Night Dive Tank Lights // Some Are Even Water Activated

On September 12, 2019
By Kimberly

Reduce your single-use plastic, eliminate piles of batteries, and enjoy a water-activated tank lite for night dives!

I’m sharing several ecoconscious, reusable, plastic-reducing water activated lights for your tank for night dives. Truly, I simply cannot believe we just recently learned about these.

While we’ve always used snap sticks for lights, the amount of plastic those put into the environment didn’t make us happy. We considered battery-operated lights that look just like those chemical lights, but the two watch batteries those require only give you about six to eight hours of light.

That would give you anywhere from three to five dives, depending on how late you turn them on and how early you turn them off. Another consideration is the light turning on accidentally and wearing out the battery while in your dive bag.

Our next concern was choosing lights with switches that fail, batteries to find and replace, and long lights that might get bent and broken during travel. We found the perfect compromise!

Innovative 500 Hour Water-Activated Flashing Marker Light

While at Force-E Scuba in Riviera Beach, we saw their awesome discovery; water-activated lights from Innovative Scuba Concepts . They provide 500 hours of blinking lights, and only turn on when you get them wet, and they turn themself off when you emerge and dry. So, no drained batteries. They are incredibly affordable considering that they replace 500 snap sticks!

I do keep mine in a very tough tiny waterproof bag. They are so sensitive that the moisture in your fingers is able to activate them! The light is nice and bright. They come in several colors; red, green, and blue. We chose green.

Another unexpected bonus was they come with a very tough nylon cord, so, less likely to be lost or have the cord broken. Love them! They are 3.5 inches long, and completely sealed. At .6 ounces, they are featherweight. Flashing marker lights are available in flashing mode only.

Since you cannot replace the batteries, around your 400th night dive, I would begin carrying a spare in case you finally wear it out.

Water Activated-Scuba Tank LED Light-Night Diving Safety Marker-Flashing Strobe Signal Light-Rated Depth 3,000ft-Pack of 2

These LED’s from American Fishing have a built-in, mercury-free battery, like the Innovative 500 hour markers, and last up to 700 hours. They are rated for up to 3,000 feet! Their price point each is about the same as the 500 hour lights, so they are an even better deal since they will last an additional 200 hours.

The color choices are a set of one blue, one green, or, one red, one white. At 1.6 ounces, they barely will register in your luggage.

Reviews varied from reporting that these were tiny and hard to see, to reports that they were bright and very visible. One comment was that they do not float, so the buyer added a float.

They come with a lanyard similar to a digital camera or flash drive lanyard – a teeny bit of thread that leads to a wider nylon strap.

Aqua Lazer-Stik Battery Powered Marker Light, Constant-On Green Blue or Red by Innovative Scuba Products

If you just can’t let go of the idea of the shape and size of a traditional snap stick, these are for you. Innovative Scuba Concepts through Aqua Lazer produces these “constant on” sticks that resemble a traditional snap stick. However, they are battery operated. One review said that the flashing red is more visible than the steady blue.

While I found links for “constant on” versions, I never could find a link for a flashing version. They are rated to 350 feet of depth.

They require three LR44 button batteries, which are included and weigh .6 ounces. I would stock up on these, since dive shops might not carry them.

Innovative Scuba Lazer-Stik, Laser-Stick Marker Light Replaces Chemical Light Sticks

Also by Innovative Scuba Concepts, Lazer-Stik says these are offered in “constant on” or “flashing” models in a version of those recognizable snap-sticks. It’s unclear how you choose which mode you desire.

The entire lens glows, and the “constant on” lights last 12 hours. Laser Stick flashing marker lights last 20 hours, and they are rated to 350 feet deep. They require three LR44 button batteries, which are included and weigh .6 ounces.

The link above is for the red model, and the Innovative green models are listed, however, I could not find how to choose whether you receive constant on or flashing.

Trident Mini Water Activated LED Clip-On Flashing Light

Although we chose the small 500 hour lights from Innovative, there are other choices on the market. These from Trident also are activated by contact with water, they flash green, and they have a clip that can attach to a BCD or tank.

I found the reviews on these 50/50 positive/critical. Reviewers seemed completely split on whether they were bright or dim, and several reported them arriving with dead batteries.

Trident LED Light Stick Dive Light

If you have a large group, these LED Light Sticks from Trident might be your best option since they come in nine choices. The modes and colors are blinking green, blinking red, blue, constant-on green, constant-on orange, constant-on red, flashing green, flashing orange, and flashing red.

