Halcyon Explorer User manual

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Primary Light systems
Halcyon
DIR Dive Systems
Explorer/Apollo/Proteus
Lighting systems manual

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Halcyon HID & Halogen Primary Light Owner's Manual
Trademark Notice
Halcyon, Extreme Exposure, BC Keel, Multifunction Compensator, ACB, DLR,
Explorer Pro, and Scout Light are registered trademarks of Halcyon Manufac-
turing, Inc.
Warnings, Cautions and Notes
Pay special attention to information provided in warnings, cautions, and
notes accompanied by these icons:
A WARNING indicates a procedure or situation that, if not
avoided, could result in serious injury or death to the user.
A CAUTION indicates any situation or technique that could
cause damage to the product, and could subsequently result in
injury to the user.
WARNING: This manual provides essential instructions for the
proper operation, inspection, and care of your new Halcyon lighting
product. Because Halcyon's lighting systems utilize patented tech-
nology, it is very important to take the time to read these instruc-
tions in order to understand and fully enjoy the features that are
unique to your specific model.
Copyright Notice
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 writing from Halcyon Manufacturing, Inc.
©2006 Halcyon Manufacturing, Inc.
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Halcyon Explorer, Proteus & Apollo Lighting Systems
Halcyon Lighting Overview 4
HID Lighting Systems 6
18w HID and Halogen Light Head Operation 9
10w HID Light Head Operation 11
Canister & Lid 12
Halcyon Power Systems 13
Battery Charging 14
Battery Storage 16
Burn Testing 17
Transporting 19
Troubleshooting Your Halcyon Light 19
Halcyon NiMH Battery FAQ 23
Appendex 1: System Burn Times 26
Appendex 2: Halcyon Warranty Information 26

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Congratulations 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, Proteus and Apollo
lights were created out of a very real need for a lighting instrument
capable of withstanding the rigorous demands of exploration diving.
Formed by some of the world's leading explorers, Halcyon is dedicated
to establishing a link between active underwater explorers and the
manufacture of precision diving equipment. Who better than leading
explorers to design and test your life support equipment? We've spent
more than a decade of careful refinement and real world testing 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
exploration dive.
Every Halcyon primary light is individually inspected and pressure
tested to 300 feet/91 meters. Design prototypes are tested to
500 feet/152 meters.
Halcyon's three primary light lines meet the needs
of every level diver and every imaginable dive
environment. The Explorer line utilizes advanced NiMH
battery technology and tougher-than-steel Delrin to
produce an exploration grade system that
is the benchmark for underwater
lighting instruments. The Proteus line
incorporates traditional sealed lead-
acid batteries and high-impact polymer
canisters to create an affordable
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
illumination in combination with our indestructible

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Delrin canisters to complete your video, film or photographic package.
Explorer, Proteus 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 piece of black Delrin, the tough Goodman-style head allows for
hands-free operation while sitting cleanly on top of the diver's hand. The
fully adjustable handle is hard-coated aluminum and can be ordered with
an optional reserve knife attached.
Lighting Systems Features
Explorer
•True sealed Delrin lid design; completely isolates battery compart-
ment from cord and light head
•Battery and lid connect with corrosion-resistant, solid-core gold-plat-
ed plugs; plugs are O-ring sealed to ensure leakproof lid
•New secure battery tray with stainless steel rods for additional pro-
tection
•Unique captured silicon switch boot integrated into new ergonomic
Delrin switch protector
•"Halcyon Blue" lid O-ring and switch boot
•Solid Delrin canisters are longer to ease the stowing of the long pri-
mary hose; water-trap in bottom of canister and raised battery tray
provide additional protection for the battery
•NiMH battery technology
•New dual-voltage 4amp charger with built-in cooling fan
•Many new features of the Explorer series are patent-pending
Proteus
•Traditional sealed lead acid batteries
•One-piece canister maintains maximum reliability
•110 or 220 volt charger
Apollo
•All of the features of our Explorer Systems
•HMI and HID light heads specifically crafted for
video, film and photographic applications
All Halcyon Lights come standard with the
following:
•Locking latches
•Stainless Steel fittings

