Noticeable like night and day. It's not a ramp down, it's sudden and very noticeable. In my 70 degree F garage, stationary, with no wind cooling it occurred in 5.5 minutes. You can also hear the step down "click".
Fire-Foxes III compared to Magic Scorpion 40W and 85W Ebay HID...
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Hmmm... Yeah I've not even run mine that long yet! Lol...
Just doing these test comparisons.
Edit: So I did test to see how long it takes to kick down, and mine 'clicked down' at 8 1/2 minutes in room temp. (75 degrees)
The 24W mode is still very bright!
On another point, Phil Ament showed me a link to a discussion about this thread here at CPF:
Public version of the CPF porter: Fire PK magic fire PK 85 watts
It's a discussion of this very thread over at the forum where all the FF3 people hang out, including the designer of it.
I guess per Google translate, we are 'foreigners' Lol!
There is one person that says 'the hands of the foreigners is really big'...
Thanks for the link!
Just doing these test comparisons.
Edit: So I did test to see how long it takes to kick down, and mine 'clicked down' at 8 1/2 minutes in room temp. (75 degrees)
The 24W mode is still very bright!
On another point, Phil Ament showed me a link to a discussion about this thread here at CPF:
Public version of the CPF porter: Fire PK magic fire PK 85 watts
It's a discussion of this very thread over at the forum where all the FF3 people hang out, including the designer of it.
I guess per Google translate, we are 'foreigners' Lol!
There is one person that says 'the hands of the foreigners is really big'...
Thanks for the link!
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Just completed another step-down test with the light in constant motion simulating use. Got 6 minutes + or - 10 seconds in a 70 degree house.
scheven_architect
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Jayrob the bulb you replaced was a 85W ebay with a 'lower' 75W bulb/balast, what value of the ebay HID is overrated the bulb or the balast? The beamprofile improved as well (FFIII looks really smooth btw)?
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The only thing I know for sure, is that the ballast obviously must put out more current for higher rating...
I would guess that the bulb might also need to be equivalent.
I will take a guess that my 4300K ballast/bulbs that I got (marked 75W), may actually be 85W??
But I don't know. I just say that because when I built my Mag HID mod, the 75W (8000K) ballast/bulbs that I got, gave an initial 7.5 Amps battery current draw on start up. Then the ballast quickly brings the HID bulb into full power within about 8 to 10 seconds. At that point, it draws 5.5 Amps steady.
But these new ones I got (4300K), just might really be 85W ones, because the current draw after warm up, is about an Amp more. (6.5 Amps)
scheven_architect
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These are some beamshots i took with my HID. It should be 85W/6000K, when warmed up the light doesn't seem really cold and blue compared to your pictures, so i don't know if that is the camera or mine is warmer than yours.
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Yeah it looks good in your pictures so it would be impossible to be sure unless the two were side by side...
However I did notice that all of those pictures looked yellowish. So it could be the camera or exposure...
Richie086
Enlightened
Hi Jayrob, thanks for all the work to put this thread together. A really great job and some wonderful HID's you've got there.
Hey Thanks BVH, I'm running at 45-50 degrees typically. It's Juneuary here:shakehead. Maybe I'm just missing the step down, will pay closer attention tonight.
Do you think English to Chinese translates this poorly with G-translate also? "eBay HID weak burst, not much we heavenly goods"
Do you think English to Chinese translates this poorly with G-translate also? "eBay HID weak burst, not much we heavenly goods"
I'll bet they made that comment before I posted the updated pictures after the 4300K bulb swap...
Your welcome!
Glad you like the comparisons...
Your welcome!
Glad you like the comparisons...
Fusion_m8
Flashlight Enthusiast
Hi jayrob:
could you PM the name of the ebay seller where you got the 75w/85w 4300K ballast?
Thanks.
could you PM the name of the ebay seller where you got the 75w/85w 4300K ballast?
Thanks.
scheven_architect
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You're unmodded ebay light was blueish for the naked eye? Mine is at worst a slight tint of green when warmed up but not at all blue.
Yes mine was blue just like the picture...
Those pictures actually are very close to how it looks in person (the color), but in person, the lights seem much brighter than the pictures show...
PM incoming...
Those pictures actually are very close to how it looks in person (the color), but in person, the lights seem much brighter than the pictures show...
PM incoming...
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scheven_architect
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Might have been an underpowered one you had, but like you say only by comparing them in person it would be properly visible if there is any difference.
OK guys, I did see the step down to 24W on the FF3, along with the audible click at about 13 minutes of walking around in 55-60 degrees. It's still darn bright though, after a minute I couldn't remember how much brighter it had been. It was pretty hot after 30 minutes, I was keeping my hand further back toward the tail for comfort. Also heard the click when it was off and cooling, assuming this was the temp reset.
