Interview
Made in America Today, Light and Motion is well known for its principled company ethic, deciding to manufacture goods in America while offering a sustainable and rewarding workplace. In a day when cheap products can be imported from China, some people would call his formula economic suicide. But Bob Margevicius, Executive Vice- President of Specialized Bicycle Components and Emerson’s friend, thinks Daniel is fulfilling a unique niche. “Daniel exudes leadership, attitude, passion, determination, courage and integrity,” says Margevicius. “Today’s global business environment invites and rewards the quality, innovation and operational flexibility that American manufacturing provides. Being an American tech company, Light & Motion is on forefront of innovative materials, designs, construction and automation.” Over the past two decades
lighting has changed significantly and lighting innovations have fueled exceptional exploration opportunities in the caves I call my underwater home. I used to carry 15 pounds of sealed lead acid batteries that provided a short runtime with, frankly, dismal output. We cave divers never really
expected our primary dive lights to last the duration of a dive and often relied on dim backup lights to get us home. Cave diving safety stressed the importance of each diver carrying a minimum of three lights, since double and even triple failures were not unheard of. Today, you could not imagine a team exiting without a working light. Divers still rehearse ‘lights out’ drills, but they are more focused on navigating through silt out conditions, not lighting failures.
A Knowledgeable Guide I first met Daniel Emerson at a DEMA Trade Show when I was researching an article about comparing the many lights available in the diving marketplace. I had spent four days visiting various manufacturers and had discovered a minefield of claims and specifications that did not make sense to me. I had intended to review several video lights, but soon discovered that it was painfully difficult to navigate the shopping experience. Specifications were hard to interpret and even more challenging to compare from brand to brand. Even worse, claimed
38 Magazine
specifications rarely matched actual performance on the show floor or in the field. I needed someone to help me understand how lights were made and tested in the industry. I learned from Emerson that
we demand more testing from our kitchen toasters than from underwater life-support lighting products. Not only is it difficult to compare specifications, but it is also difficult to determine whether you are buying a safely-manufactured product that will survive the rigors of the sport. Ask recent hoverboard purchasers how a small battery fire can burn down a house and you’ll understand the gravity of making the right shopping decision. As a recent victim of two separate
battery fires caused by diving lights and their chargers, I was all ears. Daniel Emerson states, “It’s crazy
how we allow brands to make false claims with no repercussions. At
Top: Emmerson, a keen cyclist
and a core part of L&M product
line. Above: L&M headquarters in California
Light & Motion we decided to fight the lumen wars with facts and test data and make all the results public. We launched a website dedicated to testing lights called WeTestLights. com. We invite consumers to visit the site and compare lights tested to the ANSI NEMA FL-1 standard, which is a National Standard for testing lights including lumen output, water ingress (IP ratings), drop testing, and run times. It makes for interesting reading. Don’t be surprised to find highly-regarded brands dramatically overstating their light’s output. The old adage you get what you pay for still rings true, no matter how much we wish it were not so.” He adds, “When designing
with Lithium batteries we follow all the design guidelines laid out by the battery manufacturers, such as safety circuits on the packs and control firmware that actively monitors battery health
Photos: Courtesy Light & Motion, Russell Clark
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