Perhaps a bit tangential to the discussion, but one of the reasons I avoided LED lighting as a diver (apart from emergency backups), is the inability to get a sharp focus with them. In contrast to HID / HMI lighting, which incorporates an arc confined to the axis close to the focal point of the reflector, a LED array is much further from the "point source" ideal, which really makes them best suited to flood or video applications with diffusion, as opposed to spot or work specific lighting at distance, which needs to be more tightly focused with a parabolic reflector. As a diver, you need to be able to see a long distance in front of you, or down passageways, etc., which demands a well focused beam to penetrate. If you are only using the light right in front of your face / viewport, etc., then maybe it isn't so much of an issue?
-Sean
On Jan 8, 2009, djackson99@aol.com wrote:
Hello Jim
Thanks Jim, but I've moved on. :)
From what the guys doing it say about needing a heat sink; I think potting them in epoxy would be a really bad idea.
Maybe an acrylic lens and mineral oil in an aluminum housing?
Anyone ever leave LED's exposed?
How deep do we think the ultra-bright LEDS could survive? 500? 1000?
--Doug J