Halcyon Explorer User manual
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PRIMARY LIGHT SYSTEMS
Explorer/Eos/Apollo
Lighng Systems Manual
HALCYON
DIVE SYSTEMS
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Halcyon HID & LED Primary Light Owner's Manual
Trademark Noce
Halcyon, BC Keel, Mulfuncon Compensator, ACB, DLR, Explorer Pro, and
Scout Light are registered trademarks of Halcyon Manufacturing, Inc.
Warnings, Cauons and Notes
Pay special aenon to informaon provided in warnings, cauons, and
notes accompanied by these icons:
A WARNING indicates a procedure or situaon that, if not avoided,
could result in serious injury or death to the user.
A CAUTION indicates any situaon or technique that could cause
damage to the product, and could subsequently result in injury to
the user.
WARNING: This manual provides essenal instrucons for the
proper operaon, inspecon, and care of your new Halcyon lighng
product. Because Halcyon's lighng systems ulize patented tech-
nology, it is very important to take the me to read these instruc-
ons in order to understand and fully enjoy the features that are
unique to your specic model.
Copyright Noce
This owner's manual is copyrighted, all rights reserved. It may not, in
whole or in part, be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated, or
reduced to any electronic medium or machine readable form without
prior consent in wring from Halcyon Manufacturing, Inc.
©2010 Halcyon Manufacturing, Inc.
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Halcyon Explorer, Eos & Apollo Lighting Systems
Halcyon Lighting Overview 4
Primary Lighting Systems 5
21 w HID Light Head Operation 8
12w LED Light Head Operation 9
Bulb Replacement: 21 w HID 10
Canister & Lid 11
Halcyon Power Systems 12
Battery Charging 13
Battery Storage 15
Burn Testing 16
Transporting 17
TroubleshootingYour Halcyon Light 18
Halcyon NiMH Battery FAQ 22
HMI Instructions and Troubleshooting 24
Appendex 1: System Burn Times 25
Appendex 2: Halcyon Warranty Information 26
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Congratulaons on your purchase of a Halcyon primary light. At Halcyon
we appreciate the faith your choice places in our products. Like the rest
of the Halcyon line, the Explorer, Eos and Apollo lights were created out
of a very real need for a lighng instrument capable of withstanding the
rigorous demands of exploraon diving. Formed by some of the world's
leading explorers, Halcyon is dedicated to establishing a link between acve
underwater explorers and the manufacture of precision diving equipment.
Who beer than leading explorers to design and test your life support
equipment? We've spent more than a decade of careful renement and real
world tesng in developing your Halcyon light, and we are proud to count
you among our select group of demanding customers. It is an instrument
that we would not hesitate to take from the storeroom shelf directly to the
water for an exploraon dive.
Every Halcyon primary light is individually inspected and pressure tested to
300 feet/91 meters.
Halcyon's three primary light lines meet the needs of every level diver
and every imaginable dive environment. The Explorer HID line ulizes a
reliable and brilliant 21-wa HID light head with NiMH baery technology
and tougher-than-steel Delrin to produce an exploraon grade system that
is the benchmark for underwater lighng instruments. The Eos LED line
incorporates a powerful LED light head with all the unique features of our
Explorer canister and baery pack to create a system that is as much at
home at the back of a cave as on a Caribbean reef. Halcyon's Apollo line of
video systems provides high-power HMI and HID illuminaon in combinaon
with our indestrucble Delrin canisters to complete your video, lm or
photographic package.
Explorer, Eos and Apollo light canisters are designed to be mounted on a
diver's waist belt, while the hands-free Goodman-style light head allows
you maximum dexterity during the dive. Manufactured from a single solid
piece of black Delrin, the tough Goodman-style head of our HID Explorer
line allows for hands-free operaon while sing cleanly on top of the diver's
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hand. The nearly indestrucble Aluminum Eos LED light head is coated with a
robust Mil-Spec hardcoat. Both light heads use a fully adjustable handle that
is hard-coated aluminum, can be sized for cold water dry gloves,and can be
ordered with an oponal reserve mini-knife aached.