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•Lifetime warranty on canister
•Depth rated to 500 feet/152 meters
•Hands-free Goodman handle (except specific Apollo Video Systems)
HID Lighting Systems
High Intensity Discharge lamps produce a brilliant white light while
drawing a fraction of the power of a halogen lamp. HID has quickly
become the standard for exploration-grade lighting systems. Halcyon's
Explorer, Proteus, and Apollo lights require very little attention beyond
the care given to a halogen light. Although it produces 5% of its output
when first 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 off (such
as with an underwater pluggable cord), the arc tube must cool to a given
temperature before the arc can be restruck and light produced. Halcyon
HID lights only require a brief (15-30 second) cooling period.
The ballast in an HID lighting system provides the proper starting
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 different types of HID lamps. A ballast design
incorporates electronic circuitry to provide specific lamp/ballast
operating characteristics.
Halcyon uses original Welch-Allyn SolarcTM lamps in all of our HID
products. Solarc lamps are consistent in quality and color temperature;
they produce a much higher quality of beam than any other HID that
we've tested. There are no other HID lamps which combine these features
and serve the dive light market. With adequate care as outlined in this
manual, your HID lamp should last approximately 1000 hours.

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Special Considerations for HID Lighting Systems
The light emitted from the HID arc tube is intense and appropriate
safety precautions relating to exposure protection are required. Metal
halide bulbs operate at very high temperatures and pressures. The glass
lamps should be handled with care giving special attention 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 certified
Halcyon repair technicians are authorized to work on Halcyon products;
non-certified work voids your Halcyon warranty.
CAUTION: Ultraviolet, visible and infrared radiation is emitted from
metal halide lamps. Possible skin or eye irritation can result from
exposures exceeding 15 minutes. Do not stare at exposed lamp in
operation. During operation, the bulb should be enclosed in a housing
to prevent injury. Do not remove bulb from equipment until it has
cooled. Never handle the bulb when it is operating. Keep your face
away from the light head during ignition and operation.
Protect the quartz arc tube when handling the
lamp. Keep the arc lamp clean. Do not touch the
quartz tube, the inside surface of the reflector and
the connecting wires. Contamination can degrade
lamp performance or cause premature failures. If
necessary, clean the lamp by wiping with a lint-
free towel or swab immersed in denatured alcohol.
Any interaction 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
characteristics that indicate a bulb is approaching
the end of its lifespan. Initial symptoms of end-of-
life are characterized by low light output and/or intermittent starting.
Visual signs include blackening at the ends of the arc tube and electrode
tip deterioration. 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 sensitive to external operating temperature.
Although Halcyon's HID light doesn't generate the amount of heat 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 transporting your HID light, please don't leave
the light in direct sunlight or in a car's interior on a hot day.
18 watt HID Bulb
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18 watt HID Light Head
Halcyon's workhorse light, the 18 watt HID, allows full adjustability
and easy bulb changes in a conventional test tube style design. Light
output is similar to a 75 watt halogen light at a fraction of the power
consumption. Halcyon 18W HID lights include our exclusive ultra-bright
reflector. We’ve designed the parabola of the reflector specifically for
diving applications, where a sharp spot is beneficial for signaling. The
surface is spun and polished to our specifications and will not chip
or flake like can happen with metal film vacuum-coated reflectors.
Combined with the extended protective cowling on our light head, the
Helios 18W lights throw out an intensely focused beam of bright, white
light that you can rely on in the most challenging of situations.
10 watt HID Light Heads
Where innovation meets practicality: Halcyon's fully-closed focusable
light head (patent pending) can be adjusted from a laser-like beam
to a diffuse soft light with the mere twist of a dial. The light head is
fully focusable by turning the
integrated knob on the back of the
light head. This unique and simple
design allows for quick focusing
and eliminates the need for an
external lock-down screw. The
entire range of focus requires less
than 1.5 revolutions.
Halcyon’s fixed-beam 10w option
provides the power of a 10w light
in a very rugged and compact
package. The fixed-beam light is
designed around an MR-11 HID
bulb that burns bright and white
with a six-degree spot.
Halogen Light Head
Conventional halogen systems utilize a filament similar to that found in
conventional light bulbs. Halogen lights have a color temperature that
is considerably lower than HID (shifting the visually perceived color
toward yellow-orange); halogen lights also have less penetration in the
water column and a much shorter burn time than a HID lamp with the
same battery pack. To their benefit, halogen bulbs are less expensive and
easily replaced with bulbs available at traditional lighting supply stores.

