Early Dive Lights - Vintage Scuba: S01E02

[@Skepsis1358]

Education!!!!!!!!!! I could watch you talk about some rusty nails you used once in the 50's

[@karlmarx7450]

Wow! I love that home-made canister light story of yours! Cool!

[@Dive_Me_Crazy]

Very illuminating!

[@renegademind1833]

Destiny brought us back together again, Alec.. Yes, I acquired a vintage "IKELITE" in my travels.. I thought the Holo-spot would be great.. but now, I changed my mind.. Thanks for that. I will retire the lamp to it's grave, respectfully. Cheers, from Canada.

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

It is fun to collect these vintage items and I love sharing my items. Thanks for sharing your new piece. A.

[@ivoryjohnson4662]

It's nice to learn about the progression of the technology it helps me to learn more about the equipment

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

Thanks for watching. Alec

[@russellcampbell9641]

Another cool video Alec. Thanks for showing all those lights.

[@markstengel7680]

Cool segment on dive lights. Still remember the us divers hand held light fondly my cousin Mitch had. Be well Alec 👍

[@chanzwera5097]

Thank you for enlightening me on vintage lights.

[@tomasvaldes2688]

These are such informative videos, great channel

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

Glad you like them Tomas. Lots to learn from us 'stone age' divers.

[@respt46]

I saw Jaws for the first time yesterday and I was so surprised how many of the equipment you've talked about in your vintage playlists can actually be seen in the movie. The big yellow darrell allen dive light, the swimaster fullview mask, rocket fins, us divers horse collar bc, aqualung conshelf regulator and the shark dart. I'm sure there's many more just didn't see them.

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

Yep! And that was just 1975 (only 43 years ago! Doesn't time fly?). Thanks for watching. Alec

[@respt46]

It sure does. Although I wasn't born until 20 years later the movie came out. haha

[@ultimatevintagescuba925]

great video

[@carllafrance5510]

Hi Alex back in the day we made a dive work light out of a aircraft landing light in a 12 inch aluminum pipe 24 v with a cable back to the boat to run it it floated and we had to put a weight belt on it to sink it Have a good day

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

Luxury Carl. I used to hold a candle inside a glass jar for a light !!! Thanks buddy.

[@carllafrance5510]

I still got the light is there any way I could send you pictures?

[@aminnekoubin]

thanks.

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

You're welcome

[@dagarnertn]

Did dive lights ever use halogen bulbs or did they just go LED when it came out?

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

A few halogen were around for those rich tec divers in caves. Once LED's appeared, every other light source was obsolete. A

[@jeremypiper83]

I really enjoy learning the history of diving equipment from you! What is the 'modern' flashlight you used at the beginning of the video?

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

The modern dive light I referred to is from Big Blue Dive Lights. You can find them on-line, They are almost the only light we sell now at Scuba 2000. We have Ikelite, Princeton Tec, Pelican, TUSA, Scubapro and lots of others but the Big Blue lights have proven excellent. The light is incredible, they're all aluminum with a double O-ring seal and come in a dozen models from 4 AA battery style to the one I showed which is rechargeable LI battery. Of course the cost varies with the lights too but they are competitive and have a Lifetime Warranty. I hope this helps. Alec

[@harringtonjohnr]

+Scuba 2000 can you provide the model number?

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

Big Blue 1800XWP. It's called the Black Molly. Not cheap but a fantastic dive light!

[@mrtonyd816]

That big brown light is called a battle lantern in the us navy and they are on ships to this day. Exactly the same design. They are the emergency lighting system.

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

Wow! Good to know. Thanks. Alec

[@jhare18]

Rich in History.

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

Your too kind

[@mimidestiny1]

would love to see a 'build video' of your soup can light.

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

I can do that. Keep watching. Alec

[@thenerv37]

The US navy used that bakealite pattern for ship emergency lighting up into the 90's

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

Kid's today don't realize how amazing Bakalite was when introduced: light, no rust, mould into any shape but not super strong. When cycolac plastics replaced them these items were tossed out. Thanks for sharing that info Emily.

[@petethehandyman9185]

The Darrel Allen light used 10 d cells,all held in a plastic shell that slipped inside the housing,still have mine from the 70s

[@AlecPeirceAtTheRanch]

They were pretty good lights. They came in both aluminum and plastic. I just sold a perfect one on eBay. It was the later model with the recharge port on the back. However, go to your dive shop with your Darrel. Get a modern, high output LED light and in a dark room turn them both on. A modern LED light is smaller than a banana, much, much, much brighter than the Darrel, lifetime guaranteed, incredible battery life, with a bulb life of 20 years and with many features like variable brightness, red light option, SOS option, battery life indicator and more. Check out the Big Blue Dive Lights 1000 series. Trust me that if you dive with one you will put your Darrel where it belongs - shiny and safe on the mantle for your grandchildren to admire (don't forget to take the batteries out!). Thanks for watching. Alec

[@petethehandyman9185]

Alec Peirce at the Ranch totally agree the new leds are much better, the Allen light is a display piece now. Along with my scubapro bone handle “the knife”

[@jacquespoirier9071]

I made one light that relies on a MR-16 bulb many years ago, I machined a housing from aluminum tubing and solid round that I machined and made a press fit assembly. the sealing is done via a face ring on the frontal glass.I made a battery box from the same type of material. For now i'm thinkering of converting the halogen bulb to a LED bulb in the MR16 configuration and making a new smaller battery pack using lithium-ion dry batteries so the divelight will be way lighter and more compact.