Lighng Systems Features
Halcyon Canister Features
• Industry-first sealed, watertight, Delrin lid design isolates battery
compartment from cord/light head
• Proprietary switch design with captured, silicon switch boot and
ergonomic Delrin switch protector
• Machined from solid Delrin, our canisters are sized to ease stowing of
the long hose
• Proprietary canister water trap and raised battery tray help protect the
battery pack
• Solid battery to lid connection with corrosion resistant, solid-core, gold-
plated plugs
• O-ring sealed electrical connections
• Secure battery tray with Stainless Steel rods for additional protection
• Strain-relief fittings on all Explorer cords
• Nickel-plated brass sealing glands
• Larger diameter, hands-free Goodman handle; easy to use with dry
gloves
• Stainless Steel locking latches
• Dual-voltage 110 or 220v, 4-amp charger with built-in cooling fan
• NiMH batteries
• Lifetime canister warranty
• Depth rated to 300-ft / 90-m
• One-piece canister maintains maximum
reliability
Explorer 21-wa HID Light head
• The Halcyon 21-watt HID shares all the
quality features common to our range
of Explorer canisters with a uniquely
designed HID light head.
• Locking bulb design eliminates the risk
of dislodged bulbs and sporadic ignition
problems.
• High-temperature polymer (PEEK)
nearly eliminates risk of socket damage
common within the competition.
• New, brighter bulb with a shorter stem
and protection sleeve reduce risk of breakage.
• Includes the time-tested Goodman handle and Halcyon reflector.
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• Adjustable light beam
• Choice of NiMH battery pack size (4.5, 9, or 13.5 amp)
• Goodman handle with optional Exploration upgrade with mini-knife
available
Eos LED Light head
• The Eos Explorer shares all the quality features common to our range of
Explorer canisters while enjoying a uniquely designed LED light head.
• Advanced LED array provides powerful
output in a small, attractive form; full
power output equals 600 Lumen.
• Lux rating at one meter is 10,700 at three
meters, 1,450 and at five meters, 530.
• High-quality, aluminum light head with a
Type 3, Class 2 Mil-Spec hard coat.
• Aluminum light head optimizes heat
dissipation while protecting LED
electronics.
• High-quality LEDs are rated for
approximately 20,000 hours and protected
by a nearly indestructible light head.
• The dual-intensity LED allows an option
to double battery run time (see run time
chart in Appendix 1). Simply flip the power
switch on/off quickly to toggle between
intensities.
• The built-in thermal protection circuit prevents the LED array from
overheating when out of the water.
• The Eos Goodman handle features an innovative bolt snap attachment
point.
• The light head body provides a rear bolt snap
attachment option.
Apollo HID and HMI
• Apollo series includes the Halcyon canister features.
• HMI has been fully upgraded with hardcoat aluminum
ballast housing, Delrin battery canister, 24v 13.5ah
NiMh battery pack and nearly neutral design.
• HMI and HID light heads specifically crafted for video,
film and photographic applications.
HID Lighting Systems
High Intensity Discharge lamps produce a brilliant white light while drawing
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a fracon of the power of a halogen lamp. HID has quickly become the
standard for exploraon-grade lighng systems. Halcyon's Explorer and
Apollo lights require very lile aenon beyond the care given to a halogen
light. Although it produces 5% of its output when rst ignited, the HID light
requires a few seconds (usually 15-20) to produce full output. Also, if power
to the lamp is lost or turned o (such as with an underwater pluggable
cord), the light ballast must be allowed a brief period to reset before being
reignited. Halcyon HID lights only require a brief 5 - 10 seconds.
The ballast in an HID lighng system provides the proper starng voltage to
strike and maintain the arc, and it regulates the proper current to the lamp
once the arc is established. Ballasts are not interchangeable among dierent
types of HID lamps. A ballast design incorporates electronic circuitry to
provide specic lamp/ballast operang characteriscs.
With adequate care as outlined in this manual, your HID lamp should last
approximately 750 hours.
Special Considerations for HID Lighting Systems
The light emied from the HID arc tube is intense and appropriate safety
precauons relang to exposure protecon are required. Metal halide
bulbs operate at very high temperatures and pressures. The glass lamps
should be handled with care giving special aenon to the quartz arc tube.
The Halcyon HID light is a DC lamp; proper electrical wiring polarity must
be observed to prevent damage to the lamp. Only cered Halcyon repair
technicians are authorized to work on Halcyon products; non-cered work
voids your Halcyon warranty.
CAUTION: Ultraviolet, visible and infrared radiaon is emied from metal ha-
lide lamps. Possible skin or eye irritaon can result from exposures exceeding
15 minutes. Do not stare at exposed lamp in operaon. During operaon, the
bulb should be enclosed in a housing to prevent injury. Do not remove bulb
from equipment unl it has cooled. Never handle the bulb when it is operat-
ing. Keep your face away from the light head during ignion and operaon.
