cap n chris
Well-known member
Was it looked upon with envy or were the LED users of the opinion that they had made the better choice?
C@rb!de
- Thread starter Hatstand
- Start date
whitelackington
New member
I would say neither, just personal choice.
Actually neither as no big beam.
I use one of those origonal nova fives with Lithium battery but no beam,
which is great for mendip but crap for big Yorkshire or continental pitches, ie spit spotting :-\
Actually neither as no big beam.
I use one of those origonal nova fives with Lithium battery but no beam,
which is great for mendip but crap for big Yorkshire or continental pitches, ie spit spotting :-\
M
MSD
Guest
I use carbide only very occasionally these days. LEDs are so cheap and convenient. The killer blow for most trips is the weight/hour of light argument.
However, this summer I took my carbide on a couple of trips when I was P-bolting a cave up north of the artic circle. I needed a powerful light to plan the work and I knew there was going to be a lot of hanging about in an extremely cold cave. I can tell you, everybody on the trip was extremely glad of my carbide light. We were huddled around it waiting to go back up the pitch.....
So, it still has its uses, but I don't take it out very often. It is kind of fun as well. It's like driving a vintage car. You wouldn't want to commute to work in it every day through the winter, but on a nice day it can be a refreshing experience.
Mark
However, this summer I took my carbide on a couple of trips when I was P-bolting a cave up north of the artic circle. I needed a powerful light to plan the work and I knew there was going to be a lot of hanging about in an extremely cold cave. I can tell you, everybody on the trip was extremely glad of my carbide light. We were huddled around it waiting to go back up the pitch.....
So, it still has its uses, but I don't take it out very often. It is kind of fun as well. It's like driving a vintage car. You wouldn't want to commute to work in it every day through the winter, but on a nice day it can be a refreshing experience.
Mark
cap n chris
Well-known member
So, there you have it. If you are caving in the artic circle carbide is a good plan. I presume it's fair to say, conversely, that if you're caving in the UK use LEDs instead or am I poking a sticky-thing into the nest of furious antique lovers once more?....
Les W
Active member
Consider that stick well and truly poked again...
It can be f*cking cold in UK caves as well. I went to the end of White Scar one winter, the day after the snow melted.
I would have killed for a warm carbide generator that day. It was positively arctic
It was so cold, on the way out we passed a small gold coloured monkey who enquired of us if anybody knew how to braze
It can be f*cking cold in UK caves as well. I went to the end of White Scar one winter, the day after the snow melted.
I would have killed for a warm carbide generator that day. It was positively arctic It was so cold, on the way out we passed a small gold coloured monkey who enquired of us if anybody knew how to braze
M
MSD
Guest
I had full thermal underwear, a cut-off furry suit and a second complete furry suit on top. Plus a thermal hat. With more clothes on it would have been difficult to move.
That's why I took my carbide light and had the generator inside my suit while I was waiting. It was good planning. Just like putting on the central heating in the winter is good planning.
I took the carbide mainly for warmth. So you could say I was relying on my heat source for light, rather than the other way around.
Mark
That's why I took my carbide light and had the generator inside my suit while I was waiting. It was good planning. Just like putting on the central heating in the winter is good planning.
I took the carbide mainly for warmth. So you could say I was relying on my heat source for light, rather than the other way around.
Mark
Peter Burgess
New member
http://www.trycaving.co.uk/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=52
The new trycaving.co.uk website is suggesting CARBIDE as a possible lighting source, and not an obsolete lighting source.
Apparently, "Although a bit maintainance heavy when working smoothly the carbide light gives and excellent ambient all round light. Downsides are the added item on the belt, possible polution. With the new LED systems out there we use carbide less and less these days"
Apart from lack of appropriate punctuation, and spelling mistake, anyone want to comment on this?
Yes, I know, we've been over this many times.
The new trycaving.co.uk website is suggesting CARBIDE as a possible lighting source, and not an obsolete lighting source.
Apparently, "Although a bit maintainance heavy when working smoothly the carbide light gives and excellent ambient all round light. Downsides are the added item on the belt, possible polution. With the new LED systems out there we use carbide less and less these days"
Apart from lack of appropriate punctuation, and spelling mistake, anyone want to comment on this?
Yes, I know, we've been over this many times.
I assume it's a beta version of the website?
For beginners, downsides of carbide also include a possibly greater risk of
a) burning hands+gloves, especially on vertical work.
b) melting traverse lines.
c) having a light that might just go out for no obvious reason while they're in the middle of some manouvre *before* they have developed a caver's skills for memorising their immediate surroundings.
d) carbonising the cave roof, etc.