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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 mounting on housing
arms with standard hardware. The HMI lamp is truly an underwater
motion picture studio lighting instrument, with the output of a 1,000
watt halogen burning at a solid 5,600K.
18 watt HID & Halogen 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-tight 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 potential of breaking the bulb
covering, be careful not to tighten the screw down on the glass tube. The
focus should be set so that the beam forms a tight circle several feet in
front of you, allowing for brightest illumination and more convenient
signaling to one's dive buddy.
Never leave your light on while at the surface! Without the dissipating
effect of the water, the heat generated by
the bulb can accumulate in the light head,
damaging the assembly's components. With
a halogen light, the heat accumulation may
result in a catastrophic failure; although HID
lights do burn cooler than halogen, they can
eventually generate enough heat to damage
the light head given a long enough burn out
of the water.
Should the bulb assembly become difficult
to focus, make certain that the nylon
adjustment screw is loose and not binding
the assembly's movement. Dirt may become
trapped along the focusing barrel, creating
friction 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, flooding the light. The groove on your
light head's bulb assembly will prevent the unit from being accidentally

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pulled out from the light head by an entangled cord.
Should the bulb in your Halcyon 18 watt HID or halogen light become
damaged, it can be easily replaced by following these simple steps:
1. Remove the Goodman handle and reflector assembly from the light
head.
2. Carefully remove the lamp cover (test tube) from the slug assembly.
Pull the cover straight off; a twisting action is more likely to break
the glass tube. It is advisable to use a protective barrier such as a rag
to protect your hand from a possible break in the glass lamp cover. Be
especially careful with the 18 watt HID lamp; the bulb is quite long and
care needs to be used to prevent breaking the tip of the bulb.
3. Visually inspect the bulb and filament (halogen) or capsule (HID) for
damage. If jarred, bulbs occasionally come loose in the socket. If the
halogen filament appears intact, use a clean, oil-free rag to adjust the
position of the bulb; touching the bulb leaves natural skin oils on
the bulb and can cause uneven heating and premature failure of the
bulb. Apply a thin layer of silicone grease, like Dow Corning 111 Valve
Lubricant, to the outside edge of the base (over the serial number on
the HID bulb). Press the bulb gently into the socket, making sure that
both posts are securely seated. Check to see if the light is now working
by turning the switch on while the battery is plugged in. Do not allow
halogen lights to burn above water for more than one minute. If the
light now works, clean the assembly as discussed in step 5 and then
continue to step 6.
4. If you discover that the filament of a halogen bulb is damaged, or find
any broken parts or sections of the HID bulbs, remove the bulb from
the bulb socket. Open the package containing the new bulb. Do not
touch the new bulb with your fingers. Apply a thin layer of silicone
grease, like Dow Corning 111 Valve Lubricant, to the outside edge of
the base (over the serial number on the HID bulb). Press the bulb gen-
tly into the socket, making sure that both posts are securely seated. If
there is any doubt that the bulb may have been contaminated by your
touch, you should clean the bulb before its first use. Take a clean cloth
dipped in a small amount of rubbing/isopropyl alcohol and gently
brush off the bulb surface.
5. Wipe the bulb assembly O-rings clean with a cloth. Wipe out any mois-
ture that might have accumulated in the lamp cover.
6. After 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 lamp cover is seated all the way to the bottom O-ring on the
slug assembly.
7. Place the bulb slug assembly back into the light head, focusing the
light to a tight beam and locking down the screw. Do not allow halogen
lights to burn above water for more than one minute.