Protect the arc tube when handling the lamp. Keep
the arc lamp clean. Do not touch the arc tube of the
21 wa HID, the inside surface of the reector and
the connecng wires. Contaminaon can degrade
lamp performance or cause premature failures. If
necessary, clean the lamp by wiping with a lint-
free towel. Any interacon with the bulb should be
conducted very carefully. Bulbs break easily when
handled improperly and are not covered by warranty.
While HID bulbs last considerably longer than
halogen bulbs, you should be aware of several
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21 watt HID Bulb
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characteriscs that indicate a bulb is approaching the end of its lifespan.
Inial symptoms of end-of-life are characterized by low light output and/
or intermient starng. Visual signs include blackening at the ends of
the arc tube and electrode p deterioraon. Note that HID bulbs contain
metals, including mercury, that are harmful to the environment. Please be
responsible in arranging for proper disposal of an HID bulb.
The bulb and ballast are sensive to external operang temperature.
Although HID light technology doesn't generate heat equal to that of a
halogen light, it should be treated like any other dive light. The HID lamp
should only be operated while in the water, to provide proper cooling for the
lamp assembly. While transporng your HID light, please don't leave the light
in direct sunlight or in a car's interior on a hot day.
21 watt HID Light Head
Halcyon's workhorse light, the 21 wa HID, allows full adjustability and easy
bulb changes in a convenonal test tube style design. Light output is similar
to a 100 wa halogen light at a fracon of the power consumpon. Halcyon
21 wa HID lights include our exclusive ultra-bright reector. We’ve designed
the parabola of the reector specically for diving applicaons, where a
sharp spot is benecial for signaling. The surface is spun and polished to
our specicaons and will not chip or ake like metal lm vacuum-coated
reectors. Combined with the extended protecve cowling on our light head,
the Explorer lights throw out an intensely focused beam of bright, white light
that you can rely on in the most challenging of situaons.
21 watt HID Light Head Operation
The one-piece machined Delrin slug is temperature resistant and completely
non-corrosive. The slug assembly consists of a bulb socket, bulb, test tube
and cord. The bulb slug contains three O-rings. The two O-rings closest to the
bulb actually provide the water-ght seal while the base ring cushions the
glass tube.
The focus of your light may be set by loosening the locking screw on
the Goodman Light head and moving the bulb slug assembly backward
or forward in the light head. To avoid the potenal of breaking the bulb
covering, be careful not to ghten the screw down on the glass tube. The
focus should be set so that the beam forms a ght circle several feet in front
of you, allowing for brightest illuminaon and more convenient signaling to
one's dive buddy.
Never leave your light on while at the surface! Without the dissipang eect
of the water, the heat generated by the bulb can accumulate in the light
head, damaging the assembly's components.
Should the bulb assembly become dicult to focus, make certain that
the nylon adjustment screw is loose and not binding the assembly's
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movement. Dirt may become trapped along the focusing barrel, creang
fricon between the test tube and light head. To clean the dirt from the
bulb assembly, simply loosen the locking screw and push the bulb assembly
out toward the cord. Clean the light head and bulb assembly. Be careful not
to pull a stuck assembly out by the cord while underwater as the tube may
come free from the assembly, ooding the light. The groove on your light
head's bulb assembly will prevent the unit from being accidentally pulled out
from the light head by an entangled cord.
LED Lighting Systems
The promise of LED technology that can fully replace HID lighng just took a
step forward with Halcyon’s Eos primary light. The new Eos capably blends
numerous desirable features with a focused light output exceeding the
10-wa HID. The Eos also reduces baery consumpon with an ecient
array of dual-intensity LEDs and a quick ip of the switch more than doubles
the baery’s run me. A machined aluminum head shields a nearly
indestrucble LED light array with an expected
lifecycle of 20,000 hours.
The Eos LED primary light has a voltage
protecon circuit to keep the baery voltage
from dropping to a level that may be harmful
to the baery pack. This circuit is acvated at
approximately 9.8 volts and will cause the light to
alternate between normal intensity and notably
reduced light output. This “icker” exists as a
warning to indicate the light is nearing its capacity. Because the reduced light
output decreases the draw on the baery, your light might connue in this
fashion for approximately 30 minutes (depending on the baery, light output,
temperature etc). The light will shut o completely as nears 9.4 volts. This
cuto will prevent damage to your baery.
