Found a spotlight in the trash, looks interesting [lots of pics]

[Illum]

I went dumpster diving again last weekend just outside of one of KSC's ground support firms and fished out this spotlight, which sports two axial fiament lamps and a whopping 7" reflector


Collins Dynamics, Gen-56


Water logged, but generally intact. The head appeared dry. Whatever sort of solution it was dumped in, it sure smelled like the dumpster behind KFCs. A good rinse with some soap took the stench right off. With some research, it was one of these: http://www.havis.com/products/SPTLT_...19210-932.html

Rechargeable? You bet


There was a 3 stage switch on the handle, much of the outside was intact. The reflector alone was a beauty, completely dry and no blemishes, whatever that was flakey was on its window.



not sure if you can see it, but there is two lamps in the reflector, one on top of another. Both Axial filament


It used a 6.5AH SLA, no surprise, but the battery bay was partially flooded. With the battery on its side, the positive terminal was so corroded it broke off the battery when I tried to take it out.

A look under the handle and lid I see a voltage comparator circuit using an heatsinked LM317 along with a TO-220 FET


4 wires, green white white red, goes up to the lamp.

Looking into the battery bay, the positive terminal had two wires, a red and a blue. the negative contact was not affected.


The thing weighed about 15 pounds when I found it, now its washed, dried, and gutted its like 3 pounds. The charging pin out is unknown, but has 4 contacts.

Anyone think I should try and restore it? Or should I try the other dumpster thats filled with partially cut aluminum, aluminum strips, aluminum shavings, and funny looking blocks of aluminum to see if theres anything usable

They do sell a charger, but its $40
http://www.havis.com/products/SPTLT_...V-19188-0.html

Its on the shelf, earliest I can get to it will be after I get back from New York, which is in the middle of June.

[HotWire]

Go back and find the charger. Then pick another light for me!

[onetrickpony]

Cool find, I definitely think you should do something with it, restore or redesign or whatever. It's made in the U.S.!!!! That makes it totally worthwhile!

[Illum]

Go back and find the charger. Then pick another light for me!

I just hope the charger is not waterlogged if it is in the dumpster. Most wallworts doesn't survive a dunking. Ones that do retain the smell

[coctailer]

Sent it in for warranty repair.

[angelofwar]

Hmmm....nice find...those lights look very interesting. Get that bad boy up and running and get us some beam shots!!!

[JulianP]

With the new 100W ballasts now widely available (and cheap), an HID mod might be an option.

[Walterk]

I love it !

Ive been looking for a Collins Magnum reflector.
Their handheld searchlight is comparable with the Blitz, but then sturdier to what Ive heard.
Metal reflector and glass lens instead of the Blitz plastics.
Don't know if Collins made different reflector beamangles.
Their website shows its sort-off reflector with dual focal points; two points to focus the bulb, one for flood and the other for throw.
Perfect candidate for HID I would say.

What is the diameter of the clear window?

[Illum]

The reflector is a two stage, with the lower lamp around a steeper cone, but the steeper end is only as deep as half of the lamp height. It is not focusable. At minimum I'll figure out [eventually] how the ring is charged, and possibly running it off a pigtail and a spare 18AH SLA I have kicking around. The head is heavy enough to tip everything over without the battery in the battery box. 4 of the 6 screws have the sockets stripped from corrosion. 1 of the screw's threading socket [whatever it is called] pulled out of the bottom enclosure [pic 5]. Only one screw managed to function properly. I've pulled some hardware from dumpster before, but finding matching sockets might be difficult. I suppose I can epoxy free-riding hex nuts in there, but we'll see.

The window appears to be polycarbonate, it is certainly not glass. The outer rim to rim measures 7.5" and the inside rim 6.5" Since the window retaining ring is cracked all around the edge [you can see the small fissures on pic 4] I was afraid of taking that part apart. I'm guessing the window underneath it is at least 7"

The lamp replacement hatch is water tight with a rubber o-ring of sorts, spring loaded bayonet lid. The lamps aren't bipins, they have a funny sort of terminal that are connected with spade connectors under screws.

I have local ties that grants me permission to fish out stuff that I can use [I'm a hobbiest and a tinkerer of sorts], provided that I do not sell it because some of these things are coded. The security guard there will turn a blind eye as long as I go there only on weekends, and not get hurt. If I wound myself in there, he will have no choice but to arrest me for trespassing.

[CKOD]

The reflector is a two stage, with the lower lamp around a steeper cone, but the steeper end is only as deep as half of the lamp height. It is not focusable. At minimum I'll figure out [eventually] how the ring is charged, and possibly running it off a pigtail and a spare 18AH SLA I have kicking around. The head is heavy enough to tip everything over without the battery in the battery box. 4 of the 6 screws have the sockets stripped from corrosion. 1 of the screw's threading socket [whatever it is called] pulled out of the bottom enclosure [pic 5]. Only one screw managed to function properly. I've pulled some hardware from dumpster before, but finding matching sockets might be difficult. I suppose I can epoxy free-riding hex nuts in there, but we'll see.

The window appears to be polycarbonate, it is certainly not glass. The outer rim to rim measures 7.5" and the inside rim 6.5" Since the window retaining ring is cracked all around the edge [you can see the small fissures on pic 4] I was afraid of taking that part apart. I'm guessing the window underneath it is at least 7"

The lamp replacement hatch is water tight with a rubber o-ring of sorts, spring loaded bayonet lid. The lamps aren't bipins, they have a funny sort of terminal that are connected with spade connectors under screws.

I have local ties that grants me permission to fish out stuff that I can use [I'm a hobbiest and a tinkerer of sorts], provided that I do not sell it because some of these things are coded. The security guard there will turn a blind eye as long as I go there only on weekends, and not get hurt. If I wound myself in there, he will have no choice but to arrest me for trespassing.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#press-in-captive-nuts/=c255a2

nope, not difficult at all

If your hole is oversized from the old one being pulled out, I'd just use a little bit of JB-weld to hold the new nut in place. Carefull not to get sloppy and let it get in on the threads.

[onetrickpony]

Security guard: "Everything OK in there?"

Illum: "Um, yeah, everything's fine, can you get the first aid kit from my car?"

Security guard: "Whyyyyy...."

Illum: "No reason, just uh, wanted to count my band-aids...."

[ma_sha1]

Oh, boy, I recently had to pay for one of this on ebay, now someone gets it for free?

Good find

[Benson]

Oh, boy, I recently had to pay for one of this on ebay, now someone gets it for free?

Good find

Well, I hope yours was in better condition. (Or that you didn't pay much...)

[Illum]

At least yours work and doesn't smell like 3 day old anchovie Pizza wrapped in a black plastic bag and left in the sun