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10 watt HID Light Head Operation
Halcyon's 10 watt HID light head encases the bulb, lens, ballast and
reflector in a very tough, focusable Delrin body. The daylight-quality HID
bulb is attached directly to the ballast to increase positive ignition and
bulb longevity.
The 10 watt HID Light head is adjustable from a flood to a tight spot, or
any spread in between. Beam focus is adjusted by the knurled, integrated
knob at the back of the light head, eliminating the need for a lock-down
screw. The entire range of focus requires less than 1.5 revolutions. Do not
attempt to force the action past the designed limits, in either direction,
as damage can occur.
Should the bulb in your Halcyon 10 watt HID Light become damaged, it
can be easily replaced by following these simple steps:
1. Begin disassembly by removing the steel retaining ring from the
inside edge of the front bezel (Figure 1). Use a small screwdriver to pry
the retaining ring out of its slot.
2. Remove the lens. The reflector and bushings should spring up so it can
be removed. Remove the spring to access the bulb. The disassembled
light head includes the retaining ring, the lens, the bushing, the re-
flector, and the spring (Figures 2, 3).
3. Install the new bulb and reverse the procedure to reassemble the light
head. Note the notch in the socket and the corresponding ridge on the
bulb (Figures 4, 5) Make sure to clean all appropriate parts before re-in-
stalling. Be careful during reinstallation to ensure that the reflector
and bushing are tightly seated– the lens should sit flat against the
O-ring.
4. Carefully ease the retaining ring back into its guide groove, all the
Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4
Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 7

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while keeping pressure on the lens to make sure it seats against the
O-ring. Use the screwdriver to make sure the ring is properly seated
(Figures 6, 7).
4. Test for leakage in a vessel of water before diving.
Explorer, Proteus and Apollo Canister and Lid
Take the time 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 lubrication. 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 attached to the canister to
prevent accidentally nicking either surface. However, you should store
your light for extended periods of time with the lid off or the battery
removed from the canister. Over time, and especially after discharge, the
rechargeable batteries will off-gas potentially combustible gasses. While
off-gassing has not proven itself to be a common problem, you should be
aware of the potential risk by not allowing the canister to sit over time
with discharged batteries sealed inside.
Light Canister
The light canister must keep the battery 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.
The canister is configured for attaching to the diver's waist belt. The
unique three-fold webbing attachment on your Halcyon Light is held in
place by two stainless steel bands. The three-piece fold holds the light
with more stability than conventional 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 and High-Impact Canisters
Halcyon mills Explorer and Apollo canister 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 characteristics of
industrial metals such as aluminum and stainless steel. Some comparable

