Dive Rite 10w Can light

[2loud4u]

Ok, so a month or 2 ago I bought a new Dive Rite 10w MR11 HID. Its been working fine no problems since then. Then out of no where last night on MMM dive #2 it just shut off. It was at the very end of the dive at 55min and about 5 fsw. Later that night I was able to turn it on again no trouble. Then I went back to Muck T-Dock and dove again this morning, and at about 30 min into the dive at about 30 fsw same thing, just poof...gone.

Any ideas or thoughts to what may be causing this? Or what I can do to prevent it from happening again.


Brendan

[Nwbrewer]

Ok, so a month or 2 ago I bought a new Dive Rite 10w MR11 HID. Its been working fine no problems since then. Then out of no where last night on MMM dive #2 it just shut off. It was at the very end of the dive at 55min and about 5 fsw. Later that night I was able to turn it on again no trouble. Then I went back to Muck T-Dock and dove again this morning, and at about 30 min into the dive at about 30 fsw same thing, just poof...gone.

Any ideas or thoughts to what may be causing this? Or what I can do to prevent it from happening again.


Brendan

Bad wire? I as much as Lynne has a disdain for Anderson connectors they are infinately better then those $&%Y*(ing trailer plugs. When the battery moves around you could be getting intermittent contact. Could also be that the battery is shot.

[2loud4u]

Is there a way to test the battery before I go and change out connectors?

Brendan

[Nwbrewer]

Is there a way to test the battery before I go and change out connectors?

Brendan

If it were my light, I'd try charging the battery, and checking the voltage when it's fully charged. See if it's in the 14-15 volt ballpark. If it is, at least all your cells are working. If not, try a different charger, it seems like those cheap chargers fail more often than the batteries. If it's STILL not charging you probably need a battery.

If the battery seems good, with the light on try twisting the wires around a little, both the pigtail in the can, and the cord to the lighthead. Pay special attention to the plugs on both sides of it (light and battery) See if you get any flickering. If you do you found your problem. Replace the cord and you're good to go.

If you're still having issue you may have a loose bulb, try re-seating the bulb. Lastly you may have a bad bulb, or a ballast that's about to crap out, but I doubt it.

[spatman]

If you're still having issue you may have a loose bulb, try re-seating the bulb. Lastly you may have a bad bulb, or a ballast that's about to crap out, but I doubt it.

and be careful about touching the bulb, you don't want to get any skin oils on it. use a thin glove or piece of cloth when handling it.

[fmerkel]

Checking unloaded voltage on NiXX batteries is close to worthless. Yes, do it since it's easy and if it's way off the mark you know you have a problem. But you can have funky batteries or only partly charged ones that give almost normal reading.

It's a technical step up but you need to hook up some kind of ammeter (I use a device called a wattmeter - http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=311574). You place it inline and turn on the power and see how the batteries are doing under full load. It's most useful if you have data to know how they should be doing. You have to have suitable connectors to do this.

It doesn't specify on the Dive Rite site whether the charger is a slow charger, typically leave in for a pretty long time (like 10+ hours, or a peak cut-off type that automatically shuts off after a shorter period of time, say 4-5 hours. Slow chargers are reliable, but....slow. Peak chargers are faster but can be subject to false peaks and shut down prematurely so you don't get a full charge. The older the battery or if has issues (see below) peak chargers can work poorly.

NiMH packs should NEVER EVER be run until the light goes dead unless there is a specific protection circuit inside. You may over discharge the pack which forces current to run in reverse through the weakest cell, effectively ruining the pack. Shut it down when it starts to dim noticeably. You don't have much voltage left anyway. After cell reversal it will not charge or perform correctly. There is no fix for a reversed cell but replacement.

[Jabberjaw]

On my dive right 10w I nothing but problems with those cheap 12vlt connectors. Go to the hoppy shop and buy a set of Deans Plugs. They have a very small foot print and have the best connections out of all the connectors out. Even better than the Anderson connectors. You light issues should go away.

[Mattleycrue76]

If you bought it brand new 1 or 2 months ago it should still be under warranty. In that case I wouldn't change the connectors until it's out of warranty.