Basically, all down to someone understandbly having their mind on other things while learning how to cave. If they're gong to end up running an electric most/all of the time anyway, they may as well not bother with the carbide at all.
I'm not sure I'd lend a carbide setup (even a good one) to a beginner. I'm not sure I'd advise *anyone* to buy one - even if someone was likely to get good use out of one, there must be shedloads currently rusting away in, erm, sheds.
For beginners, downsides of carbide also include a possibly greater risk of
a) burning hands+gloves, especially on vertical work.
b) melting traverse lines.
c) having a light that might just go out for no obvious reason while they're in the middle of some manouvre *before* they have developed a caver's skills for memorising their immediate surroundings.
d) carbonising the cave roof, etc.
Basically, all down to someone understandbly having their mind on other things while learning how to cave. If they're gong to end up running an electric most/all of the time anyway, they may as well not bother with the carbide at all.
I'm not sure I'd lend a carbide setup (even a good one) to a beginner. I'm not sure I'd advise *anyone* to buy one - even if someone was likely to get good use out of one, there must be shedloads currently rusting away in, erm, sheds.
whitelackington
New member
Mine is made of titanium, i don't think that rusts.
I'll just pop out to the shed to see if I can find it rotting somewhere.
I'll just pop out to the shed to see if I can find it rotting somewhere.
Peter Burgess
New member
I've got THREE sheds, but only one brass premier carbide lamp.
cap n chris
Well-known member
Peter Burgess said:http://www.trycaving.co.uk/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=52
The new trycaving.co.uk website is suggesting CARBIDE as a possible lighting source, and not an obsolete lighting source.
Apparently, "Although a bit maintainance heavy when working smoothly the carbide light gives and excellent ambient all round light. Downsides are the added item on the belt, possible polution. With the new LED systems out there we use carbide less and less these days"
Apart from lack of appropriate punctuation, and spelling mistake, anyone want to comment on this?
Yes, I know, we've been over this many times.
The equipment bit has been borrowed from the Willerup brothers' website; they wrote it and I imagine it's not possible for the trycaving webmaster to edit the text. It would be nice for the info to be altered but there's loads of stuff on t'internet which ain't exactly gospel/accurate so there's not that much of a surprise.
H
hoehlenforscher
Guest
While browsing another site in reference to my post about a new LED lamp, I came across this article. Makes very interesting reading with reference to this discussion
http://www.melzer.ch/html/no_more_carbide.html
http://www.melzer.ch/html/no_more_carbide.html
The article is a bit out of date regarding LEDs - current efficiencies can be something like twice the 25lm/W figure quoted when running at ~1W .
The assumption that for a long expedition, you need an LED lamp running at a *minimum* brightness defined by some similarity to carbide seems an assumption too far.
There's often a lot of time when you aren't moving fast, or when for other reasons don't need maximum light. Whilst it might be *nice* having full-power light all the time, faced with the choice of carrying loads of extra batteries or using light more frugally, many people do go for the latter option.
The assumption that for a long expedition, you need an LED lamp running at a *minimum* brightness defined by some similarity to carbide seems an assumption too far.
There's often a lot of time when you aren't moving fast, or when for other reasons don't need maximum light. Whilst it might be *nice* having full-power light all the time, faced with the choice of carrying loads of extra batteries or using light more frugally, many people do go for the latter option.
beardedboy
Member
Well I use my carbide light at least 4 times a year,
3 times during fresher's week because if you are trying to get people's attention, fire is a winner!
The other time is on the fresher's trip, when i know i'm going to be sat around for ages... having a light that also provides at least 5 hours of heat can't be frowned at!
However, I do use carbide in biscuit tins... plastic bottles... bins etc... quite often!
3 times during fresher's week because if you are trying to get people's attention, fire is a winner!
The other time is on the fresher's trip, when i know i'm going to be sat around for ages... having a light that also provides at least 5 hours of heat can't be frowned at!
However, I do use carbide in biscuit tins... plastic bottles... bins etc... quite often!
beardedboy
Member
Roger W said:The main use of carbide then seemed to be dropping bits in the inkwells before leaving the classroom at the end of a lesson - the resulting stink made the room practically uninhabitable for the poor so-and-so's who were there for the next class...
You can't do that with a rechargeable Li-ion cell...
No, but Li-ion cells do make an impressive explosion when placed on a fire... Just like a carbide bomb... but a bit more 'dangerous'... :blink:
C
cucc Paul
Guest
Has anyone tried the new "some metal"/polymer batteries that are kicking about I've seen lots of pritty facts and figures but no batteries. Supposedly you can get 3500+mah off a single aa... and they recharge.