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properties include stiffness, dimensional stability, impact resistance,
and structural strength. Material operational temperatures range
from 180° F (82° C) to -100° F (-73° C). The one-piece Delrin canister is
virtually indestructible 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 500
feet/152 meters. Proteus Lights are milled from a solid rod of high-
impact polymer plastic. Similar in toughness to the Explorer and Apollo
canisters, the Proteus canister also carries a Halcyon lifetime guarantee
against failure. All Explorer, Apollo and Proteus lights feature high
quality stainless steel fittings and locking latches.
Explorer and Apollo lights use a lid-integrated set of plugs to connect
to the battery pack. Simply line up the plugs with the gold-edged
receptacles on the top of the battery pack and push down until the
lid rests on top of the battery pack's delrin cap. The lid can be rotated
180-degrees and plugged into the "dummy holes" on the battery cap so
the light can be transported without a "hot" connection. To charge the
Explorer or Apollo battery, firmly secure the charger's plug into the gold-
edged receptacles on the top of the battery pack. Always charge your
battery with the pack removed from the canister– the charger plug will
not fit on the battery pack when it is still in the canister.
The Proteus battery connects with a simple push connector; line up the
color-coded connector and use firm pressure to plug and unplug the
battery pack from the light lid or the Proteus charger.
Halcyon Power Systems
Halcyon carefully selects from among the finest batteries available, to
provide enhanced performance and reliability for our lighting systems.
Our Explorer and Apollo NiMH battery packs provide extended burn
times with the advantage of dramatically reduced size, while our Proteus
Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) packs represent a decade's worth of research and
Engage the lid plugs with the battery cap's gold recptacles 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 recptacles until
the charger assembly rests on the lid (right).

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experience with SLA systems. High quality batteries typically result in
the maintenance of longer burn times over the life of the battery. Burn
times for Halcyon's lights are listed in Appendix A.
Battery Care and Maintenance
Rechargeable batteries can release small amounts of combustible gas
that can become dangerous in a sealed environment. The release of gas
is more prominent while the batteries are being over-charged or deeply
discharged. Lights that have been discharged and then left sitting in a
sealed canister over time should be opened prior to actuating the switch.
While the risk of gas ignition is limited, the risk should treated with
respect.
Warning: To reduce the risk of gas accumulation, open the canister
and allow the gas to vent before use. Venting the canister is especial-
ly important if you have left the light closed over time or for trans-
port after a deep discharge. Always charge your battery with the pack
removed from the canister.
Charging the Battery
All of Halcyon's lights utilize the highest quality NiMH and SLA
batteries, providing years of consistent use. However, even the best
batteries are only as good as the manner in which they are maintained.
Batteries should always be charged as soon as possible after use and not
left to sit for long periods in a discharged state. While NiMH batteries
do not experience the reduced discharge effect known as "memory,"
they can be damaged if left at low voltage levels. The charger provided
with your light will charge the batteries up to capacity and then turn off
automatically provide a maintenance charge.
Batteries tend to slowly discharge if left over time, especially if exposed
to extremes of heat or cold. For example, SLA batteries can discharge up
to 1% per day, or drop over 30% during a month of storage. Your Halcyon
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charger is designed to top the battery pack back to a full charge when
left connected to the battery during storage. Halcyon recommends that
you always store your battery pack connected to your battery charger
if you plan to use your light within a few week's time. If the battery is
going to be left unused for several weeks or months, you should charge
it up, disconnect the battery and charger, and top off the battery prior to
the next use. If the battery is to be stored without use for a long period,
top it off with a recovery charge every six months.
The Proteus 3 battery pack requires approximately 6 hours to reach full
charge; the Proteus 6 requires 12 hours to reach full charge.
Charging your Explorer or Apollo battery pack (NiMH Batteries)
Proper charging of your Explorer battery pack is essential to ensure
a long NiMH battery life. If the charger is not properly designed and
matched to the battery's voltage, chemistry and configuration, the
result can be poor performance of the battery due to insufficient charge,
shortened battery life due to overheating of the
battery, and the chance of fire or explosion of the
battery from over-charging. Charger selection is
so important to the life of your Explorer battery
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 battery packs and should not be used with
any other make or type of battery. The Explorer
charger cannot be used with Halcyon's lead acid
battery packs.
The charge proceeds in four stages:
•Soft Start Charge. Current gradually increases over the first two
minutes, helping to extend battery life through proper conditioning
of the battery cells.
•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 for two hours at a fraction of the
bulk charge rate.
•Maintenance Charge. After a battery is fully charged, current is sup-
plied at a small percentage of the bulk charge for a maximum of ten
hours or until the battery is disconnected from the charger.
If the charger is plugged in to a power source but no battery is connected,

