Home Made Tank Light - The Swan Blaster 260W Short Arc

[get-lit]

I just re-read and saw you went from 8" CA long-FL to 9.6" CA short-FL. The larger CA is going to give the edge. If the lamp has 1mm x 1mm luminous area with no emphasis in either dimension, the CP will be about the same with any reflector of the same CA, with the difference being in the beam pattern. You've really come up with a nicely optimized design.

By the way, positioning a lamp mounted with an elliptical reflector at the focal point of a parabolic reflector is not going to work. You'd have to position the focal point of the elliptical reflector at the focal point of the parabolic. For example, if the focal point of the elliptical is 4 inches from the lamp source, and the long-FL parabolic was 3", you'd have to position the lamp source 7" from the vertex of the parabolic. Same goes for when using an elliptical reflector with a lens. All that length is what makes elliptical designs comparatively on the large side.

[ma_sha1]

I did. For the recoil style set-up, I placed the Elliptical focal point at the focal point of parabola mirror.
Theses projector lamps have extremely short focal length, the focal point is about an inch or so out. The mirror has very long focal point, about 5-6" or so based on memory.

I was able to focus it ok, hot spot with lux of 16million cps, but so much lights are lost on the star radiation stripes seen around the hot spot, like 2/3 of the lights didn't get into the spot. That's when I decided to go with a top quality parabola reflector & also gain as big a size as the light could hold.

[get-lit]

With such a miss-match in focal lengths, what very little light that would actually be utilized would not be utilized all that well. Your decision turned out great.

[ma_sha1]

First quote came back on the front lens, crazy price for a piece of glass

"Borofloat glass,
AR coated. AR coating withstand high temperature400F

247mm diameter,
5mm thickness
AR coating@400-700nm


Qty: 1pcs
Unit price: USD 630/pcs
Shipping charge: USD50"

[TEEJ]

First quote came back on the front lens, crazy price for a piece of glass

"Borofloat glass,
AR coated. AR coating withstand high temperature400F

247mm diameter,
5mm thickness
AR coating@400-700nm


Qty: 1pcs
Unit price: USD 630/pcs
Shipping charge: USD50"

That's actually not that bad for custom glass.

I mean, its a lot of money, but, well, luckily you're a rich man.

[ma_sha1]

That's actually not that bad for custom glass.

I mean, its a lot of money, but, well, luckily you're a rich man.

Hahahah, very funny TJ, Don't make me "Tell on you" on the true value of the bags of lights you brought to the PF18 meet, she'll think she married a rich man who's hiding money from her

My 2nd quote just came in, it's even worse.

"The MOQ for your specification is 4pcs.

Unit price:350.00USD/PCS.
Delivery time:40-45days.
The freight charge by DHL:340.00USD."

[missionaryman]

I really hate the reluctance from manufacturers to go outside the square, if they bothered looking they'd probably find they had a scrap that may be close but not exactly what you wanted and could do it for $50 but instead they quote worst case scenario based on using an entire sheet and re-tooling from scratch.

My work do similar things like that when quoting custom work and blow out prices exorbitantly then one day the owner's mate needs something completely custom and we're all forced to find a solution for $50.00 which surely enough we do

Hahahah, very funny TJ, Don't make me "Tell on you" on the true value of the bags of lights you brought to the PF18 meet, she'll think she married a rich man who's hiding money from her

My 2nd quote just came in, it's even worse.

"The MOQ for your specification is 4pcs.

Unit price:350.00USD/PCS.
Delivery time:40-45days.
The freight charge by DHL:340.00USD."

[get-lit]

This cost makes no sense. Borofloat glass is the less expensive alternative to Pyrex, and Pyrex is damn cheap.

Now if you could get a quote for Gorilla or Dragon glass, you're my new best friend.

[ma_sha1]

Now if you could get a quote for Gorilla or Dragon glass, you're my new best friend.

You should have asked earlier, I used to work for Corning.

