davehicks

Forum username: davehicks
Posts: 645
Active years: 2003–2024
Primary forums: Photography Gear and Technique, Lights/Strobes/Lighting Technique, Classifieds
Specialization: DIY strobe modifications, 3D printing for underwater photography, Ikelite and Inon systems

Community Role

davehicks is one of the longest-tenured members of the Wetpixel community, with 21 years of active participation spanning from November 2003 to November 2024. Over 645 posts, he established himself as a hands-on tinkerer and problem-solver, particularly in the area of strobe maintenance, battery pack upgrades, and custom 3D-printed accessories for underwater photography equipment. His willingness to share detailed build instructions and freely distribute his designs on Thingiverse exemplified the collaborative spirit of the Wetpixel community.

davehicks progressed through several camera and strobe systems over two decades, starting with Nikon DSLRs and Ikelite strobes before transitioning to Inon and later Backscatter strobes. His DIY projects consistently addressed real-world pain points experienced by the wider community.

Notable Contributions

Ikelite DS-125 Battery Pack Upgrade (2008)

davehicks started what became the most-replied thread in his posting history (85 replies) when he documented upgrading his Ikelite DS-125 NiCad battery packs to NiMH cells. He sourced Tenergy 3800 mAh SubC cells and a universal smart charger for approximately $70 — far less than Ikelite’s own replacement service, which was eventually discontinued. After successfully testing the upgraded pack on a week-long Channel Islands liveaboard trip aboard the Nautilus Explorer, he reported dramatically improved performance: the NiMH pack never dropped below 3 bars after 150 shots plus modeling light use, compared to the NiCad pack dropping to one or two bars. The thread became a community reference for DS-125 battery maintenance, with member imasleeper contributing detailed measurements and construction tips (^[1]).

”Slaying the Bastard Button” — Inon Z-330 Fix (2023)

In one of the community’s most colorfully titled threads, davehicks designed and 3D-printed a custom part to solve two common annoyances with Inon Z-330 strobes: the spring-loaded pre-flash control button that would accidentally pop up (dubbed the “Bastard Button”), and the power switch that could be bumped from Manual to Full power during a dive. His solution was a PLA part with three functional elements: a 2mm base plate that mounts under the electrical socket cap, a spring arm providing resistance against accidental switch rotation, and a protective cylinder surrounding the pre-flash button. He purchased a Creality 3 S1 printer ($350) and taught himself FreeCad specifically for this project, iterating through three design versions before arriving at a working solution. He shared the STL files on Thingiverse for free. The thread drew interest from other 3D printing enthusiasts, including Isaac Szabo who described printing focus gears, diffusers, snoots, and even contemplating a full camera housing (^[2]).

3D Printed Optical Cable Connectors (2023)

Building on his 3D printing experience, davehicks designed custom optical fiber cable connectors compatible with Inon, Nauticam, and Backscatter strobes. The design included both 90-degree elbow and 180-degree straight connectors, printed in TPU (for flexible rubber parts) and PETG (for structural parts), secured with M3 hardware. He published the designs on Thingiverse with detailed assembly instructions. The project addressed the community’s frustration with expensive OEM optical cables (connectors alone costing $10–20 each) and poor DIY alternatives (^[3]).

Strobe Systems Sales and Community Support

davehicks sold his Ikelite 161 strobe system in 2019 after transitioning to different strobes, noting that the battery packs had been “recently rebuilt with new NiMH cells” — applying his DS-125 expertise to the next generation of Ikelite products (^[4]).

Gear Progression

• 2003–2008: Nikon DSLRs (D70 era), Ikelite DS-125 strobes with self-upgraded NiMH battery packs
• 2008–2018: Ikelite 161 strobes, Nauticam housings
• 2019–2024: Inon Z-330 strobes, 3D-printed accessories, DIY optical cables

Activity Profile

• First post: November 2003
• Last post: November 2024
• Peak years: 2008, 2023–2024
• 34 threads started
• Top threads: “Anyone upgrade a DS-125 battery pack?” (85 replies), “Slaying the Bastard Button - Inon 330” (16 replies), “3D Printed Optical Cable Connectors” (14 replies)
• Dive destinations mentioned: Channel Islands (California), Pacific Northwest