The Eos LED primary light is also ed with a temperature protecon circuit
to prevent the diodes in the LED from overheang; this will help ensure
maximum LED longevity. The temperature protecon circuit will trigger a
reducon in light output similar to the low voltage cuto. In this case, the light
reduces output by 50%. It will alternate between normal and 50% output unl
the heat problem is resolved. Overheang can be most quickly resolved by
immersing the light in water. Ideally, the Eos, like all other dive lights, should
not be used at the surface for any extended period. It is unlikely that your Eos
LED should ever experience an overheang situaon while used underwater.
Halcyon has taken great strides to ensure your Eos LED will operate awlessly
without any addional adjustments. The LED module and the unique
aluminum light head work as a unit to provide the Eos with opmum heat-
syncing ability; this together with proper alignment help ensure maximum
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light output. Please do not aempt to disassemble the light head. Do not
remove the glass lens or tamper with the LED module or electronics. Taking
apart your Eos will void the warranty and may damage the internal circuitry of
the LED module.
Eos LED Light Head
The Eos features two aachment locaons for bolt
snaps. One on the light head which is similar to the
21 and 50-wa HID light heads. The second e-o
point is cleverly designed as a Halcyon chevron and
is located on the Goodman handle.
Video Light heads
Halcyon's Apollo series are available with dual/single lamp HID and HMI
light heads. Dual head Apollo systems are ready for mounng on housing
arms with standard hardware. The HMI lamp is truly an underwater moon
picture studio lighng instrument, with output exceeding that of a 1,000 wa
halogen burning at a solid 5,600K.
Halcyon Bulb Replacement
21 watt HID Bulb Replacement
Should the bulb in your Halcyon 21 wa HID light become damaged, it can
be easily replaced by following these simple steps:
1. Remove the Goodman handle and reector assembly from the light head.
2. Carefully remove the bulb cover (test tube) from the slug assembly. Pull
the cover straight o; a twisng acon is more likely to break the glass tube.
It is advisable to use a protecve barrier such as a leather glove or heavy rag
to protect your hand from a possible break in the glass lamp cover. Be espe-
cially careful with the HID bulb as care needs to be used to prevent breaking
the bulb.
3. Visually inspect the bulb (HID) for damage. To remove the bulb from the
ballast assembly, unscrew the bulb retaining ring. Be careful not to drop the
bulb as the retaining ring is taken o. When the ring is removed grasp the
lamp base and remove the bulb from the socket.
4. Open the package containing the new bulb. Grasp the bulb base and
insert the bulb into the socket. Replace the bulb retaining ring, nger ght.
(See Figures 1-3) Do not overghten.
5. Wipe the bulb assembly O-rings clean with a cloth. Wipe out any moisture
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that might have accumulated in the lamp cover. Do not use any silicone on
the bulb slug o-rings.
6. Aer cleaning the bulb slug O-rings and the lamp cover, gently place the
glass cover over the bulb slug and push it into place. Make sure that the bulb
cover is seated all the way to the boom O-ring on the slug assembly. Use a
protecve barrier such as a leather glove or heavy rag to protect your hand
from a possible break in the glass bulb cover
7. Place the Goodman head assembly back onto the light head, focusing the
light to a ght beam and locking down the screw.
Explorer, Eos and Apollo Canister and Lid
Take the me to inspect the O-ring on the canister lid before every dive. The
O-ring should be free of grit or dirt and should not have any signs of damage.
Remove the O-ring from the lid and wipe it down with a clean cloth before
every dive. The lid O-ring does not require any lubricaon. The O-ring groove
on the lid should also be cleaned of any dirt or debris.
Be careful not to damage the sealing surface on the lid or canister. During
transport, the lid should always be aached to the canister to prevent
accidentally nicking either surface. However, you should store your light for
extended periods of me with the lid o or the baery removed from the
canister. Over me, and especially aer discharge, the rechargeable baeries
will o-gas potenally combusble gasses. While o-gassing has not proven
itself to be a common problem, you should be aware of the potenal risk by
not allowing the canister to sit over me with discharged baeries sealed
inside.
Light Canister
The light canister must keep the baery dry and protected while you are
diving at depth. Halcyon lights use two locking latches to secure the lid
to the canister. When opening or closing your light, work both latches
simultaneously to avoid stressing any side of the lid unevenly.
Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3
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The canister is congured for aaching to the diver's waist belt. The unique
three-fold webbing aachment on your Halcyon Light is held in place by
two stainless steel bands. The three-piece fold holds the light with more
stability than convenonal methods, and prevents the light from accidentally
releasing from the diver's hip. The steel bands can be raised or lowered on
the canister to balance the light on your hip; the canister should rest parallel
to your body when mounted on your harness.
Delrin Canisters
Halcyon canisters are milled out of a solid rod of Delrin. The one-piece
design ensures a structural integrity not found in any other available dive
light. Delrin shares the same characteriscs of industrial metals such as
aluminum and stainless steel. Some comparable properes include sness,
dimensional stability, impact resistance, and structural strength. Material
operaonal temperatures range from 180° F (82° C) to -100° F (-73° C). The
one-piece Delrin canister is virtually indestrucble under normal usage.
Although the canister itself can withstand depths of over 3,000 feet/909
meters, the maximum recommended working depth of the Halcyon Explorer
line is 300 feet/90 meters. All Halcyon lights feature high quality nickel plated
brass ngs and stainless steel locking latches.
Halcyon lights use a lid-integrated set of plugs to connect to the baery pack.
Simply line up the plugs with the gold-edged receptacles on the top of the
baery pack and push down unl the lid rests on top of the baery pack's
delrin cap. The lid can be rotated 180-degrees and plugged into the "dummy
holes" on the baery cap so the light can be transported without a "hot"
connecon. To charge the Explorer, Eos or Apollo baery, rmly secure the
charger's plug into the gold-edged receptacles on the top of the baery pack.
Always charge your baery with the pack removed from the canister– the
charger plug will not t on the baery pack when it is sll in the canister.
Halcyon Power Systems
Halcyon carefully selects from among the nest baeries available, to
provide enhanced performance and reliability for our lighng systems. Our
Explorer and Apollo NiMH baery packs provide extended burn mes with
the advantage of dramacally reduced size over that of a sealed lead acid.
High quality baeries typically result in the maintenance of longer burn
mes over the life of the baery. Burn mes for Halcyon's lights are listed in
Appendix A.
Battery Care and Maintenance
Rechargeable baeries can release small amounts of combusble gas that
can become dangerous in a sealed environment. The release of gas is more
prominent while the baeries are being over-charged or deeply discharged.
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Lights that have been discharged and then le sing in a sealed canister
over me should be opened prior to actuang the switch. While the risk of
gas ignion is limited, the risk should treated with respect.
Warning: To reduce the risk of gas accumulaon, open the canister and
allow the gas to vent before use. Venng the canister is especially
important if you have le the light closed over me or for transport
aer a deep discharge. Always charge your baery with the pack
removed from the canister.
Charging the Battery
All of Halcyon's lights ulize the highest quality NiMH baeries, providing
years of consistent use. However, even the best baeries are only as good
as the manner in which they are maintained. Baeries should always be
charged as soon as possible aer use and not le to sit for long periods in
a discharged state. While NiMH baeries do not experience the reduced
discharge eect known as "memory," they can be damaged if le at low
voltage levels. The charger provided with your light will charge the baeries
up to capacity and then turn o automacally provide a maintenance charge.
Baeries tend to slowly discharge if le over me, especially if exposed to
extremes of heat or cold. Your Halcyon charger is designed to top the baery
pack back to a full charge when le connected to the baery during storage.
Halcyon recommends that you always store your baery pack connected
to your baery charger if you plan to use your light within a few week's
me. If the baery is going to be le unused for several weeks or months,
you should charge it up, disconnect the baery and charger, and top o the
baery prior to the next use. If the baery is to be stored without use for a
long period, top it o with a recovery charge every six months.
Charging your Explorer, Eos or Apollo battery pack (NiMH Batteries)
Proper charging of your Explorer baery pack is essenal to ensure a long
NiMH baery life. If the charger is not properly designed and matched to
the baery's voltage, chemistry and conguraon, the result can be poor
performance of the baery due to insucient charge, shortened baery
life due to overheang of the baery, and the chance of re or explosion
of the baery from over-charging. Charger selecon is so important to the
life of your Explorer baery pack that the use of any charger other than the
Halcyon NiMH charger will void your Halcyon warranty. The Halcyon Explorer
charger has been specially designed to charge the Explorer 4.5, 9 and 13.5
baery packs and should not be used with any other make or type of baery.
The Explorer charger cannot be used with Halcyon's previous models that
use lead acid baery packs.