OK, where there is a will, there is a way! I figured out a way to solve this problem inexpensively

Step One:
Getting ready to retrieve the AR coated High Temp Glass from a UHP lamp. Note the face mask, safety first! UHP lamp is under 800 PSI pressure cold.


This is the largest UHP lamp available, the front glass is just over 3".


Step 2:
Put it in a bag & Hammer the reflector, then tear apart carefully with plier to retreve the front glass.


Step 3:
Drill a 3" hole in the Lexan Window, hard to see the AR glass placed over the hole, as it hardly reflect light.




Step 4:
Coming soon...

[FRITZHID]

VERY Innovative!!!!!!! way to use your noodle!

[get-lit]

You should have asked earlier, I used to work for Corning.

Grr! No connections now? Very resourceful method for the AR glass btw

[ma_sha1]

VERY Innovative!!!!!!! way to use your noodle!

Thanks!

Grr! No connections now? Very resourceful method for the AR glass btw

Sorry buddy, I left Corning almost 10 years. There are Chinese mfg. selling them on Alibaba, but minimum 1000 pieces. Also, I am not sure the temp. resistance & it they can withstand the heat from 1000W short arc?

You might want to look into what's the glass used as window for UHP/P-VIP lamps?
they are so close to the short arc source, probably can withstand heat of 1000 degrees
Plus, they are all AR coated.

[get-lit]

My application has forced air cooling and the glass temp won't touch 250F. If I can't get Gorilla glass or Dragon glass, I see no reason not to use standard tempered glass just as high power searchlights.

[ma_sha1]

Only 250F?

In that case, you can use lexan/polycarbonate as well (heat resistant up to 275F), I got mine from a guy on ebay that does custom cuts. For 11"-12" in your case (If I remember correctly), it'll only cost about $15 a piece (1/4 inch thick). At this thickness, glass is going to be pretty heavy. My host came with glass lens that weight a few lbs by itself.

But if the temp goes higher than what you anticipated, you'll end up having what I had, a melted center.
I also have forced-air cooling, but I forgot to drill holes at the front. Just drilled a bunch of holes, should be much better now.

[get-lit]

Polycarbonate would get much hotter because it doesn't dissipate the heat generated from its light absorption.

[LightSward]

Find some Pyrex maybe even as cooking ware with a smooth surface, or round Pyrex plates from a science supply. I use a Pyrex cylinder right next to my 1,200 watt HMI short arc theater light I use on many of my searchlights. With minimal air cooling, the surface barely gets hot, with almost no optical distortion. This way the air is forced to blow right next to the bulb and socket.

If I use a standard flat lens and have a heat issue, I often put a big hole in the middle and add a water resistant vent to protect against the elements.

[ma_sha1]

I only need the center being glass. The guys I am ordering Polycarbonate lens from found me a rare piece AR coated Polycarbonate, I am waiting for it to arrive & re-do the lens...

[ma_sha1]

Finally, the new AR coated Polycarbonate came in. At this level, 5-8% additional transmission is worth 2-4 million cps, it's certainly worth start over again.

Cut the center hole, mounted the AR UHP glass to the center of AR PC window using triple suspended screws. The screws are metal, to prevent melting the hole in the PC, I shielded the screw hole with High Temp. Capone tube & separated PC from UHP glass with Teflon washer. whola, it's done:

The window is nearly invisible besides the 3" junction circle:


View at an angle, you can see the gap between UHP glass & the PC window hole, this means cool air can get in between & help to cool the edge of PC, I think this time it won't have meltdown issue any more.

[Walterk]

Creative! Necessity is the mother of inventions huh... Looks good. But you have to start sewing a dustcover now

[get-lit]

Interesting setup. I'd like to use Polycarbonate for a lens, but with the higher output I think it would cause issues when the lens gets some debris or scratches on it which would begin absorbing more heat from the light. Otherwise, I really want to like Polycarbonate.

[ma_sha1]

Agree, heat resistant glass or AR glass would be better, at 260W, I've already passed the limit of PC.
Hope you can find a source with reasonable cost. Thinner, lighter too, the glass came with my light is 1/4" thick & weight several lbs.
The same 1/4" think PC on the other hand, weights like nothing. Now I got lucky & got AR coating, also have an extra piece for spare, very happy with how this came out.

