BIG SEARCHLIGHT MASTERPIECES by LIGHTSWARD

SUPER BIG SEARCHLIGHTS. I'm making one Thread for all my searchlights.!

For a variety of reasons, many of my Threads are suddenly loosing photos, (photo-bucket's fine), and since my threads are photo intensive, I may not be able to reconstruct many of them. I also had a few cross talks because there was so much in common with my searchlights... So all my searchlights will be combined into just this one Thread for now, until I figure out why my sites are loosing photos, about one every half hour or so. One of my Photo buckets may be unreliable, as it can take a while to load photos and that may be part of the problem.

Will use only the Photo bucket I know works well. Will re-post some of the photos of all the Big Searchlights into one comprehensive Thread with all the big lights combined for easy reading and photo management. I'll try and keep it simple, short, not too many photos with informative and instructive posts.

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This are just some test photos, to see the solidness of this photo-bucket.

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Hopefully this will work and I can show the New 4,000 Watt HMI version of the 36 inch Gorilla with this hugely powerful bulb for easy transport. I can't take the 72 inch Lord Of Lights, (World's Biggest Searchlight), anywhere until I get a truck or trailer. Mainly powering up the Gorilla with 380,000 lumen to see if it makes a decent beam and will rent it for birthday parties.

I'll get some photos posted soon of my combining several searchlight elements to make one HELL of a searchlight..! Removed components from the World's Biggest Searchlight last week and am sizing them up for the 36 in Gorilla.

LightSward said:

I'll get some photos posted soon of my combining several searchlight elements to make one HELL of a searchlight..! Removed components from the World's Biggest Searchlight last week and am sizing them up for the 36 in Gorilla.

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What is the reflector made of ?

Mr. Nobody said:

What is the reflector made of ?

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Mostly my searchlights have been made of steel reinforced fiberglass and chrome tape high reflectance mirror treatment.

I plan on upgrading to spun aluminum and steel reflectors and bodies to make these all metal. I've enjoyed the versatility of the fiberglass, and plan on continuing it's use, but with the heat generated by the massive light-bulbs I'm using now, I think metal witll be a little safer.

Testing out and nearing completion of the 4,000 watt upgrade to the Gorilla.

This Gorilla conversion, is similar to the upgrade going on with the Nighthawk and it's 1,200 watt powerful HMI arc light-bulb., to make it all weather ready with it's new glass lens top and yoke system.

With the massive amount of heat produced by the 4,000 watt HMI bulb, I had to use three cooling fans with a forth passive forced exhaust vent mounted directly over the intense light-bulb, integrated with the split back reflector..! I've had to upgrade my, still home-made, ignition system directly into the fiberglass shell to make all the components weather resistant to allow searchlight operation in rain, sleet, light hail, snow with little or no winds, or fair to light winds with no precipitation, all possible to operate the searchlight in. I have to work on the ballast and generator being more weather resistant now... This is going to fit on the roof of my car now. Maybe I can transport the Monster with my near homemade roof rack that's better than the one I purchased.

Will upgrade to a better photo system soon.

This is kind of my final masterpiece for a little while. I've combined all the elements of the searchlights and created this light. Hopefully it works well. Do wish I had a pick-up truck to make transporting and show casing the light easier. Maybe if aI get a few sales for rentals I'll get an old clunker.

Getting ready for a testing. The focusing is accomplished with a delta plate for three dimensional adjustments. I'll add vent hoods and other weather proofing soon. I have a tempered glass front lens and a plexiglass front lens for when I need the searchlight to be lighter in weight. The cooling fans provide more than adequate air to keep things cool under 100 degrees on an 80 degree night. I was surprised by how well the bath fans work at only $15.00 Home Depot.


Ready to test after some basic adjustments. Gorilla searchlight now outfitted with 4k watt HMI
The 36 inch Gorilla has been outfitted to operate in inclement weather, a four thousand watt HMI lamp producing over 385,000 lumen light output.

Here you can see the final version of the 72 inch Lord of Lights before it was temporarily mothballed due to lack of storage space.

This really was a nice light. May resurect it next year.