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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 Soft Charge state. The yellow light will
remain on through the completion of the Bulk Charge. Once the battery
pack is completely charged, the green light will indicate that the system
has entered its Topping Charge state. After two hours of topping off the
battery pack, the charger will enter the Maintenance Charge phase.
For a fully discharged battery, the complete charging process should
take approximately 1 hour for a Explorer 4.5 pack, 2 hours for either
Explorer/Apollo 9 pack, and 3 hours for a Explorer/Apollo 13 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 sitch set correctly for your
contitions. Failure to set the charger for the proper voltage can dam-
age the charger's electronics.
Recommended Storage Conditions
Store your Halcyon NiMH or SLA battery pack disconnected from the
light to eliminate loaded storage effects, which in NiMH batteries can
lead to increased self-discharge.
Any Nickel-Metal Hydride cell will off-gas hydrogen when subjected to
excessive overcharge or overdischarge. Do not store your Explorer light
for extended periods of time with the battery pack in place and the lid
closed. Always open the lid of your light to vent any ambient gasses after
storage and before you operate your light.
Battery Longevity
Your battery should provide you with years of trouble free performance.
The anticipated life of a battery is measured in the number of charge and
discharge cycles it can tolerate. The life of a battery will depend on many
factors, including the storage temperature, the discharge of the battery,
and the charging efficiency.
Please see the recommendations below to establish other ways of
increasing battery life.
1. Use only Halcyon replacement NiMH and SLA battery packs with your
Halcyon light. It is very important with NiMH systems that the char-
ger be matched with the battery.
2. Do not allow the batteries to discharge deeply (below about 9 volts).
3. Do not allow the batteries to sit in a discharged state.
4. Do not expose the batteries to extreme temperatures below -15° C (5° F)
or above 50° C (122° F).
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To be sure that your battery is adequately charged reference the
following considerations:
1. Plug in the charger and verify that it is receiving power. Verify that
the green power light is on when you connect the charger to the bat-
tery pack on SLA packs and the Yellow light is on for NiMH battery
packs.
2. Allow the batteries to charge until the red "charging" indicator light
extinguishes on SLA packs and the green "Charge Complete" light
activates on NiMH battery chargers. You may verify the charge by
using a voltmeter to gauge the battery voltage. However, this reading
is only reliable if the battery is under a load, such as when the light
is activated. To ensure that your charger is operating properly, place
the light head in a pot of water and connect the batteries to the lid,
leaving the battery 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 batteries, use a voltmeter to gauge the voltage drop. If the pack
is not properly charged, the voltage should drop rapidly (within one
minute). A properly charged pack will slowly drop voltage from a high
of around 13 to roughly 12 volts, and should hold 12 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 battery connected to the charger
for extended periods of time. If the battery is going to be left unused
for several weeks, charge the battery, disconnect the battery and char-
ger for the length of storage, and then top off the battery with a new
charge prior to the next use. If the battery is to be stored without use
for a long period it should be topped off with a recovery charge every
six months.
Burn Testing
You should burn test your battery pack at least yearly in order to
establish the actual burn time of your light. Frequent divers, or those
who often rely on longer burn times, may choose to test their light
more frequently. In order to conduct an effective test you will need the
following equipment:
•Battery 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 time and voltage
The following steps will allow you to accurately determine your battery's
burn time:

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1. Make certain that the battery has been fully charged. For the best
charge, burn the battery 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 wa-
ter to prevent overheating. A one gallon basin or bucket is sufficient.
3. With the battery out of the canister, connect the light head to the bat-
tery.
4. Actuate the switch and measure the voltage. For NiMH battery packs,
back the lid away from the battery 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 battery termi-
nals.
5. Record the time and voltage every ten minutes until the pack reaches
10 volts. It is recommended that the timer have an alarm to alert you
when an interval has ended. The alarm will prevent you from forget-
ting about the battery and discharging it completely. A complete
discharge is practically certain to damage the battery'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
rapidly. Record the time when the battery reaches 10 volts. This time
is the amount of time that your light battery can provide a useful light
beam.
7. Record the burn time and date on the battery. Don't forget to update
this information with each subsequent test of your battery.
8. Charge the battery immediately. Never discharge your battery below
about 9 volts as it can damage the cells to experience deep discharge
for any prolonged period. Any time the battery is discharged it should
be charged as soon as possible. A quick recharge is especially impor-
tant when the battery is deeply discharged.
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.