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Eos/Apollo 9 pack, and 3 hours for an Explorer/Eos/Apollo 13.5 pack.
Warning: Your Halcyon NiMH charger has
a switch next to the power cord that allows
the unit to be used with either 110-115 volt
or 220-230 volt outlets. Make sure that
you have the switch set correctly for your
condions. Failure to set the charger for
the proper voltage can damage the
charger's electronics.
The charge proceeds in two stages:
•Bulk Charge. Current is supplied to the battery pack at a rate pro-
grammed by Halcyon into the charger specifically for Explorer and
Apollo packs.
•Topping Charge. Current is supplied at a fracon of the
bulk charge rate.
If the charger is plugged in to a power source but no battery is connected,
the red light will indicate that the charger is searching for a battery to charge.
Once a battery is connected, the yellow light will indicate that the charger
has entered the Bulk Charge state. Once the battery pack is completely
charged, the green light will indicate that the system has entered its Topping
Charge state. In some cases heat or power fluctuations may trick the charger
causing it to switch off prematurely. You
may check the charge of your pack by disconnecting the battery and waiting
for 3-5 seconds, reconnect the battery and see if the yellow light appears.
For a fully discharged battery, the complete charging process should take
approximately 1 hour for an Explorer/Eos 4.5 pack, 2 hours for an Explorer/
Engage the lid plugs with the battery cap's gold receptacles to provide power to
the light (top).To charge the battery pack, push the charger's steel connectors
completely into the battery pack's gold receptacles until the charger assembly
rests on the lid (right).
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The charging proceeds in two stages:
•
•
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Recommended Storage Conditions
Store your Halcyon NiMH baery pack disconnected
from the light to eliminate loaded storage eects, which
in NiMH baeries can lead to increased self-discharge.
Any Nickel-Metal Hydride cell will o-gas hydrogen
when subjected to excessive overcharge or
overdischarge. Do not store your Explorer light for
extended periods of me with the baery pack in place
and the lid closed. Always open the lid of your light to
vent any ambient gasses aer storage and before you
operate your light.
Battery Longevity
Your baery should provide you with years of trouble free performance.
The ancipated life of a baery is measured in the number of charge and
discharge cycles it can tolerate. The life of a baery will depend on many
factors, including the storage temperature, the discharge of the baery, and
the charging eciency.
Please see the recommendaons below to establish other ways of increasing
baery life.
1. Use only Halcyon replacement NiMH baery packs with your Halcyon
light. It is very important with NiMH systems that the charger be matched
with the baery.
2. Do not allow the baeries to discharge deeply (below about 9 volts).
3. Do not allow the baeries to sit in a discharged state.
4. Do not expose the baeries to extreme temperatures below -15° C (5°
F) or above 50° C (122° F). Baeries must be removed from canister for
charging.
To be sure that your baery is adequately charged reference the following
consideraons:
1. Plug in the charger and verify that it is receiving power. Verify that the red
power light is on when you connect the charger to the baery pack on SLA
packs and the Yellow light is on for NiMH baery packs.
2. Allow the baeries to charge unl the green "Charge Complete" light
acvates on NiMH baery chargers. You may verify the charge by using
a voltmeter to gauge the baery voltage. However, this reading is only
reliable if the baery is under a load, such as when the light is acvated.
To ensure that your charger is operang properly, place the light head in a
pot of water and connect the baeries to the lid, leaving the baery pack
out of the canister. Do not let the light burn for more than a minute out
of the water. While the light is discharging the baeries, use a voltmeter
to gauge the voltage drop. If the pack is not properly charged, the volt-
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age should drop rapidly (within one minute). A properly charged pack
will slowly drop voltage from a high of around 14 to roughly 13 volts, and
should hold 13 volts for about an hour.
5. The charger will enter a "maintenance stage" when a full charge is
reached, so it is possible to leave the baery connected to the charger
for extended periods of me. If the baery is going to be le unused for
several weeks, charge the baery, disconnect the baery and charger for
the length of storage, and then top o the baery with a new charge prior
to the next use. If the baery is to be stored without use for a long period
it should be topped o with a recovery charge every six months.