Well of course this thing is powerful, but I can't test it at night yet, because it's gonna scare a lot of people..!
Cranberry Red, or something like it.

Here's the new 36 inch Gorilla reconditioned into the 4 Kwatt beast it is now. Essentially this is the big beast now, as it combines all the good attributes of the other searchlights into one.

Want to test this at night, but the touchy situation with a neighbor having a fight with her boyfriend means I'll probably have to pack this like sardines into my car and find a parking lot somewhere and not get into too much trouble...lol.

The horizontal bars are from the magnetic ballast lag wave.




Plastic lens works well under the heat, but I wasn't cooling the back reflector enough so it tarnished unevenly into a deep golden color. Will have to work on that, add maybe a forth fan just for cooling some of those critical components, or decide it works well enough for now and make improvements along the way...it's already way super bright..!

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Getting an idea of the beam


Forms a nice tight beam for several hundred feet, but I wasn't able to shine it way out, for fear of disturbing people....I'm going to have to work on this.

Looks like daylight.





Here's how it looks sitting outside my humble garage / shop.



Looking forward to testing this beauty at night soon. I have a hundred foot extension chord made just for the output from the ballast.

This thing is awesome. It's very bright and can be seen for many miles shining in the air, even with lots of light pollution. Really does a nice job lighting up Cumulonimbus clouds.
Had everything set up and by chance many neighbors weren't home and others were up past their bedtime, so I took a quick ten minutes and fired up this bad boy and took some night shots. Beam isn't as well collimated as I wanted, still needs some focus fine tuning, but it still makes a very impressive beam that can be seen for many miles and draws quite the crowd.

Here's a view from a block away. Very impressive. I'll get better photos as time permits.


Beam as seen from near my shop with searchlight.







As seen from a block away, The 36 inch Gorilla has been outfitted and upgraded for weather resistance but now Much Brighter at 385,000 lumen.


Beam looks cool seen through the trees. Dominates the sky and looks quite beautiful. Won't look like UFO's in the clouds, as the beam spreads just enough to still light the clouds, but not so bright and with a beam that can be seen connecting it to it's source for customers to travel joyfully to...lol.


I coudln't go very far as I only had a few minutes, as many people noticed this bright beam in the sky and start to travel towards it. I had to stop the migration before my neighbors got upset over another spotlight traffic jam.






As seen from half a block away, The 36 inch Gorilla has been outfitted and upgraded for weather resistance but now Much Brighter at 385,000 lumen. Work on this will continue to improve it. Someone need a bright light for rent?

The big 50 inch Monster is getting a make over to make it shine bright!
Of course that's no ordinary light socket it can handle up to 50,000 watts,... I'm only going to put a 4000 watt light on it ....HMI.

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This socket will be placed into the 50 inc Monster Searchlight so we can see this babe light up the sky like the WWII 60 inch carbon arc searchlights do..!
This is going to rock!

The light we've all been waiting for! The 50 inch, Monster, 4,000 watt HMI version upgrade is about ready for it's first test. A few critical adjustments and IGNITION sequence begins next few nights when my neighbors aren't trying to sleep..! Just making sure everything is safe and secure.

Buddy you got some lumens going on there! That 72 incher is a monster. Only one word to describe it. AWESOME.

m4a1usr said:

Buddy you got some lumens going on there! That 72 incher is a monster. Only one word to describe it. AWESOME.

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Thanks for the encouragement. The Monster is about to "Rock"..! This light may perform better than I had started to think it would based on purely analytical and theoretical evaluations.

Getting the 50 inch Monster ready to shine like it was originally designed to do...with nearly 400,000 lumen, similar to the 60 inch WWII 425,000 lumen carbon arc.

Attempting to not upset the new Condominium owners, I'm moving slowly and discreetly so as not to draw TOO MUCH ATTENTION to my project....HA HA.

Searchlight reflecting Condominium Windows.



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You can see an upstairs condominium unit's window reflecting off the massive 50 inch Monster's mirror.









Nice sky reflection with part of a cloud seen.