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

Wow! A lot of work. It'll be pretty neat but you know you can buy a light, just as bright, much lighter and smaller and with a lifetime guarantee. I gotta' believe you've spent a couple of bucks on this project. Good luck. Alec

[@jacquespoirier9071]

I totally agree with you, it's more for the challenge than for the money.

[@benheckendorn2696]

It feels it was a much better live back then. Yeah not everything was better, but few. Honestly do you know one this days who could create something by themselves?

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

Anything invented today has half to cost to cover insurance and lawyers from st***d folks who believe nothing is their fault.

[@benheckendorn2696]

@@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter sadly true, we all do faults and if you learn from them they we worth, but few think they don’t do anything wrong. If I would lean to dive by myself with my own created tools, I would start at 2-3 meters first to see if everything is save, but this days I think few would go to 40 meters or even more. I heard if you aren’t a professional you shouldn’t go more than 40 meters, sure I believe some could go to 41 meters or so without a problem others just 37m. So it’s very important to listen to your body and never try too much at once. I read some divers goes up to 60 meters, but I am sure, serious once did it step by step. I‘m quite new here, but I love what you do. You run it with love, I would love to see once a comparison from a diving set with find from the 1960‘s and one from today. I wonder how they looked like and if it was even possible to get such back then.

[@FALCON-nb8nq]

Excellent video as usual. One question. I have a technisub ione dive light that is in good shape but when I was replacing the batteries after these many years I broke the reed switch. I have not found one similar to replace it. Any ideas on what switch to use to repair it? I would like to repair it even if it will be just for show and tell. I am trying to bring all my old (vintage) equipment back to life.

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

If it's the normal magnetic reed switch as used in many dive lights, even today, you can get them pretty cheap on eBay. When soldering it in place be sure to protect it from the heat by grasping the lead with a big pair of pliers. Just use silicon sealant to hold in into the light. Hope that works. Alec

[@FALCON-nb8nq]

Hi Alec. So far I have not been able to find one switch of the same dimensions as the original one on the internet. I will eventually try another switch size to see if I can make it work again Thanks for your help..

[@FALCON-nb8nq]

Hi Alec. Finally I found a switch identical to the old one. My Technisub Iodin is working now. I remember it being a good solid bright light but when comparing it to the new ones is not even 10% of what the new small leds are. I guess that along with my US divers horse collar BC, my aquarius regulator, my tank with a J valve and the big dive knife I can start some kind of a museum.

[@bannedwolf]

What was the LED light you showed us?

[@harringtonjohnr]

See the first comment below

[@dring83]

Alec -- do you know the story o how Dacor went out of business? were they bought out by Mares? i thought i seen a 2nd stage made by them that looks like the viper tec.

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

Dacor was a scuba manufacturer from the 1960's through the 1990's. While their regulators were very highly regarded throughout the industry, they were unable to compete with companies like Scubapro, Aqualung, and Mares. Dacor eventually went bankrupt and were acquired by Mares in 1999.

[@dring83]

@@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter bummer

[@Caderic]

When I did my OW in 2002, my instructor said that dive light should only be used underwater because they get to hot, and the water helps in cooling. Is/was this true?

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

Very true back in the 'stone age' of diving before cool and powerful LEDs appeared.

[@migette1]

Good video, check out my one on the Spanish Nemrod diving light, any info on this?

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

Gosh, I didn't even know that Nemrod made a dive light. I don't think I've seen one although many dive lights were the same - just re-branded with other names on them. It's the same today with modern lights. Aec

[@carllafrance5510]

Hi Alex I still got the aircraft landing light conversion any way I could send you pictures

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

Sure, email me at [e-mail]

[@eldiabolico3750]

Scubapro is also European :)

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

Yes and still making great products.

[@laurentiucharec5682]

JONATHAN BIRD'S BLUE WORLD S5 • E10 Sea Hunt Forever | JONATHAN BIRD'S BLUE WORLD

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

Love Bird's. Nice people, small groups, very professional. Alec

[@vikkimcdonough6153]

_Fiat lux!_

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

Oh yes. A.

[@oldofftime]

If like in the 50's, someone would tell you about the gear of todays, what would you say? ;-)

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

It would be like Star Trek to us today. Amazing but actually just a long process of continuous improvements as technology and materials improve. I would have loved a dive computer or 7mm wetsuit back in the stone age, and a mask that didn't leak and, and, and.... Thanks for watching Tyler.