Homemade Dive Light

Regardless of your reason for underwater diving, be it commercial, scientific, recreational or professional, all divers face the same problems, which includes the problem of reduced visibility underwater due to lack of sunlight. This issue makes the use of a dive light a necessity for all divers. With the appropriate materials on hand, you can make your own dive light that you can use each time you're diving.

Things You'll Need

  • Halogen or LED lamp
  • PVC pipe
  • Handsaw
  • Acrylic glass discs
  • Jigsaw
  • Metal discs
  • Relay
  • ILS relay
  • Electrical wire
  • 12-volt battery
  • Screws
  • Silicone caulk
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Instructions

    • 1

      Cut the PVC pipe in the length needed to put both the lamp and the battery inside. For example, a tube with a diameter of 4 inches is sufficient for a lamp and needs to be cut in five separate rings, of approximately 0.4, 0.8, 0.7, 1.2 and 3.2 inches.

    • 2

      Cut five circles of acrylic glass, each with a diameter of around 4 inches. Leave one acrylic glass circle intact. Cut a 2-inch diameter hole in the center of two acrylic glass discs. As for the two remaining discs, cut a rectangle 3 inches by 2 inches in the center. Use a jigsaw for this part of the process.

    • 3

      Cut a 4-inch diameter metal circle, with a 1.5-inch diameter hole in the middle. Note that the final dimension of the hole depends on the size of the bulb you will use, so measure the bulb before cutting the circle.

    • 4

      Connect the lamp/bulb, the ILS relay, the relay and the battery into a closed electrical circuit with electrical wire. Fix the relay onto the metal disc with two or three screws.

    • 5

      Assemble the dive light by placing the electrical part into the plastic case. Put the metal plate inside and the lamp behind it. Also, place all five acrylic glass discs inside the PVC tube. For example, the rectangular hole discs should hold the 12-volt battery in place. The circular hole discs should be placed on both sides of the bulb. The intact piece will, naturally, be the front glass of the lamp.

    • 6

      Finish your homemade dive light by closing it with a pipe fitting at its end. Seal the dive lamp with silicone caulk around all the fittings, at the end as well as at the front, of the acrylic glass.

    • 7

      Attach a small magnet on the exterior of the PVC pipe to act as a switch for the dive lamp.