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Straight on view showing only about 6% of the light is blocked by the support structures, bulb and split back reflector and socket and cooling vent.









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Checking out the neighborhood before the Monster unit roars to life as the new 4,000 watt HMI short arc bulb, within unleashes, it's mighty powerful light beam into the waiting night sky

I had discounted the Monster design as being inefficient compared to the Gorilla and NightHawk design. The Monster may not be quite as efficient in converting light energy into a beam, but it converts more of the light into a longer focal length allowing the light it does collect and reflect to travel further and at longer lengths, appear brighter and in a thinner more defined beam. Both designs have their advantages. This thing is going to rock.!

yes this is my first post but this things cool, I've been into lights for a while now and have been creeping around here for a while but what exactly would happen if you were to put a second bulb in this thing or would it even be possible/ why wouldn't it be. I understand heat would be an issue to an extent but shouldn't be to hard to over come givven the already vast size of the project.

Rob1563 said:

yes this is my first post but this things cool, I've been into lights for a while now and have been creeping around here for a while but what exactly would happen if you were to put a second bulb in this thing or would it even be possible/ why wouldn't it be. I understand heat would be an issue to an extent but shouldn't be to hard to over come givven the already vast size of the project.

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Yes this is an exciting, fun set of projects, all to get me the "BIG LIGHT" Homemade style..!

A second or third bulb of types has been a consideration. The focal point of course is an issue. The big reflectors can have a larger area that will focus somewhat into a beam and some spotlights do that to make the beam move without moving the spotlight...they move the light source it self within a small area near the focal point and the beam works fairly well.

I'm working on a bayonet or rotating bulb master head...a gambol type mechanism that would rotate different bulbs in and out of the focal area to be used as light sources. The smaller weaker sources would be fired up near each other, but my large bulbs literally generate as much heat as a large oven on maximum high heat, broil.! Lots of heat. I do plan on making the spot lights out of all metal as my metal working skills have greatly improved. I need to find a an affordable, safe shop to further this great craft, so as not to drive my loving neighbors crazy.

Should have this latest baby up and running when I get a few hours of free time next few days, week or so..

Hope you have fun checking out all these great people and their marvelous lights here on Candle Power Forum..!:thumbsup:

When are you going to have some beam shots of this Monster? Also, you keep saying fans. Do you mean blowers? Hot as a oven? Wow! I guess the bugs that fly close in front of it are vaporized! lol

I saw a local guy years ago who did stuff like this. He made some type of zoom mechanism for his. He had a rod that he could slid the bulb part up and down. I never saw it work. He claimed it could zoom it and helped him focus the beam. I wish I had take pics of his rig. It was all on a trailer with a generator and all.

How long does this thing take to cool off after you have run it? Also, I missed how you power this thing up?

Str8stroke said:

When are you going to have some beam shots of this Monster? Also, you keep saying fans. Do you mean blowers? Hot as a oven? Wow! I guess the bugs that fly close in front of it are vaporized! lol

I saw a local guy years ago who did stuff like this. He made some type of zoom mechanism for his. He had a rod that he could slid the bulb part up and down. I never saw it work. He claimed it could zoom it and helped him focus the beam. I wish I had take pics of his rig. It was all on a trailer with a generator and all.

How long does this thing take to cool off after you have run it? Also, I missed how you power this thing up?

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Good questions.

-> Yes, blowers, as in bathroom fans or small squirrel cage blowers, good at moving a fairly large volume of forced air, in a small inexpensive package...$15.00 Makes all the difference...one searchlight uses three in parallel. it's the difference in the equipment running at a warm to slightly hot condition as opposed to very hot and often some smoke from the socket and housing area...usually my first main concern for cooling. Reflectors and other tarnishable and combustible materials are kept cool. The more advanced searchlights will use thermostatic cooling and safety shut down circuitry.

-> The bugs fly within five feet or so and are then usually dead before they get any closer and just fall to the ground ....I was originally concerned about the bugs touching the bulb and leaving behind material that would start the whole bulb outer envelope disintegration problem...but they never make it. Fortunately birds don't seem to be a problem.