[2loud4u]

If you bought it brand new 1 or 2 months ago it should still be under warranty. In that case I wouldn't change the connectors until it's out of warranty.

Sorry, I guess I should have stated it was only new to me. I bought it used.

Brendan

[2loud4u]

Checking unloaded voltage on NiXX batteries is close to worthless. Yes, do it since it's easy and if it's way off the mark you know you have a problem. But you can have funky batteries or only partly charged ones that give almost normal reading.

It's a technical step up but you need to hook up some kind of ammeter (I use a device called a wattmeter - http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=311574). You place it inline and turn on the power and see how the batteries are doing under full load. It's most useful if you have data to know how they should be doing. You have to have suitable connectors to do this.

It doesn't specify on the Dive Rite site whether the charger is a slow charger, typically leave in for a pretty long time (like 10+ hours, or a peak cut-off type that automatically shuts off after a shorter period of time, say 4-5 hours. Slow chargers are reliable, but....slow. Peak chargers are faster but can be subject to false peaks and shut down prematurely so you don't get a full charge. The older the battery or if has issues (see below) peak chargers can work poorly.

NiMH packs should NEVER EVER be run until the light goes dead unless there is a specific protection circuit inside. You may over discharge the pack which forces current to run in reverse through the weakest cell, effectively ruining the pack. Shut it down when it starts to dim noticeably. You don't have much voltage left anyway. After cell reversal it will not charge or perform correctly. There is no fix for a reversed cell but replacement.

I pretty much always charge it overnight whenever I dive it. So I dont think its that. It didnt dim at all just one second it was on, then next it was off.

Do hobby shops have a way of testing them? About the only test I could do is to stick my tongue on it.


Brendan

[Mattleycrue76]

IIRC April has the same light. You could meet up on monday and switch batteries. That way you can narrow down the problem.

[airsix]

HID won't dim at all. It's either 100% on, flickering, or 100% off.
Used batteries are highly suspect.

[2loud4u]

HID won't dim at all. It's either 100% on, flickering, or 100% off.
Used batteries are highly suspect.

oh ok got it. I didn't know that. I wont be diving again until thursday, so I will stick it on the charger and make sure its fully charged, then see what happens.


Brendan

[fmerkel]

Like most of this stuff it probably has proprietary connectors. I could check it but I probably would have to make up suitable connectors.

Pet Peeve - CEO to the engineer design team > "We need a new device to sell".
Engineers >" We're on it."
Engineer team > "Hey Joe, go down to the electrical supply and find the weirdest damn battery and connector you can find and we'll build this new device around them".

Gad, I hate it. It's freaking predictable.
Rant over.

As suggested, try another charger or another battery pack. That helps rule one or the other out.

A failed charger won't work at all. An OK charger may fail on a bad battery pack. A bad pack won't take a full charge and won't last as long. A used pack is HIGHLY suspect. Most folks have no idea on how to take care of rechargeable batteries. High capacity AA are EASY to screw up and some of them are junk to begin with.

If it is the pack and you can do it replace with Eneloops - good stuff.

[Nwbrewer]

Like most of this stuff it probably has proprietary connectors. I could check it but I probably would have to make up suitable connectors.

Pet Peeve - CEO to the engineer design team > "We need a new device to sell".
Engineers >" We're on it."
Engineer team > "Hey Joe, go down to the electrical supply and find the weirdest damn battery and connector you can find and we'll build this new device around them".

Gad, I hate it. It's freaking predictable.
Rant over.

As suggested, try another charger or another battery pack. That helps rule one or the other out.

A failed charger won't work at all. An OK charger may fail on a bad battery pack. A bad pack won't take a full charge and won't last as long. A used pack is HIGHLY suspect. Most folks have no idea on how to take care of rechargeable batteries. High capacity AA are EASY to screw up and some of them are junk to begin with.

If it is the pack and you can do it replace with Eneloops - good stuff.

No special plug on the old DR cans, just ghetto RadioShack style 2 wire trailer plugs. Terrible design.

[ArcticDiver]

Given my experience with DiveRite I'd not dink with the thing. I"d call DiveRite; discuss it with them and, if called for send it off to them. So far their service has always satisfied.