Burn Testing
You should burn test your baery pack at least yearly in order to establish
the actual burn me of your light. Frequent divers, or those who oen rely
on longer burn mes, may choose to test their light more frequently. In order
to conduct an eecve test you will need the following equipment:
•Baery pack
•Discharge method: either the light head itself or a discharge array
•Volt meter
•Timer, preferably with an alarm
•Reservoir of water
•Paper to record me and voltage
The following steps will allow you to accurately determine your baery's
burn me:
1. Make certain that the baery has been fully charged. For the best charge,
burn the baery for ten minutes and then bring it back to a full charge.
2. Place the light head into the water. Make sure that there is enough water
to prevent overheang. A one gallon basin or bucket is sucient.
3. With the baery out of the canister, connect the light head to the baery.
4. Actuate the switch and measure the voltage. For NiMH baery packs, back
the lid away from the baery enough to allow you to insert the volt meter
probes tomake contact with the metal posts. Do not allow the probes to
touch each other while in contact with the baery terminals.
5. Record the me and voltage every ten minutes unl the pack reaches 10
volts. It is recommended that the mer have an alarm to alert you when
an interval has ended. The alarm will prevent you from forgeng about
the baery and discharging it completely. A complete discharge is prac-
cally certain to damage the baery's cells.
6. Stay near the pack to monitor the voltage decay as the 10 volt limit is
approached. As the pack nears 10 volts, the voltage will drop more rap-
idly. Record the me when the baery reaches 10 volts. This me is the
amount of me that your light baery can provide a useful light beam.
17
7. Record the burn me and date on the baery. Don't forget to update this
informaon with each subsequent test of your baery.
8. Charge the baery immediately. Never discharge your baery below about
9 volts as it can damage the cells to experience deep discharge for any
prolonged period. Any me the baery is discharged it should be charged
as soon as possible. A quick recharge is especially important when the bat-
tery is deeply discharged.
TransportingYour Light
Your Halcyon light should be le unplugged during transport. You want to
eliminate the possibility of acvang the light while the unit is out of the
water. The Explorer lid design has a travel plug conguraon for connectors.
Be sure to reconnect the baery prior to geng into the water and to
disconnect the baery prior to travel.
TroubleshootingYour Halcyon HID Light
If you are experiencing problems with your HID light before the end of its
expected lifespan, take a second to inspect the bulb and ballast assembly:
Bulbs
•Inspect the bulb to make sure it is seated in the socket.
•Inspect for broken arc tube or outer lamp jacket.
•Check connecon where glass meets the base.
•Make a visual inspecon of the bulb for broken or loose components in
the lamp envelope.
•Inspect for arc tube end blackening.
•Inspect for deposits inside the outer glass envelope.
Ballast points-of-failure
•Aempt ignion a second me aer properly reseng the ballast by
disconnecng, waing 15 seconds, and then reconnecng the connec-
tors aached to the lid.
•Are you using Halcyon replacement lamps? Your ballast will not work
with incorrect waage lamps.
•Avoid possible overheang due to ambient temperature.
•Inspect ballast housing for mechanical damage.
Troubleshooting your Halcyon LED Light
Why is my LED ickering?
If the ickering begins underwater, it is possible that your baery needs to
be charged and the voltage protecon circuit has been engaged. Charge
18
your baery as soon as possible. If you have been using your light on the
surface, it is possible it has over heated and engaged the temperature
protecon circuit. Allow your light to cool before aempng to turn it on
again.
Halcyon Primary Light General Troubleshooting
What to do if your light does not work
1. Verify that the baery is properly connected, that all wire connecons are
secure, and that the baery is not completely drained. Use a volt meter to
verify that the baery has at least some voltage. The baery should read
at least 12.5 volts. If you believe that your power pack has failed, test the
quesonable light head with a dierent baery.
For HID Lighng:
2. Verify that the HID bulb is not damaged. If the bulb needs to be changed,
please refer to the manual secon on changing the bulb. Remember to be
careful removing the lamp cover and to avoid touching the bulb with your
bare hands.
3. Verify that the HID bulb is seated properly in the socket. Occasionally the
HID bulb connecon can be compromised if the light head is suciently
bumped or jarred during transport. To check the HID bulb seang, the
lamp cover must be removed. For a comprehensive discussion of this pro-
cess please see the manual secon on changing a bulb. In general, be sure
that the HID bulb is not touched directly and that you are careful removing
the lamp cover.
4. If you suspect the switch may be the problem, please contact Tech Ser-
vices for assistance.
What to do with an HID light that works sporadically
If your HID light ickers or only works sporadically, it is very likely to be the
result of a poor connecon. It is possible that this weak connecon is at
the bulb and socket, or that wires leading to the baery are frayed. Please
consult the troubleshoong secon entled "What to do if your light does
not work" for more detail on correcng these problems.