-> Have zoom on this unit to help focus and change beam diameter, but it is probably not going to be used in this model during operation except for fine tuning the focus since it isn't real smooth and components get borderline too hot to handle and it's close to the high amperage leads. A bit of jury rigging on this light...saving money for the holidays.

-> Powering it at home is easy of course, I just use the stove, oven breaker and separate garage plug. On the road I have a multi-fuel, (Propane mostly for storage considerations) 7,000 watt peak, 5,600 watt constant run on propane, relatively quiet generator with electric start.

I'm aiming for this weekend for initial test, but I went ahead and started adding a barrel to eliminate much of the glare from the light spill. This particular arrangement waste some of the light radiating from the bulb in exchange for a more telescope mirror type arrangement with a longer focal length that should get the light that is captured to travel much farther and culminated. This arrangement is similar to the 60" Carbon arc searchlights.

Hope to have at least the initial testing done after I get some free time...maybe this weekend.:naughty:

Awesome response. Thank you.
I find this project just amazing.
I would think that adding a barrel would be a must have feature. It also makes me think of UV radiation. Is radiation a issue of concern when running this beast? Not that you would have it aimed at you or people, just wondering if the side spill could be dangerous.

Thanks, I look forward to more updates and some beam shots! Time to fashion a Batman logo for it too! lol

Str8stroke said:

Awesome response. Thank you.
I find this project just amazing.
I would think that adding a barrel would be a must have feature. It also makes me think of UV radiation. Is radiation a issue of concern when running this beast? Not that you would have it aimed at you or people, just wondering if the side spill could be dangerous.

Thanks, I look forward to more updates and some beam shots! Time to fashion a Batman logo for it too! lol

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Glad you asked. the "Split beam Back Reflector" unit can has a built in barrel to reduce glare, plus I'm adding one to the main reflector. UV radiation from this particular bulb is at a minimum from the UV protective outer bulb feature of single ended bulbs. With Salable searchlights I'll add a safety UV lens to the front of the searchlight for overall weather and radiation protection.

Standing in front of the unit during operation is actually going to be quite awesome, if it's anything like the other configurations using this bulb. In the winter time, cold nights, standing a hundred feet out is like a pleasant warm summer night. Use my 1,000 watt Halogen version of the 30 inch NightHawk at cold construction sites. Nice, bright and warm in cold conditions for several hundred feet if in the beam itself.

Here is the beginning stage of a secondary light barrel I'm adding for extra protection.:thumbsup:

Been under the weather for a few. Up and running now. Adding a light shield barrel to reduce the glare from the powerful 385,000 lumen bulb. Early night fall makes it easier to try this modified beast out. Really was intended for a high wattage small arc bulb all along, but for a variety of reasons am only getting to this point now. Just a few more "precautionary" additions to the searchlight so things will go smoothly on "opening" night.

:twothumbs https://flic.kr/p/z5wABQ


Have some water-resistance work to do to make it not so susceptible:naughty: to rain.

Should be awesome next few. Taking a little longer...don't want to rush this too fast. HA.

Here is the Progress on the 50 inch Moster Searchlight.

guiri said:

I like the red beast..

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Finally finished the basic light shield 'barrel'.

Figured I'd better do some initial testing to get things ready for the weekend "Night Shoot".

First daytime test of the 4,000 watt HMI powered "50 inch 'MONSTER' Searchlight" at 385,000 lumen.



Aimed the searchlight at my favorite garage doors and trees. The farther ones at 450 feet have been dropped for construction.


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Garage door lit by searchlight is about 140 foot distance from searchlight.

Beam grows about 2-1/2 feet every hundred feet. Beam is about 132 feet in diameter at one mile distance or about the size of a baseball field at two miles, lit up almost as bright as many town ball parks at that distance. Should light up the cloud bright enough at that distance; to be easily visible from the ground.







Aiming it at one of my familiar trees at about 240 feet from searchlight.

First daytime test of the 4,000 watt HMI powered "50 inch 'MONSTER' Searchlight" at 385,000 lumen. Tree lit by searchlight is about 240 feet distance from searchlight.

