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

ma_sha1

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DIY Tank Searchlight - The Swan Blaster 260W Short Arc

Inspired by VSS-3, the most "portable" version of the military Tank light (still weight 75Lbs), I've been wanting to make a home Made Tank light that could achieve the 50 Million CPs of VSS-3 but much much lighter & truly portable.

I've mentioned this project will be the swan song of my last short-arc mods in a post somewhere, thus the name appropriately named by Ra, The Swan Blaster.

History of my short arc mods:

I've made 3 short arc mods, all based on UHP/P-VIP type of High Pressure mercury short arc used in DLP projectors:

Franken Mag Short Arc NHII flashlight ~500,000 lux @ 1 meter
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?313112

Mega Blaster-- the MegaRay style short Arc, 5 Million lux @ 1 meter
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/...t=mega+blaster

Moon Blaster-The Blitz Short Arc, ~16.1 Million lux @ 1 meter
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/...t=moon+blaster


The Host:

I decided to get a Cruise Hinds Vintage searchlight as host, to have more of a similar look to the Tank Light. This host weight in at only 17Lbs, I can easily carry it with one hand or on my shoulder should I need to do a hike to look for a beam shot location away from people.

67766146.png

The Power Source:

Since already had this light in my mind for a long time, when I built my Portable power pack, I've made it so that it'll run Mega Blaster, Moon Blaster & the Swan Blaster. The Swan Blaster uses the 300DC piggy-back output:
dscf0905x.jpg


I put in a 20AH Lifepo4 Battery from electric cars, Pulls 20Amp/13V, ~260W. I can run the Swan Blaster about 1 hr or Mega/Moon Blaster for about two hours. I can also fire up the Mega Blaster & Moon Blaster on it at the same time :).
dscf0902n.jpg



The Lamp:
The Lamp is a 230-280W UHP lamp with 1mm Arc. This is the highest power UHP/PVIP lamp with 1mm Arc that I could find a retail source for.

The Ballast:
The Ballast is a 250W P-VIP Ballast with a firmware upgrade to 260W, a gift from a fellow CPFer Ot10St who works at Osram.
Unlike the previous Ballast I pulled from DLP projectors, this one doen't come with the PFC (Power Factor Corrector) & can not run on 100V AC. Thus, the need for the 300V DC rig.
dscf9413.jpg


Testing of ballast, lamp & home made 300V DC:
dscf9403j.jpg



The old Reflector:
The reflector that came with the light is 8" diameter glass, long FL.
It's not high quality. I mounted the lamp with the built in elipical reflector back-wards at the focal point of the 8" glass reflector & got a horrible star & scattered hot spot and loose beam. However, it still scored 16 Million CPs. (The ballst is mounted under the light in a cage with fan coolling)

If I was to going to settle with another 16 Million cp light, this project would have been finished long time ago, but that is not the plan, a high quality short-arc reflector, i.e. Ra's Maxa Beam quality reflector is a must to bring out the true potential of this lamp...
dscf0386d.jpg


The Old Glass Reflector in the housing:
46029219.png

pvip2011catalog.jpg

http://img826.imageshack.us/img826/1/pvip2011catalog.jpg
 
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ma_sha1

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Re: Home Made Tank Searchlight - The Swan Blaster 260W Short Arc

Update 4/23/12.
Finally, after nearly two years since I started this project, the Swan Blaster came to liife :)
scaled.php





The New Custom Reflector:


I received my Custom 9.6" High Quality Short Arc Reflector from Optifoms, it's the one to the right. The coating I selected is called AQ, Quartz coated aluminum surface. it's a little more expensive than Rhodium, but with about 10% more reflection than Rhodium.

It's super deep, almost entire size of the searchlight is taken up by the reflector, so I had to cut-open the back of the housing for room to mount the lamp & focusing mechanism.
dscf1390m.jpg


Since the reflector is 9.6", the front Glass is only 8", I had to cut away the bezel & glass to open up the front, I got it opened about about 9.5". Showing the cut=away section in the middle.
I'll get a new Lexan UV window about 9 3/4" to replace the old glass window.
dscf1384v.jpg


Front view of the reflector in the housing, sorry its in a protective cover to avoid dirt, so the image is not clear, but
if you have seen the photo of Ra's Mama Beam reflector shot, that's what it looks like.
dscf1402r.jpg


Here is the Reflector drawing & spec. The Focal point is 0.75" from the extended reflector curve ending, about 0.5" inside the opening hole.
aqreflector.jpg


The rear end view with reflector in the housing:
dscf1392k.jpg


Rigging the lamp in place for one more testing.
All the cutting & Grinding, I was worried that the ballast may get damaged. Also, break the glass reflector to peel the naked bulb out is nerve wracking :sick2:. I wear a face musk as the bulb is under high pressure even when cold.
dscf1418n.jpg


Yeah, still working! Thank God, I don't have another ballast nor another lamp as back-up, a broken ballast would set- this project back big time!
dscf1414j.jpg
 
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ma_sha1

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Reflector & lamp mount, half way there...
img2012012100016.jpg


The following was old cry for help that didn't pan out, Looks like I am going to Rig the lamp mount myself.

