180 LUMEN - 6AAA LED SUBMERSIBLE DIVE LIGHT:

  

                                  Manufacturer Specs:

  • Dive Light is guaranteed to be submersible (IPX-8) to a depth of up to 100 meters (328 feet).

  • On land, the center spot concentrates 80% of the light output while using the remaining 20% to provide a bright area around the center spot to light up a wide viewing area.

  • 180 Lumens of Light Output

  • Dimensions 6.5" L X 1.5 W (actually 6.25" L X 1.5"W)

  • Submersible (IPX-8) to depth of 100 meters (328 Feet)

  • Uses Lumileds K2 180 Super Flux LED

  • Convenient Nylon Wrist Strap Lanyard

  • Hard Anodized Finish

  • Twist On and Off Functionality (No Push Button Switch)                      

  • 8 Hour Run Time

  • Requires 6 AAA Cell Batteries

 

Initial Impressions: Very sturdy looking construction - contoured handle that feels comfortable in hand, nice lanyard with solid locking clip. In this model Dorcy uses a twist on/off light head. The light uses a double "O" ring to limit the chance of flooding. The batteries are installed by removing the light head and sliding out the battery pack insert (see pictures below). A quick initial above water test to see how far the light's beam would shine was amazing. I shined the light from the ground to the top of a roughly 60 foot tree and clearly illuminated the entire area where I shined the light.

Above-water Tests: Since the current was so strong at Jackson Blue I had to measure the width of the of the "spot" and "halo" produced by the light above water. All lights were tested from a distance of 37'.

In-water Tests: We traveled to Jackson Blue Spring located in Merrit's Mill Pond. We entered the cave ~100ft. to a depth of 40+/- feet. The visibility was around 100 - 150' (meaning that I could see the light from cave divers that far away, as only a bright point of light). We laid out a tape reel stretching another 75' into the cave. The tests were conducted by two divers making their own separate notes. Diver1 stayed at a fixed point (lights out) and Diver2 swam away from Diver1 following the tape reel. Diver2 would check to see how far they could get from Diver1 and still be able to "clearly" tell that Diver1 was a diver and not a boulder or a shadow. After the tests were completed the diver roles were switched and tests were conducted again. When all the tests were over the notes were compared and found to be within 1-2' of each other. The lights were also reviewed making note of how easy they were to turn "on" and "off".

Results: The Dorcy light was measured to have an in-water light penetration distance of 37 feet, which is equal to the distance of the Intova 4.3watt Narrow Beam and the OMS Vega K2. This means that up to 37' we were able to distinguish that there was a diver lurking in the dark. However, the light traveled to roughly 45-50' but at that distance we were unable to locate the diver in the dark. Though the Dorcy uses a twist-on/off light head to turn the light on/off and the housing is a shiny, slick black aluminum we found the light to be easy to turn on and off using either bare hands or gloves with grip (3mm Neosport and Akona Adventure Gloves were tested). Note: The light is negatively buoyant, so if dropped it will sink which is normal for most dive lights. The light was easy to handle produced tons of light, I'd feel comfortable using this as a primary light for most open water dives. However, something more powerful would be needed for wreck penetrations or cave dives.

Pros: I like the fact that the light uses the commonly available AAA batteries; verses the mildly more expensive and harder to find CR123. Long burn time which allows for multiple dives to be conducted on the same set of batteries.

Cons: The battery sleeve is made of thin plastic and could be prone to breaking. I've contacted Dorcy about this issue and they've confirmed it's a possible failure point however they're willing to work with owners who run into problems with the battery sleeve. The twist on head could be a possible point of flooding if you were to accidentally twist it off too far while underwater.

Warranty: Dorcy offers a 1 year warranty on this light which excludes batteries and bulbs.