[psydiver]

I have a DR 10w also and had the exact same problem.

Turned out I had to rewire the whole thing to get the problem solved, but it worked. Haven't had any problems since. Give it to a guy who knows his way around a soldering iron and get some new connectors.

Good Luck !

[Burntchef]

IIRC April has the same light. You could meet up on monday and switch batteries. That way you can narrow down the problem.

i had the same problem, those trailer plugs suck. i replaced mine with bullet plugs that jake also hates but worked. i was just to lazy to buy andersons for it. the problem wasnt the trailer plug itself but the fact that there is little to no room for the plug and it jams into the can causing one of the wires to slowly pull out of the plug or break inside the wires jacket.

[Nwbrewer]

IIRC April has the same light. You could meet up on monday and switch batteries. That way you can narrow down the problem.

i had the same problem, those trailer plugs suck. i replaced mine with bullet plugs that jake also hates but worked. i was just to lazy to buy andersons for it. the problem wasnt the trailer plug itself but the fact that there is little to no room for the plug and it jams into the can causing one of the wires to slowly pull out of the plug or break inside the wires jacket.

I'm not saying anderson connectors are the best, they have a tendency to break the wire right where it enters the crimp on connector, but that can be mitigated by a little heat shrink tubing. Anybody ever try the banana style ones like H uses?

[2loud4u]

IIRC April has the same light. You could meet up on monday and switch batteries. That way you can narrow down the problem.

i had the same problem, those trailer plugs suck. i replaced mine with bullet plugs that jake also hates but worked. i was just to lazy to buy andersons for it. the problem wasnt the trailer plug itself but the fact that there is little to no room for the plug and it jams into the can causing one of the wires to slowly pull out of the plug or break inside the wires jacket.

I always wondered about the way it fits into the can... or maybe I should say the way it "doesnt" fit into the can. You have to smash it in there. It is a really bad fit, and I always worry about the wires/trailer plugs or something breaking.

Brendan

[April]

I'll show you on monday how the bullet plugs look, though I know nothing about installing them... Also remind me that we were gonna swap goodman handles to see if you liked mine better

[Waynne Fowler]

the first thing i'd check is the cord... they go bad quite a bit... especially if you got one of the one's that was made during the time they were playing with different kinds.... a few were very susceptible to braking....

turn the light on then bend and twist the cord over it's full length... the symptoms you describe would make me check that first.
check for continuity of the wires also while bending it like a pretzel.
If that yields no result I'd be talking to DR about checking the battery. They'll have some good ideas on how to field test the battery if you can tell them a bit about your light... what charger, connections etc...

I've seen DOZENS of lights that displayed the same symptoms.. and only once was it the battery connections....
I'd start with the wiring as it's the easiest thing to eliminate.

[2loud4u]

Update:

SO I gave it a full 24 hour charge, and fully expected it to work. So I took it with me on my dive last night. Of course I only decided to check it right before the dive...nothing.

When I messed with the connections that Jake likes so much , (twisting it this way and that way) it fired right up, and then died right away as I let go. So now I know the problem.

If I were to take the battery, light, and charger into a hobby shop, would they be able to swap out the connections on all 3?

Brendan

[Nwbrewer]

Update:

SO I gave it a full 24 hour charge, and fully expected it to work. So I took it with me on my dive last night. Of course I only decided to check it right before the dive...nothing.

When I messed with the connections that Jake likes so much , (twisting it this way and that way) it fired right up, and then died right away as I let go. So now I know the problem.

If I were to take the battery, light, and charger into a hobby shop, would they be able to swap out the connections on all 3?

Brendan

I don't know if there are any hobby shops that will do it or not. It's not very hard at all if you have any rudimentary soldering skills.

If you bring it to MMM I could probably do it for you, but it would take me a few days to get it back to you. I think anderson connectors are liek $3.00 each side.

[airsix]

Jake, you HAVE to get one of those Weller butane powered irons! The kit in the link comes with a hot-air tip that does shrink tubing beautifully. You've got the whole kit in a nice little case and you can do on-site work. I got one for Christmas and don't know how I could live without it now.