X990 Flickering....WHY?!

[BatteryCharger]

So there I was, just sitting in the dark outside staring in awe at the flood of lumens shooting from my X990. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif I noticed that it seems to be flickering a little bit. Not the way it does when the battery gets low, but just a very small intermittent flickering. Kind of light a fluorescent light that hasn't warmed up yet. It's fully warmed up and the battery is fully charged.

Why is it doing this!? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon23.gif

 

[Sway]

BC,

I don't have a X990 but when I do a run time test on HID lights they flicker up and down a little, if you move the light around the salts in the lamp will settle to the lowest point and make it change color and flicker a little /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif

Later
Kelly

 

[BatteryCharger]

It wasn't moving, just sitting down on a table. I guess it could be normal, but I've never noticed it before...

 

[markdi]

my hid vector flickers a little tiny bit for the first 5 minutes or so - it quits when it is fully warmed up.

 

[MaxaBaker]

My Light Cannon flickers all the time. A lot. Even though I've sent it back twice, they apparently cannot fix it /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon6.gif

Good luck with your X990 BC. As long as it isn't tooo annoying....

 

[markdi]

does the flickering of your x990 change as it warms up ?

 

[Mr Ted Bear]

Battery Charger

I have had my x990 three years now. If it isn't used on a regular basis, mine will also flicker.

Also, if used for just short intervals (10-15minutes), the salts don't fully vaporize and will cause the problem you describe. The solution is simple.... run the light till the bateries die. Even thought the X990 is NiMh, and aren't supposed to have "voltage depression" aka memory effect, I know many pro's in the video field that will argue otherwise, so I'm killing two birds at one time

 

[NikolaTesla]

1) I agree with Mr Ted Bear. Use for 1 solid hour. I ran mine for 8 solid 1 hour runs. Kinda broke it in. Try rotating head around to redeposit salts while running. This got rid of all my flickers.

 

[jtice]

how many hours are the bulbs rated for?

it seems theres a couple hour breakin time?

 

[kongfuchicken]

Lifetime is about 2000 hours IIRC...

 

[PeLu]

Usually this bulbs could be run for tens of thousands of hours continoulsy, but survive only a specific amount of starts.
Thats menas you get a mixture out of it .-)

They rate them something as 1000-2000 with a usual burntime of one hour...
(but I do not have data for the X990).
It also depends a lot on the ballast used, as you might expect, automotive ballast give a longer bulb life.
Anybody has better data here?

 

[NikolaTesla]

PeLu, Lets ask this question: Has anyone EVER burned out a bulb in an X990 yet?
I try to run mine for a long time when I use it- make sure it comes up to stable temp and light output. It takes a few minutes.

 

[Geheim]

[ QUOTE ]
NikolaTesla said:
1) I agree with Mr Ted Bear. Use for 1 solid hour. I ran mine for 8 solid 1 hour runs. Kinda broke it in. Try rotating head around to redeposit salts while running. This got rid of all my flickers.

[/ QUOTE ]


The X990 I bought thru BC's GB turns off and then on when I rotate the head from 90 degrees to 180 degrees for some reason. Still going thru the break in period on mine. I do not notice any flicker when its running though.

Chad

 

[markdi]

you might have a loose connection in the head of your x990
My 35 watt hid vector can be shaken hard and pointed(or oriented)in any direction and it does not shut of or any thing.

 

[Geheim]

Yeah, I'm afraid something is wrong with it.

Chad

 

[Lamphead]

I think X990 drives the lamp with a low frequency square wave. I don't know the exact frequency(maybe 100-200Hz?). Usually human eyes won't see the flickering if there is no other reason that makes the light flickering.

If X990's frequency is lower than 100 (it's worth to find it out from the maker), it's possible that people can see the flickering.

Or, maybe you guys really have sharp eyes.

-Lamphead

 

[Kirov]

Hey Guys do yours x990s really charge for one hour(as advertized on brightguy.com)?????
Mine charges for 6-8hours!!!
I am wondering if I got some early version of the charger?!?!

 

[cheesehead]

Flickering under 20 Hz makes no sense, you can't see it, unless you are Superman. I think the x990 does flicker a bit, but it's not on and off, just a little up and down.

Mine charges for HOURS, not ONE! More advertising non-sense. On the other hand, if BrightGuy claims one hour, then send him back the defective light (unless it's been over 30 days, in which case he won't take it back).

 

[proxenon_com]

Sir, the actual charge time on X990 is normal when is 5-6 hours. Since it s NiHM 10Cell Battery. For the flickering, that mean your ballast cannot trigger enough power to ignite the light bulb. You should send it back to the seller for repair or replacement.