currently trialling some solutions that use aspheric lenses and have found the results to be good. Ultimately though we prefer the standard optics we offer, but are happy to build you a super tight solution if that is what you prefer.

 

What LEDs do you use?

We use what we consider to be the best LEDs for the job. We keep up to date with the absolute latest LED releases to ensure our lights are the best. At present we believe Cree XP-G/XM-L series LEDs are the best for primary dive lights.

 

How much burn time will I get from my battery?

The answer with vary depending on your battery’s capacity and LED choice. Generally speaking an LED upgrade will offer  significantly more light and have equivalent or greater burn time than traditional 10w HID solutions. Don’t kid yourself though, if you run LEDs hard enough (and we do all the time) you can consume more power than your old HID solution, you’ll just be outputting significantly more light.

 

How much is shipping?

We are not in the business of making money from postage, we simply pass on the costs so will try and keep this to a minimum where possible. Return shipping via Australia Post (registered mail) is a fixed price of all services within Australia. Shipping for international orders will be quoted on application.

 

What are your quoted lumen rating based on?

A lot of factors go into determining how many lumens a solution producers, including LED bin (batch), current/power, heat sinking, driver efficiency and optics to name a few. The LED manufacturers quote X, however working solutions often fall under this and it causes a significant amount of Internet debate. We try and quote under the manufacturers rating to negate this, though rest assured anything we offer will be bright and above or close to the rating we claim. We’ve never had anyone complain that their light upgrade wasn’t bright enough and aim to keep it that way.

 

Can the LED upgraded light be run out of water?

Yes – but only for a limited time. LEDs produce heat which is channeled through the aluminium housing and  then water cooled during a dive. On the surface the water cooling effect is gone, so the heat will eventually build up in the housing which after a certain point can damage the LED. Our basic LED solutions run at modest power levels, meaning heat production is minimal so you can leave them on outside of water for a long time as the metal housing act as an air heatsink. The more aggressive 3000+ lumen solutiosn on the other hand get hot fast, so we always use thermal protection circuits for these solutions, which dims the LEDs at a certain trip point.

 

What’s this I hear about 7000 lumen primary light?

We’ve been prototyping a 7000 lumen solution that can be installed in MR16 style housings or custom built heads. It’s quite a monster, though be prepared to pay the piper as it runs at 70 watts! We’ve found the beam to be wider than we’d like at about 20-30 degrees, but if you’re diving in clearer water it makes for a mean light.

 

Can you modify non-metal light head?

Yes – but within limits. We can put the LEDs in the head but without an efficient means to channel heat out of the housing it will overheat and that is not good. We can put in LEDs and run them real low, probably in the 500-700 lumen space but you will not see the full benefit of the LED modification in terms of lumen output.

 

What light heads can you modify?

Our now infamous LED Upgrades are targeted at the 10 watt, MR11 style HID light heads. These were produced in mass and flooded the market as a small and affordable canister light. Now years later, they’re rapidly approaching end of life, which is why we’ve come up with the upgrade solution. We have experience and success upgrading the following brands – Dive Rite, Greenforce, Sartek, Hollis, Salvo/Light Monkey, OMS and various custom built lights. We have also had lots of success upgrading various Greenforce light heads (MR11 and MR16). Whilst they require more work, the MR16 and higher wattage HID solutions can also be modified with relative easy.

 

Do you do international orders?

Yes. If you are in the America’s however, we’d refer you to our partner http://uwlightdude.com who provides the same service in that region.

 

Why is there a price difference with uwlightdude.com?

Generally we try and keep pricing the same for both, however the geographic differences and local taxes can cause price variations. If it is cheaper for you to use either service, please feel free to. We’re friends and have plenty of work to go around.

 

Do you offer LED upgrades as a DIY parts only solution?

No. We feel our value add is in offering a quality product, installation and testings. A big part of our upgrades is ensuring that adequate heat sinking is in place, this means machining custom heat sinks on a lathe. We can’t guarantee this with DIY installation, so prefer to install and test the solution to our standards. That said, we hate to have the cost of shipping get in the way of good lighting though, so if you’re far away and have the necessary skills we should be able to help.

 

I need something custom done on a lathe, can you help?

Yes. Contact us for more information.

 

I want one of the 8000 lumen hand held video lights in your videos?

We’ve designed and built what we think are the best video lights on the market. They are however new and we’re putting them through some rigorous testing. If you want to know more, contact us.

 

How deep can my light go after an upgrade?

Our LED upgrades, repair, or any work for that matter will not alter your light depth rating – it will be the same as before you sent it to us from a depth rating perspective. Upon completion of any job we pressure test each housing to ~60m/200ft for 20min to ensure it is sealed correctly. A pressure test dive profile is returned with every light.

 

What happens to the original manufacturers warranty on my light?

Typically the original manufacturer warranty is void if anyone works on a given light other than them. We provide 12 months warranty on the parts and labour we provide.

 

What warranty do you offer?

We offer a 12 month warranty against faulty product or workmanship. If you flood your light through no fault of ours after the upgrade we cannot cover this cost (we pressure test each light on completion of work). Similarly, battery life is a product of how well it’s treated and outside our warranty. New batteries sold have a 3 month warranty.

 

I have a flooded light, can you repair it?

Yes. Typically we recommend an LED upgrade, plus a cable and battery replacement if you have had a full flood. If only the head has flooded then a simple LED upgrade may be all that is necessary.

 

The cable on my canister light is too long/shot/cracked/bubbling, can you fit it?

Yes. See Repairs.