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
Seeking experienced machinest with a Lathe for assistance....

Well, that's one of the reason I started the thread before finish. I am at the point of one last thing away of finishing the light up & run into a problem that I can't finish w/o a lathe.

I would like to mount the lamp into the reflector the same way that Ra did to his Maxa Blaster. I realized that I can not do this without a metal Lathe. The lamp mounting hardware is Stainless steel. It need to have the ability to focus in & out as well as horizontal movements to center the arc.

I would like to have about one inch focusing range( Position Arc chamber at 0.5" in side from the hole, ability to move forward & backward 1/2 an inch on either direction)
since the position of arc is an estimate, and one can not test it until the lamp mounting is done & light is done get back to me.

Ra hasn't been active recently, I borrowed his pictures here, hope he doesn't mind. This is what I need done & I'll send the reflector & bulb out.

Front
maxabeamlampmountfront.jpg


Back side:
maxabeamlampmountrear.jpg


Stay tuned...
 
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Mr. Tone

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Looking good. That reflector is huge, I love it. You just have to measure this at a hundred meters or more when it's done. You will have to recruit one of your family members and give them a welding shield and SPF 50 sunblock to go and hold the luxmeter! I think Ra said he couldn't get an accurate measurement for the Maxablaster from distances less than that, maybe more.
 

ma_sha1

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You will have to recruit one of your family members and give them a welding shield and SPF 50 sunblock to go and hold the luxmeter! I think Ra said he couldn't get an accurate measurement for the Maxablaster from distances less than that, maybe more.

100 meters is good for measuring 10 million cps. This light is aiming at 50 million cps, so I may need 500 meters for a good measurement, that' going to be tough to do. Plus, it's going to be hard to lure my family member to come & help at night, we have black bears around here :(.

I bought the Lux Meter with Peak-hold function (Extech EA30 Model), technically, I can set the meter up & then do the long distance lux measurement my self. However, at 500 meters, it's going to really hard tp find my meter & aim it it in the dark.
 

Bill Idaho

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And here I sit with an empty VSS-3, looking for internals.


Y'a know, as desperate/frustrated as I am getting, I'm waiting with high hopes of being able to adapt something like this to mine.
 

Mr. Tone

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100 meters is good for measuring 10 million cps. This light is aiming at 50 million cps, so I may need 500 meters for a good measurement, that' going to be tough to do. Plus, it's going to be hard to lure my family member to come & help at night, we have black bears around here :(.

I bought the Lux Meter with Peak-hold function (Extech EA30 Model), technically, I can set the meter up & then do the long distance lux measurement my self. However, at 500 meters, it's going to really hard tp find my meter & aim it it in the dark.

Black bears? Yikes! Those suckers can climb trees, right?

500 meters would be difficult to pull off, good luck on that. The new meter sounds cool.

Thanks for sharing all your mods/pics with us. I for one really enjoy your threads and projects. After you finish a mod I wonder what you will do next. This is the most exciting one of your mods for me. I just love the high power stuff. Even if it is not practical it is still really cool.
 

ma_sha1

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And here I sit with an empty VSS-3, looking for internals.


Y'a know, as desperate/frustrated as I am getting, I'm waiting with high hopes of being able to adapt something like this to mine.

How come you have only 17 posts? I thought you had posted more than that?
 

ma_sha1

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Thanks for sharing all your mods/pics with us. I for one really enjoy your threads and projects. After you finish a mod I wonder what you will do next. This is the most exciting one of your mods for me. I just love the high power stuff. Even if it is not practical it is still really cool.

Thanks!

I am not sure what to do next, but I think this is as high power as I'd like to go.
Even with platform sharing, making one power pack for all three lights, this light's cost is blowing budget beyond I'd consider harmless hobby. For now, I am focusing on this one light only. Going to post on machine forum for some help next.
 

Bill Idaho

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I HAD considerably more than 17 posts, but somewhere along the line most of them were deleted. Story of my life............

Anyway, I have kinda' done things backwards. I finished mounting the light on the trailer (technically the housing/lens/internal fan/reflector- as that's all there is right now-no bulb or ballast) and have just sat back looking and reading, hoping something would come up. Now that it's mounted, all I need to do is get the light working!
 

Mr. Tone

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Thanks!

I am not sure what to do next, but I think this is as high power as I'd like to go.
Even with platform sharing, making one power pack for all three lights, this light's cost is blowing budget beyond I'd consider harmless hobby. For now, I am focusing on this one light only. Going to post on machine forum for some help next.

I have a feeling the reflector alone blew your budget! After seeing what getlit posted about his reflector cost for a one-off super candlepower design I about freaked out. I can't imagine getting much more powerful than what you are doing now without needing a portable generator and fuel supply.
 

ma_sha1

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I have a feeling the reflector alone blew your budget! After seeing what getlit posted about his reflector cost for a one-off super candlepower design I about freaked out. I can't imagine getting much more powerful than what you are doing now without needing a portable generator and fuel supply.