Jayrob, your magmod looks awesome
I've got to resist getting one of those 75W bulb/ballast combos but if I see the right host... (hmmm, FM is having that big sale:laughing
Jayrob, your magmod looks awesome
I've got to resist getting one of those 75W bulb/ballast combos but if I see the right host... (hmmm, FM is having that big sale:laughing
OK guys, I did see the step down to 24W on the FF3, along with the audible click at about 13 minutes of walking around in 55-60 degrees. It's still darn bright though, after a minute I couldn't remember how much brighter it had been. It was pretty hot after 30 minutes, I was keeping my hand further back toward the tail for comfort. Also heard the click when it was off and cooling, assuming this was the temp reset.
Jayrob, your magmod looks awesome
Thanks for the compliment! :thanks:
Details of the build shown here...
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Mine arrived today. I've taken a few comparison photos
From left to right: Arlec Spotlight fitted with a 6000K 55W HID kit, FFIII, Jetbeam M1X V1 (3x18350) and my Mac's 3300L.
It's a very broad selection of lights, my biggest light, my newest, my only LED thrower and a massive flood monster.
What this little comarison will show is just how capable the little FFIII is
The tree is 120m away. A control shot is pointless as it would only be black All the photos were taken with an iPhone 4S, on HDR mode and the exposure upped (all by the same amount) to get it a bit closer to real life.
55W HID Spotlight
FFIII
M1X
3300L
The 3300L puts out a huge amount of light, but it's all out of answers at 25m. The FFIII has quite a wide hotspot thanks to the OP reflector, but for lighting up a footy oval without making your arm tired, it's just magic. It's a little bit ridiculous seeing that amount of light coming from something so small. The M1X is outclassed in every way and it's clearly obvious that the 55W Spotlight's 7" reflector outguns eveything else.
In short, I like it a lot
From left to right: Arlec Spotlight fitted with a 6000K 55W HID kit, FFIII, Jetbeam M1X V1 (3x18350) and my Mac's 3300L.
It's a very broad selection of lights, my biggest light, my newest, my only LED thrower and a massive flood monster.
What this little comarison will show is just how capable the little FFIII is
The tree is 120m away. A control shot is pointless as it would only be black
All the photos were taken with an iPhone 4S, on HDR mode and the exposure upped (all by the same amount) to get it a bit closer to real life.55W HID Spotlight
FFIII
M1X
3300L
The 3300L puts out a huge amount of light, but it's all out of answers at 25m. The FFIII has quite a wide hotspot thanks to the OP reflector, but for lighting up a footy oval without making your arm tired, it's just magic. It's a little bit ridiculous seeing that amount of light coming from something so small. The M1X is outclassed in every way and it's clearly obvious that the 55W Spotlight's 7" reflector outguns eveything else.
In short, I like it a lot
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Nice comparisons!
I like that Arlec mod. I built a similar spot light for KuanR, and still have it for him because he is out of the area and has not taken delivery yet...
But I didn't want to use it in my comparisons, because it just wasn't fair. It's a 100W 4300K with a 7" reflector that would just crush these smaller lights:
Details of the build shown here...
P.S. Can you PM me a link to where you got your host for the large yellow? I like that voltage indicator you have on there. Is that what that is? I would like to learn more about that build!
I like that Arlec mod. I built a similar spot light for KuanR, and still have it for him because he is out of the area and has not taken delivery yet...
But I didn't want to use it in my comparisons, because it just wasn't fair. It's a 100W 4300K with a 7" reflector that would just crush these smaller lights:
Details of the build shown here...
P.S. Can you PM me a link to where you got your host for the large yellow? I like that voltage indicator you have on there. Is that what that is? I would like to learn more about that build!
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Being the tinkerer and skeptic I am, I wanted to be sure my FF3 was putting out as advertised! First, it is definitely regulated. (Not that I had any question about this but always nice to confirm) As Voltage dropped while in use and fully warmed up, Amperage increased and the calculation always resulted in the same Watts (Input). When Voltage hit 13.00, Amps was 4.02 for a total Input Watts of 52.26. Using the familiar ballast efficiency of 80%, my FF3 is putting out 41.81 Watts to the bulb. Now for the usually disclaimer: Output is AC so to be 100% accurate, I'd need a special $2500+ meter capable of simultaneous, very high count Amp and Volt readings and of determining Power Factor Correction. But for us, it's close enough. Not sure why the Chinese translated FF3 thread was referring to something about a 5 Amp manual setting (by-passing step down)? They see 5 Amps and probably more like 8-9 Amps for a micro-second on start up but will never see 5 Amps when running after warm up. Not even when the cells are nearly empty at 3.0V.
After testing, I took it outside and with a 500-700 foot overcast ceiling, I could easily see a soft glow on the cloud bases.
After testing, I took it outside and with a 500-700 foot overcast ceiling, I could easily see a soft glow on the cloud bases.
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Good to know, thanks for measuring battery current draw...
At full charge what was it drawing from the batteries after warmed up? Maybe 3.5 Amps?
