so, im in my beginning phase of dabbling with HID lights now and am already considering doing one of those sanmak mods. what i've read so far is that overdriving a 55W bulb with the 100W ballast would produce better throw than using a 100W bulb, because of the smaller 55W bulb (and arc length?). what i don't get is how exactly is a bulb rated only for so and so power level and how exactly do we explain "overdriving an HID bulb". what is the difference in the components or make between a 55W and 100W bulb that makes them best suited for that power level?
about HID bulbs
- Thread starter R10500
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AnAppleSnail
Flashlight Enthusiast
In short, the bulb arc is sized for x power. 2x power makes it bright and short-lived. Watch out for "non-passive end of life" events. The details are beyond me, but the service life will be short.
AnAppleSnail
Flashlight Enthusiast
No. I've closely followed some mods to a 35W spotlight I own. The driver can run the bulb up to about 65W for greatly increased output, but unknown bulb life. Sorry to not have application information for you.
idleprocess
Flashaholic
Sounds like "exothermic self-disassembly" failure mode to me...
I recall that the gas inside the inner HID envelope is typically compressed to multiple atmospheres at room temperatures and increases considerably when operating (something to do with heat causing gas to want to expand, but volume remaining constant). While not as hazardous as typically-larger short-arc bulbs with a single envelope, I would treat HID modules with care and be extremely leery of overdriving them without taking precautions against their violent failure.
thats alright. i suppose i won't be overdriving anything unless people have already done so without anything happening.
yeah thats what i read too about how xenon gas is always compressed in HID bulbs, like how inert gases are also used to fill our everyday home light bulbs but for different purposes. how many people have done that sanmak mod with the 100W ballast and 55W bulb? i recall that "2100" on this forum has done that apart from other people on other forums and now im tempted to try that out myself. so far i've not read about any disastrous outcomes but i'm not that sure either
yeah thats what i read too about how xenon gas is always compressed in HID bulbs, like how inert gases are also used to fill our everyday home light bulbs but for different purposes. how many people have done that sanmak mod with the 100W ballast and 55W bulb? i recall that "2100" on this forum has done that apart from other people on other forums and now im tempted to try that out myself. so far i've not read about any disastrous outcomes but i'm not that sure either