Yes, The reflector is the highest cost item. Let's just say it cost about $150 more than the Rhodium version (Ra's maxa blaster reflector is Rhodium version).
AQ gives about 10% more reflection than Rhodium. Enhanced Rhodium is similar to AQ reflection but more durable, but they don't offer it unless its for a batch of 20 reflector run.
 

Mr. Tone

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Yes, The reflector is the highest cost item. Let's just say it cost about $150 more than the Rhodium version (Ra's maxa blaster reflector is Rhodium version).
AQ gives about 10% more reflection than Rhodium. Enhanced Rhodium is similar to AQ reflection but more durable, but they don't offer it unless its for a batch of 20 reflector run.

While talking about reflectors, have you ever checked into the Phoenix reflector company that has ads here on CPF? I checked out their website a couple of times and they look pretty good but a lot of that stuff is rocket science to me.
 

Illum

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Reserved

Seeking experienced machinest with a Lathe for assistance
....

Well, that's one of the reason I started the thread before finish. I am at the point of one last thing away of finishing the light up & run into a problem that I can't finish w/o a lathe.

I would like to mount the lamp into the reflector the same way that Ra did to his Maxa Blaster. I realized that I can not do this without a metal Lathe. The lamp mounting hardware is Stainless steel. It need to have the ability to focus in & out as well as horizontal movements to center the arc.

I would like to have about one inch focusing range( Position Arc chamber at 0.5" in side from the hole, ability to move forward & backward 1/2 an inch on either direction)
since the position of arc is an estimate, and one can not test it until the lamp mounting is done & light is done get back to me.

Ra hasn't been active recently, I borrowed his pictures here, hope he doesn't mind. This is what I need done & I'll send the reflector & bulb out.

By the way, just in case anyone needs a good read, here were Ra's original build sometime in 2006 :)
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...T-JUST-ANOTHER-THOR-MOD-!!-(the-Maxablaster!)
That mercury arc is a beast, plus you'll need a filter glass for it... why not stay HID?
 

Echo63

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By the way, just in case anyone needs a good read, here were Ra's original build sometime in 2006 :)
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...T-JUST-ANOTHER-THOR-MOD-!!-(the-Maxablaster!)
That mercury arc is a beast, plus you'll need a filter glass for it... why not stay HID?

Surface Brightness (and Arc length) are good reason to move away from HID

lets use the Maxabeam lamp as an example, its (depending on who you ask) anywhere from 1000 to 1800 Lumens, but the arc itself is only 1mm long
most of the brightness is at one end, a little hotspot around 0.1mm across
this is pretty close to a point source, and as a result, doesnt need a massive reflector to focus it into a tight beam.
when you use a big reflector, with a tiny light source it captures more of that light, shapes it into the beam, and you get higher CP readings.
im going to make up some numbers here - but it will make sense in a moment
lets assume that the maxabeam lamp has 70% of its 1000 lumens in its hotspot - so a 0.1mm spot with 700 lumens
and a Hid lamp has 3200 lumens evenly distributed in a 4mm arc taking a 0.1mm slice of that arc gives us 80 lumens for a similar sized chunk of arc, that HID arc is 40 times larger than the hotspot in the Maxabeam XSA Lamp, and needs a much bigger reflector to focus it into a tight beam

sure HID has greater output for a given amount of power (35w for 3200 lumens Vs 75w for 1000-1800 Lumens from XSA) but to get long throwing lights from that you need a massive reflector
The XSA Lamps are very inefficient, and the Mercury lamp used by RA in the original Maxablaster falls somewhere inbetween, more efficient, small arc, but has problems with sloooow warmup, and odd colour temperature (and producing bucketloads of UV)

there was a case i heard of recently where the shield glass fell out of a large portable lighting station, and a number of people sitting in a grandstand near it got sunburn and sore eyes from the UV output - Care is needed when dealing with any high voltage/high brightness light though, the possibility of injury is severe - exploding batteries, burns from hot housings, high voltage (electric shock), UV Exposure, Exploding Bulbs (high velocity glass fragments)
whichever way you choose to make light you need to take care
 
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ma_sha1

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While talking about reflectors, have you ever checked into the Phoenix reflector company that has ads here on CPF? I checked out their website a couple of times and they look pretty good but a lot of that stuff is rocket science to me.

I've talked with Phoenix reflector company on a prior project & looked into both Phoenix & Optiforms as well as a few others on this project.
I was trying to fill the searchlight body with the largest diameter & deepest shape possible with a High Quality 4th degree parabola.
Optiforms has a large selection in stock with many sizes, including the ideal size I need. They are un coated, once an order is put in, they'll do the custom coating, the wait time is only 3 weeks. Sales rep has knowledge & communicate very fast. I highly recommend them should anyone need a custom reflector.






 

Mr. Tone

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Good luck on mounting your lamp. Those reflector pics from Ra's thread are amazing. That reflector is beautiful.
 

51coronet

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Awesome work so far. Would love to see the final result when you are finished, then again are we ever finished?
Thanks for posting a progress log with pics!
 

Walterk

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Promising ! Nice reflector! Its a long way between idea and finished light, but hey; it keeps you from building all sorts of lights that you dont actually want..;)
 
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