[ma_sha1]

It's been raining today & just stopped around late afternoon, I am eager to fire it up again & get some lux measurements. I mounted a platform on the big center tree at 200 feet out so that I can place the lux meter on it.

Gears for tonight: Swan Blaster, the power pack & the tripod


Camera on manual setting is same as the other day when I did FF3 beam shots. 1" exposure, ISO 200, F3.3


Zoomed in, the lux meter is mounted on the tree, but you can't see it, as it's completely washed out.


Retrieved the lux meter from the tree & the peak hold function recorded 11.49 klux. 200 feet is 61 meters.

The cps = 11,490*61*61 = 42.8 Million cps

Now, that's lots of cps, slightly higher than Ra's first published Maxa Blaster cps. The MB was later raised to 52 million cps after some tuning & measuring at much further distance.

I am still not able to get a perfect focus yet, certainly need further turning & focus adjustment The air is wet tonight, & it started raining so I had to end it after about 20 min run.

I need to measure it again, need a dry & clear day, a clean air location, at least several hundred meters away to get the true potential of the swan blaster cps. But for now, I am happy with 42.8 million for it's first cp measurement.


Equipment check-up after the run. One last photo showing the front lens assembly, in perfect condition! Also a cheer for the mosquito zapper, a wonder tool for flasholics conducting summer beam shots. The UVs from the light attracted lots of mosquitos, they quickly found me & launched relentless attack. Not tonight, suckers, what followed was instant death penalty by electrocution!

[LightSward]

Nice beam! Keep up the great work!

[The_Driver]

Amazing, I really enjoy your work here

[ma_sha1]

Nice beam! Keep up the great work!

Amazing, I really enjoy your work here

Thanks guys! too , from discovering CPF & starting out with Mag Solitaire mod, it's been several years, I've learned a lot from reading other threads, Especially, Ra's Maxa Blaster has become a major motivation for my various short arc mods.

Ra's original thread, in 2006, was such a ground breaking mod on CPF, it took six years for another portable DIY light to catch up on the cps:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?125819-NOT-JUST-ANOTHER-THOR-MOD-!!-%28the-Maxablaster!%29

38 million cp's create a spot on clouds up to 4 miles high with ease:

However, I think Swan Blaster could spank Maxa Blaster in a shoot out, because Maxa Blaster has only 4000 lumens or so, Swan Blaster? 16,000 lumens!

To see an example of high-lumen short arc (Mega Blaster) spanking low-lumen short arc (Maxa Beam) with similar cps, see the superlight shoot out page here:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/...-The-ShortArcs

[Walterk]

The cps = 11,490*61*61 = 42.8 Million cps

Congratulations ! Thats really an impressive accomplishement!

[jmpaul320]

i think i need to change my diaper

[ma_sha1]

Congratulations ! Thats really an impressive accomplishement!

Thanks!

The number will still improve with time, playing with focusing & look for a better measurement location. Ra did beam shot at an observatory for a reason. My house is at sea level. I need to look for a place with high elevation, dry air, low atmosphere density. Observatory would be great. I'll need to explore around a bit with hiking first...

Anyone lives in CT or MA that might know a place between Hartford & Mass (Within 1 hr driving from zip code 06095) which meet these criteria?

--Mountain or Hill top >1000 feet elevation (~300 meters above sea level)
--Dry air, with over 200 meters (at least over 100 meters) open space on top
--Can drive car up there

[Walterk]

Don't bother about heigth, but take the chance when the air is dry.

[ma_sha1]

Don't bother about heigth, but take the chance when the air is dry.

Observatory is always on mountain top & away from cities, air quality & thin air are important for star gazing.
Not sure how much it'll help on keeping the inverse square law being true in terms of lux measurement, but the longer
the distance I measure, I'd imagine the more important the air quality becomes?

I wish there's some data on air quality vs invesse square law some where?