A sporadic HID light is more likely the result of a poor connecon in the cord.
Test for a poor connecon or a kink in the cord by working the cord back
and forth, starng by the light head and working back toward the canister,
to see if the sporadic problem can be iniated. A kink in the cord is likely to
eventually break the wire connecons within the cord.
19
If your HID or LED light is equipped with underwater pluggable connectors
(E/O connectors), it is possible that this connecon has become
compromised. Over me, the female connecon may widen out and not
clamp securely over the male connector. A rather inelegant but eecve
method to recfy this problem is to gently tap the female connecon with a
hammer, carefully ghtening the female receptacle.
It is also possible that the switch has become damaged, perhaps with
corrosion, resulng in sporadic operaon. If you detect corrosion in the
switch mechanism, the light should be returned to Halcyon and the switch
replaced.
What to do if your HID or LED light turns itself on
A light that begins burning with the switch in the o posion must have
the switch replaced. This problem occasionally occurs in lights that have
been previously ooded. A light that turns itself on should be disconnected
immediately to prevent any damage from overheang.
Lights should always be disconnected while transported.
What to do if your burn time is less than expected
Check the condion of the baery pack to conrm that the reduced burn
me isn't the result of an error induced during charging. You can check a
baery pack's condion with the following steps:
1. Verify that the charger is plugged into a properly funconing outlet. Be
sure that this outlet is not controlled by a wall switch that may be shut o
inadvertently. Do not use an inverter to power your charger.
2. Verify that the power light (if available on your charger) is acvated when
the charger is plugged into an acve outlet.
3. Verify that the light indicang "charged" is acvated at the end of your
charging cycle.
4. Verify that the charger is funconing by aempng to charge the baery a
second me. Unplug your baery pack from the charger and wait at least
7 seconds before reconnecng so that the charger can reset itself.
5. The baery must be charged completely and then placed under a load
with a volt meter, typically as part of a burn test. If the baery voltage
drops rapidly below approximately 12 volts, the baery is not charged.
The voltage should drop slowly to approximately 12 volts and then conn-
ue to drop slowly. Please refer to the manual secon on burn tesng your
baery prior to enacng these suggesons. If you are aempng to verify
the voltage drop, submerge the light head in water before acvang.
6. Gauge the actual burn me with a baery test. Please consult the earlier
secon in the manual for instrucons on conducng a burn me test. If
the baery is charging properly but the test indicates a lower than ex-
20
pected discharge me, it is likely the symptom of an aging or inadequately
maintained baery. Please review the secon on baery longevity for ps
on maximizing baery life.
What to do if your Halcyon primary light is leaking
This guide will provide instrucons for idenfying and repairing some
possible leaks in your Halcyon light. If your light connues to leak aer
troubleshoong, contact Halcyon for instrucons on returning your light for
repair. If any doubt exists about potenal damage, please contact Halcyon for
consultaon about possible repairs.
If the light has leaked into the lamp cover (test tube), the moisture will
typically corrode the socket and connue to produce condensaon. Any
light or light head that has leaked should be opened up and allowed to dry
completely. Please consult the manual secon on replacing a bulb for more
informaon on removing the lamp cover. Be careful not to twist the lamp
cover while removing it and do not touch the bulb with bare hands.
Possible sites of water intrusion:
1. Typically, water leaks into the light as the result of dirty or damaged O-
rings. Check the O-rings in the area of the leak, either the canister or the
lamp cover. Replace the O-ring if it appears damaged. If it is dirty, clean
the O-ring and the O-ring groove with a clean cloth.
2. Canister O-rings should be cleaned prior to every dive by removing the
O-ring and cleaning the seang surface and O-ring thoroughly. Do not use
lubricaon on the O-ring; the lubricant will aract sand and dirt, increas-
ing the risk of leaking.
3. Bulb slug O-rings are highly unlikely to leak unless either the lamp cover
(test tube) or O-rings have been changed from the original factory in-
stalled set. Slight variaons in the size of an O-ring can prevent the lamp
To test the NiMH battery pack, your volt meter must have long enough probes to reach
the middle of the connector assembly.
Keep a close eye on the volt meter as the discharging battery approaches 10 volts.
You can damage your battery pack if the voltage drops below 9 volts, and the rate of
discharge will increase rapidly below 10 volts.
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