The beam is much smaller than from the 72 inch Lord of Lights", Searchlight which has a brighter initial beam that spreads out faster.

Beam grows about 2-1/2 feet every hundred feet. Beam is about 132 feet in diameter at one mile distance or about the size of a baseball field at two miles, lit up almost as bright as many town ball parks at that distance. Should light up the cloud bright enough at that distance; to be easily visible from the ground.







Some other Garage doors down the block.
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Garage doors lit by searchlight are about 250 foot distance from searchlight.

Here's a combined composite photo of the two different garage doors for rough comparison.


Hope to have this thing up and running Saturday night...and ready for Halloween in a month. The cabling allows me to leave the heavy ballast in the garage yet carry the lightweight searchlight up to the second floor deck to keep it away from the throngs of people.:naughty:

:twothumbs

Str8stroke said:

:twothumbs

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guiri said:

It's 4 am, do you know where your blind neighbors are?

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Here is the best light I have right now for a variety of reasons...the biggest is it's actually easy to transport ans store this 50 Inch MONSTER searchlight....a good substitute for the GE and Sperry 60" WWII carbon arc lights.

I'll work on making a small sport version of this light. Depends on many factors what type FL and or type reflector, shallow,telescope, or more parabolic deep dish style...


My tribute and a temporary substitute for the 60 inch WWII carbon arc searchlight, for anyone with limited space for storage, (light as seen can hang in closet).
This is an excellent design after many experiments. Someday if I have the room, I'd like to get a GE or Sperry, but for now this will work.:

Excited Law enforcement officers informed me they could see it many miles out on their patrol and just had to come by and see it, since they knew no businesses are out this far.

Big learning experience. I built this 50 inch Monster reflector six years ago and sort of didn't do much because it needed a very bright bulb to do it justice. Dimmer bulbs just barely made abeam. This thing took the light a and shot it into the night sky. For ease of transport, storage with ease of extraction, I have decided to make this my big light for now. The 72 inch is so big, I had to partially disassemble it just to store the pieces. For now the 50 inch MONSTER will be the big dominant light until I get a shop where I won't drive my neighbors crazy. Have to decommission things a little until I can get into a production facility.

This thing is "AWESOME" Had kind of shelved this light in favor of more efficient reflector designs. This set up allows for less light to be collected from bulb, but with a much longer focal length, the light travels further in a more parallel beam configuration. Beam had the effect of looking somewhat like a laser and was hard to tell from which direction it was coming from when beam aimed near horizon.

50 inch Searchlight MONSTER was shelved for a few years while I was waiting to secure a 4,000 watt HMI 385,000 lumen light source. It is a good substitute for the 60 inch WWII searchlights that need much loving care to keep going. This 50 inch MONSTER will help keep the big light legacy going well into the 21st century and beyond. The beautiful beam is a nice painting to a glorious night sky. Photo from a yard or two away.

Photo taken behind MONSTER showing the beam traveling several miles.

Photo taken from a block away

Photos taken a few blocks away.

Photo from a block away. Beam paints a nice color in the night sky. Turquoise blue color looks nice.

Photos taken around and from a few hundred feet distance.

Photo from a block away. Walking way from searchlight, the beam appears to follow. Aimed near the horizon, people couldn't tell which direction it was coming from...nice narrow beam compared to my other searchlights.

The beautiful beam is a nice painting to a glorious night sky. Photo from directly beneath the beam, next to searchlight.

Photo from near mail boxes, block away...300 feet...

Some good views from a block away...several hundred feet. Couldn't go any where with the crowds coming to see. Police almost said they'd stay and watch while I drove around to take photos.

Some of these composites were hard to align with the camera tripod. Software to straighten the photos was unavailable.

Photo from a block away.

Photo from a block away.

Photo from a block away.
Photos showing beam traveling overhead. Laser like look, hard to tell direction beam came from when aimed near horizon.


Photo from a block away. Beam paints a nice color in the night sky. Turquoise blue color looks nice.
Photo from behind searchlight.
I'll get back to posting on this shortly.