19
Transporting Your Light
Your Halcyon light should be left unplugged during transport. You want
to eliminate the possibility of activating the light while the unit is out of
the water. Be sure to reconnect the battery prior to getting into the water
and to disconnect the battery prior to travel.
Troubleshooting Your Halcyon HID or Halogen 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 connection where glass meets the base.
•Make a visual inspection 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
•Attempt ignition a second time after properly resetting the ballast
by disconnecting, waiting 15 seconds, and then reconnecting the con-
nectors attached to the lid.
•Are you using Halcyon replacement lamps? Your ballast will not work
with incorrect wattage lamps.
•Avoid possible overheating due to ambient temperature.
•Inspect for miswiring/pinched wires.
•Inspect ballast housing and wiring for mechanical damage.
What to do if your light does not work
1. Verify that the battery is properly connected, that all wire connections
are secure, and that the battery is not completely drained. Use a volt
meter to verify that the battery has at least some voltage. The battery
should read at least 12.5 volts. If you believe that your power pack has
failed, test the questionable light head with a different battery.
2. Verify that the bulb is not damaged. For a halogen lamp, the filament
may look burned or may be broken free entirely. Bulb filaments are
especially likely to break if the light head is handled roughly during
transport. If the bulb needs to be changed, please refer to the manual
section on changing the bulb. Remember to be careful removing the

20
lamp cover and to avoid touching the bulb with your bare hands.
3. Verify that the bulb is seated properly in the socket. Occasionally the
bulb connection can be compromised if the light head is sufficiently
bumped or jarred during transport. To check the bulb seating, the
lamp cover must be removed. For a comprehensive discussion of this
process please see the manual section on changing a bulb. In general,
be sure that the bulb is not touched directly and that you are careful
removing the lamp cover.
4. Verify that the switch is functioning properly. This test must be done
by checking the continuity with a volt meter. Place the volt meter in
continuity mode and verify by touching the two leads together. Place
one lead at each solder point on the switch. If there is no continuity
regardless of switch position, then there is an interruption in the cur-
rent flow. The switch may have a damaged connection, the light bulb
may be broken, or the connectors may be damaged. Please refer to the
preceding steps to insure that the bulb is functioning properly. If the
switch is suspect, the light head should be returned to Halcyon and the
switch replaced.
What to do with a light that works sporadically
If your halogen light flickers or only works sporadically, it is very
likely to be the result of a poor connection. It is possible that this weak
connection is at the bulb and socket, or that wires leading to the battery
are frayed. Please consult the troubleshooting section entitled "What
to do if your light does not work" for more detail on correcting these
problems.
A sporadic light is more likely the result of a poor connection in the
cord. Test for a poor connection or a kink in the cord by working the cord
back and forth, starting by the light head and working back toward the
canister, to see if the sporadic problem can be initiated. A kink in the
cord is likely to eventually break the wire connections within the cord.
If your light is equipped with underwater pluggable connectors (E/O
connectors), it is possible that this connection has become compromised.
Over time, the female connection may widen out and not clamp securely
over the male connector. A rather inelegant but effective method to
rectify this problem is to gently tap the female connection with a
hammer, carefully tightening the female receptacle.
It is also possible that the switch has become damaged, perhaps with
corrosion, resulting in sporadic operation. If you detect corrosion in
the switch mechanism, the light should be returned to Halcyon and the
switch replaced.