Halcyon Helios NiMH Lighting
Systems Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH) battery technology emerged nearly thirty
years ago from research on the storage of hydrogen for use as an alternative
energy source. NiMH development resulted in batteries providing enhanced
capacities while retaining the well-characterized electrical and physical
design features of the sealed Nickel Cadmium cell design. Halcyon is pleased
to be at the forefront of dive equipment innovation by introducing
Nickel-Metal Hydride technology in its Helios line of underwater lighting.
The discharge behavior of the Helios Nickel-Metal Hydride battery pack is well-suited for underwater lighting applications. Halcyon’s NiMH battery pack provides a stable voltage for extended periods of operations. When compared to other battery technologies, Halcyon’s Helios Nickel-Metal Hydride battery pack offers three distinct advantages:
- Higher capacity: Halcyon’s Helios battery pack has more than 50% more energy density than their lead acid counterparts. As a result, the Helios light canisters can be a fraction of the size of the Explorer Pro line with equal or greater burn times.
- Environmentally green: NiMH batteries contain no cadnium, mercury, lead, or lithium which are proven to be a disaster in landfills.
- No memory effect: Unlike lead acid and NICAD packs, NiMH batteries are not affected by battery memory effect and can be partially recharged and discharged at will without shortening the life of the battery.
The NiMH Advantage
Thanks to the compact size of the Helios NiMH battery pack, Helios lighting
systems are able to drive a variety of HID lamps for times that exceed the
much larger Explorer Pro systems. The following table provides burn times
for the Helios 4.5 and 9 primary lights as well as for the Helios video
lighting systems. Times are approximate and based on our measurements using
properly charged and conditioned battery packs.
| Helios Primary Light Systems | ||
| Model | Configuration | Burn Time |
| Helios 4.5 | 4.5ah 10watt HID | 250 min |
| Helios 9 | 9ah 18watt HID | 250 min |
| Apollo Video Light Systems | ||
| Model | Configuration | Burn Time |
| Apollo Video 4.5/24 4 | 4.5ah 24watt HID | 120 min |
| Apollo Video 9/24X2 | 9ah dual 24watt HID | 120 min |
| Apollo Video 9/50 | 9ah 50watt HID | 90 min |
| Apollo Video 13.5 | 13.5ah dual 50watt HID | 65 min |
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Helios 9 and Explorer Pro 14
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The extended burn times are remarkable considering the reduction in size of the lights: the displacement of the Helios 9 18 watt HID light is three times less than the Explorer Pro 6 with the same lamp, yet it burns for twice as long. The Helios 4.5 10 watt HID is three times smaller in displaced volume than a similarly configured Explorer Pro 4 for the same practical burn time! The Helios 4.5 now comes with Halcyon's redesigned 10watt HID light head. The powerful Helios 13.5 video system, with its scorching twin 50 watt HID video lights, is one third the size of the Apollo 14; photographers and videographers alike will appreciate the increased maneuverability of diving with the smaller canister. Like the rest of the Helios line, the Helios 13.5’s design is perfect for securing your 1st stage long hose during a dive.
Helios Delrin Canister
Thanks to the compact dimension of the NiMH battery pack, the Helios
canister is a fraction of the size of the Explorer Pro lighting system. Just
like its indestructible Scout back-up light, Halcyon mills the Helios
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 properties include stiffness, dimensional
stability, impact resistance, and structural strength. The one-piece Delrin
canister is virtually indestructible under normal usage. Although the
canister itself can withstand depths of over 3000 feet, the recommended
working depth of the Halcyon Helios line is 450 feet/137 meters.
To complement the Delrin canister, all Helios lights feature high quality stainless steel fittings and new locking latches. The small diameter of the Helios canister prevents the use of the self-connecting banana plugs found in the Explorer Pro line. Simply line up the color coded connector and use firm pressure to plug and unplug the battery pack from the light lid or the Helios charger.
Proper
charging of the Helios 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 the Helios battery pack that the use of any charger other than the
Halcyon NiMH charger will void Halcyon's warranty. The Halcyon Helios
charger has been specially designed to charge the Helios 4, 9, and 13.5
battery packs and should not be used with any other make or type of battery.
The Helios charger cannot be used with Halcyon’s Explorer Pro lead acid
battery packs. 
