Strobe covers

[smk82 9]

Does anyone have any opinions on neoprene stour covers for inon z240s? Obviously anything which adds positive buoyancy is a good thing(strove spec is 77g negative underwater, neoprene cover adds ~96g positive, so net 20g positive approx per strobe.)

 

I have noticed however that the official inon ones have side slits for more effective cooling/radiation etc, whereas others like the nauticam version (for example) don’t as far as I can see. Whilst you are underwater the strobes are kept cooler, but wondering if anyone has an opinion either way?

 

http://www.inon.jp/_src/22363/strobe_cover_dz.jpg

 

 

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[TimG 62]

I must admit, cool though they look, I've never quite seen the point of the covers - and I've had Inons for the last 20 years. Nice that they add a little positive buoyancy I guess, but what are they actually for? Maybe stop slight bumps and scrapes?

[Barmaglot 89]

Buoyancy added by neoprene will be gone at depth, when it compresses, so I wouldn't rely on it for that purpose.

[Interceptor121 478]

The covers are 5mm so it takes quite a bit of depth to compress. I have them on all my strobes as added protection mostly from boat handling not really underwater where the front bumps the most

It will avoid scratches so when you sell 2nd it will look better

[smk82 9]

Thanks for the opinions. Whilst I agree that compression will occur to a degree so any positive buoyancy gains will be limited, every little helps. I was thinking more of opinions regarding the side slits? Affectation or actually beneficial? Also price wise as the inon ones are about £15 more expensive than the nauticam..

 

(And yes I know I could just cut up a wetsuit and use that but I don’t have anything spare to hand....)

 

 

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[Interceptor121 478]

Thanks for the opinions. Whilst I agree that compression will occur to a degree so any positive buoyancy gains will be limited, every little helps. I was thinking more of opinions regarding the side slits? Affectation or actually beneficial? Also price wise as the inon ones are about £15 more expensive than the nauticam..

 

(And yes I know I could just cut up a wetsuit and use that but I don’t have anything spare to hand....)

 

 

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Are you assuming the holes are to dissipate heat or have you seen it written somewhere?

 

 

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[smk82 9]

I saw it mentioned on the inon website and a couple of other retailers.. twin it’s designed for effective radiation (I presuming it means heat here as the electronics cycle). I mostly dive temperate water (6-22C), so would feel that’s not a huge issue for me...

 

 

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[Interceptor121 478]

I saw it mentioned on the inon website and a couple of other retailers.. twin it’s designed for effective radiation (I presuming it means heat here as the electronics cycle). I mostly dive temperate water (6-22C), so would feel that’s not a huge issue for me...

 

 

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Go on the Japanese page says nothing on radiation

 

 

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[Kraken de Mabini 70]

I doubt a neoprene strobe cover once wet interferes with cooling.

My Sea&Sea strobe jackets are made of wet suit scraps cut in square shape and laced with show laces, they have protected the strobes for several years. The local wet suit shop kindly gave me the scraps.

Added buoyancy: none.

For my Inon Z240's I made flotation jackets out of Divinycell (polyvinyl chloride) foam wedges held together with duct tape, they worked well until the Z240's flaked out.

Added buoyancy: satisfactory.

Let us know your progress.

Edited July 17, 2019 by Kraken de Mabini

[tursiops 79]

Think of it as a wetsuit. The cooling is by convection, not conduction or radiation. The cover prevents flow of water over the surface so convection is inhibited. It doesn't matter if the neoprene is wet or not.....either way it prevents water from flowing over the strobe, so inhibits convection.

 

The thicker the cover, the more that conduction is inhibited....same as a wetsuit. So heat removal from the strobe by both convection and cobnduction is inhibited by a thick cover.

 

I took my Sea&Sea covers off.....the last think I need is for them to get too hot from repeated firing.

The only good reason for them is to prevent scratches. I'd rather have the strobe cooled....

Edited July 17, 2019 by tursiops

[Interceptor121 478]

I use strobe covers on my sea and sea and used them on the Z240 I never had any heating issue considering how the strobe is built the heat escapes from the bulb and the battery compartment on the back surely less from the thick plastic walls of the sides where the covers go

[tursiops 79]

I use strobe covers on my sea and sea and used them on the Z240 I never had any heating issue considering how the strobe is built the heat escapes from the bulb and the battery compartment on the back surely less from the thick plastic walls of the sides where the covers go

I think on an Inon I'd use them too. But not on a Sea&Sea...too many stories of overheating. But my post was primarily about heat transfer modes and the trivial amount provided by radiation versus conduction and especially convection.

Edited July 18, 2019 by tursiops

[Interceptor121 478]

I think on an Inon I'd use them too. But not on a Sea&Sea...too many stories of overheating. But my post was primarily about heat transfer modes and the trivial amount provided by radiation versus conduction and especially convection.

Watch out for report in case my YS-D2 fry up!!

 

 

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[AndyBarker 6]

Ive always made mine form old dive suits sleeves  make great covers 

Andy

[leepix 1]

I have used neoprene covers on my Inon for years.  They go on before the strobes get put into a carry crate I use.  I pop them off into the wash tank before diving.

I have found that Ikelite has many round covers, not necessarily for your specific strobe which will work quite fine.

Also, after washing and drying, leave them on the strobes at home

[ChrisRoss 150]

I've got the INON ones, I recall seeing that the slits are to help with cooling, which must be by convection/conduction from the water, covering the plastic has to reduce cooling.  On the new Z330, the metal heat sink actually extends all the way to the water to improve cooling and you would not want to cover that.  Plastic is a reasonable insulator in itself but not as good as neoprene which has air bubbles in it which provide the insulation.  I recall seeing reports from a cave diver on one of these forums that they burnt out their INONs "regularly" but they were doing repeated full power dumps in 30°C water in the caves.  So any insulation would make that worse.  For me diving mostly in temperate waters I don't believe it is an issue at all, diving in the tropics in 30°C could be an issue if you using full power and firing as fast as they will recycle.