These are high intensity LED lights rated for a maximum depth of 330 feet. They come with three LR48 batteries, and the bulb is rated to last 50,000 hours. At four inches long and 1.6 ounces, they are featherweight. Unfortunately, they do not float.

Reviews ran about 4:1 in praise. Detrimental reviews mentioned the inability to turn the light off until you can take the batteries out. That would mean there is no switch to fail, which others might see as a positive. I did read that a 1/4 rotation turns it off.

Others mentioned the unusual LR48 button batteries, which can be ordered, but might not be available at dive shops. So, I suggest taking spares with you. Some reviewers varied wildly on which color was more visible underwater, whether the batteries were difficult to replace – two in the body, one in the cap with a spring. Almost all reviews said the clip was not durable enough, so they replaced it.

Cyalume ChemLight Military Grade Chemical Light Sticks – 12 Hour Duration Light Sticks Provide Intense Light, Ideal as Emergency or Safety Lights, for Tactical Applications, Hiking or Camping and Much More, Standard Issue for U.S. Military Personnel – Green, 6” Long (Pack of 10)

Cyalume ChemLights: 1 ounce each – 10 equal 10 ounces. We purchased this pack over a year ago to use to mark a tricky dock for operating a large, visually-impaired pontoon boat at night. A couple each from pack of green and a pack of red marked a virtual “landing strip” between two docks in an unlit area.

These are available in blue, red, green, orange, yellow, and white. They produce up to 12 hours of intense light. I tested that – they lasted over 24 hours, slowly dropping in intensity after the first 18 hours. Report is that these lights can be seen from a mile away.

They are listed as non-flammable, non-toxic and waterproof, foil-wrapped, and come with a four-year shelf life. Also, these are touted as the official chemical light of the U.S. Military.

Our only concern with these is that they are single-use. Otherwise, they are fantastic. If you absolutely must purchase single-use chemical lights, and you have no alternatives; please do check with your local sanitation department. Where we live, our dump is lined, so just about anything is allowed to be disposed according to their spokesperson. Even paint and other household chemicals.

Cautions About Glow Sticks

Used liquid glow sticks cannot be reused – you might extend their life a bit by placing them in a freezer and get another night out of them. But then, they are done.

Statistics say over 100 million liquid sticks are going into the landfills every year, and they take a very very very long time to decompose. This is unacceptable. If we divers are stewards of our oceans, we must stop doing this, we must stop using these.

Two Solutions to Chemical Lights

If you absolutely need a glow stick, here’s how to Make a permanent, reusable glow stick.

Or, a company called LunaBright produces glow-in-the-dark fabrics, ropes, ribbons, and sheets that are solar activated. This company produces materials that are recharged by UV light – either natural daylight, lamp, or black light in five to 30 minutes. Their materials are non-toxic, weather resistant, and can safely be used around children, water and pets.

Some Links!

• Here’s an easy way to do your part in saving our oceans. Do your research! Then order reef-safe sunscreen and hair products at Stream2Sea.com, use my code “KimW” for 10% off. AD: affiliate links used. Stream2SEa Sunscreen for Face and Body SPF 20 or Stream2Sea Tinted Sunscreen for Face and Body SPF 20 and more online!

• For bleeding control training, I’m taking the Tactical Casualty Care from Crisis Medicine. With code “DeepWH” you save 20% on the TC2 course, which I highly recommend. You need more than basic First Aid when you are far from help, as we are when we head offshore to dive, or even in the springs.

• MyMedic also features Individual Bleeding Control Kits. This link and my code “KimW” will save you 10% on your purchase. You should bring one to your dives! We do… It’s better to be prepared than to be unprepared. You can spot our kit velcroed to the headrest of the backseat in this video.

• Use of my Amazon Affiliate links does not increase your cost, but may return to me a small percentage of your purchase, which helps me bring content to you, and purchase more supplies for my classroom. Thank you for your support!

Where Else to Find Me!

I’m a teacher, and a sailboat captain, cyclist, SCUBA diver, and runner. You could say I like being prepared. Here are some other places I produce:

• Blog // https://www.deepwaterhappy.com
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• Twitter // https://twitter.com/DeepWaterHappy
• Blog // https://www.deepwaterhappy.com
• Email // DeepWaterHappy@gmail.com
• For safe sun exposure, at Stream2Sea.com, use my code “KimW” for 10% off reef-safe sunscreen and hair and body products as a thank you for choosing responsible products!