MAXABLASTER BEAMSHOTS

Ra · #1 11-05-2006, 07:28 AM

Hi guyzz,

I've been on vacation for a while, but now I'm back..

In the south of France there are many oppertunities to use Maxablaster to its full extend!
So here some beamshots I want to share with you:

A comparision with Maxabeam:

BTW: During this vacation I had to fully reorganise the electronics-division of Maxablaster: The electronics I used earlier died on me!!

The bad part: I had to settle for an inverter/ballast combination: The best ballast for the job needed somewhere between 90 and 260 volts input.

So now Maxablaster has an inverter mounted under its belly:

So the overall efficiency of the electronics went down to a 75% or so, leaving a total burntime of about 70 minutes on one charge.

The inverter produces a 220Volt modified sine. The ballast has a wide input range of 90-264volts AC and DC and is powerfactor corrected!!

This has one big advantage: There are two voltage-buffers (and one of them is very wide!), that means that the lamp always exactly gets what it needs.

Even the illustrious Maxabeam does not have an uniform performance over one battery-charge!

If Maxablaster produces 4005.76 lumens with a full charge, it will produce 4005.76 lumens with the batteries almost empty!!

Do you want to know where I stayed?? Look at this little village at a distance of 6.2 km:

And:

With the new electronics-setup the power has increased, I still need to measure the candlepower output, maybe later this week.
Earlier Maxablaster operated at about 85watts, now it is operating at 105 watts: It lights up my livingroom with about the same power as 50watt HID does! So the lumens output must be increased quite a lot !!

The new ballast also has a 115watt output... I've not dared to try that yet..

Hope you enjoy this. If more is to come, you will be the first to know !!

Regards,

Ra.

LuxLuthor · #2 11-05-2006, 01:35 PM

ROFL...how far away are those various shots? I can't relate to meters.

AtomSphere · #3 11-05-2006, 01:42 PM

OMG! Mega thrower spotted!

It would be fun to leave the light "ON" and go to that location where it is shinning. You will feel the joy of bathing in light

Ra · #4 11-05-2006, 02:31 PM

Yes AtomSphere,

Some of my friends were out there, they were truely amazed by the amount of 'sunlight' they saw comming from 6.2km away !!

They said the observatory was almost lit like in daylight ! Ofcource their eyes were adapted to the dark at that time...

Regards,

Ra.

ShortArc · #5 11-05-2006, 02:40 PM

Amazing!
Which bulb, ballast, inverter, etc did you use?

Spacemarine · #6 11-05-2006, 04:43 PM

Truely awesome Job!!!

smurf_boi · #7 11-06-2006, 12:59 AM

jawdropping pics...wow...

jtice · #8 11-06-2006, 06:40 AM

Those are some really cool shots!

Amazing how tight that reflector is getting that beam.
I would love to be on that other hillside, watching that spot move across the landscape.

~John

matrixshaman · #9 11-06-2006, 07:43 AM

6200 meters is about 3.85 Miles! Now I just want to have that power in a pocket carry version

windstrings · #10 11-06-2006, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matrixshaman

6200 meters is about 3.85 Miles! Now I just want to have that power in a pocket carry version

Just make sure it has a "stun" setting and not kill only.

Now thats what I call a long distance throw.. I would be fun to compare those great distances with some HID models so see if there was even a chance.

The HID's would be a much much wider beam.... and you would light up that whole right side of the village at that distance!.. maybe more!

wow.. talk about a lazer!.. thats about as close as you can get without talking to Mr. Scott!

Anyone need to tree a coon at 3.8 miles away?

Ra · #11 11-06-2006, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShortArc

Amazing!
Which bulb, ballast, inverter, etc did you use?

Bulb: Osram HBO103/W2

Ballast: Ushio HBX76 (with internal igniter)

Inverter: Monacor TWI-150/12

And ofcource an hourcounter, voltage-check module, two temperature control boards, two high power relays and an additional cooling-fan (the ballast already has an internal fan)

Oh,, and 50 Ni-Mh sub-c cells...

Regards,

Ra.

That_Guy · #12 11-07-2006, 04:48 AM

My jaw drops every time I see pictures of that beast in action. I hope nobody was using the observatory!

What do you think the candlepower output is now that you've increased the power to the bulb? Do you think you have broken the 50 million cp mark?

Why do you think the original ballast stopped working? Do you think it overheated?

The inverter is surprisingly compact and unobtrusive. I always thought that the size of an inverter made the use of mains-powered ballasts impractical for battery powered HIDs. Not so it seems!

The new ballast looks pretty good. Has a number of nifty features and is fairly compact for 100W (specs here if anyone is interested). Is the start up behaviour of the lamp improved over the old ballast?

Could you please post some more pictures of the inside light itself? I'm quite interested in how it all works.

Thanks.

windstrings · #13 11-07-2006, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jtice

Those are some really cool shots!

Amazing how tight that reflector is getting that beam.
I would love to be on that other hillside, watching that spot move across the landscape.

~John

So let me see if I get this right.. because I just learned this logic myself.

Its the short Arc "size of the arc" that makes it easy to focus so tight.

Its easier to harness all of its light with a given size reflector and throw it into a pinpoint... a longer arc "within the bulb"... like in HID would take a much bigger reflector to do the same thing as I understand it... a matter of physics.

But with the shorter arc, there is less actual light or lumens than with a long arc under the same power. But due to it being so focused it becomes usable in a unique way. If you spread that same light out over a bigger area such as the HID covers, it would be weaker due to less total lumens.

The arc of the HID being longer takes a few tricks to get it to jump and do its thing... very high initial voltage that would normally burn it up in a few seconds, but then the gasses heat up and do thier thing and the voltage quickly drops to normal levels for the warmup which takes 20 - 40 seconds or so for full brightness.
Thats why HID cannot strobe.

You see a very high candlepower rating with short arc because of its tight focus and thats the amount of light on a given spot, but the total usable light is less.... so theres the trade-off.

So if you want the razor/laser type effect that has "no spill, no corona" but a nice beam that seems to go forever, the short arc is the best choice.

So if you don't need instant on and If you want a wider beam with a large corona and nice spill so you can not only see your target, but also how it relates to its surroundings, "turning night into day effect", the HID is the way to go.

If the HID has been on recently "last 10 - 20 seconds" it can restrike and gain full brightness vitually instantly, just like the short arc, but the gasses have to already be really hot.

Aside from the instant on, if you get enough lumens with an HID, you vitually get the benifit of both!

I"m sure if I didn't get all that right.. I will be corrected.....

ShortArc · #14 11-07-2006, 08:46 AM

Now I am even more impressed!
Those are some quality components....
May have to try and build one....winters are long here in Mass.
What is your estimated component cost if you don't mind me asking?
Regards,
Willem.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ra

Bulb: Osram HBO103/W2

Ballast: Ushio HBX76 (with internal igniter)

Inverter: Monacor TWI-150/12

And ofcource an hourcounter, voltage-check module, two temperature control boards, two high power relays and an additional cooling-fan (the ballast already has an internal fan)

Oh,, and 50 Ni-Mh sub-c cells...

Regards,

Ra.

Ra · #15 11-07-2006, 10:58 AM

That Guy,

Hopefully I'm going to measure the output later this week, but I expect at least very close to 50 Mcp. Somehow I always want to measure the cp-output from at least 1000 metres away, so I need a very transparent atmosphere.
Ofcource some of the light will be absorbed by the atmosphere, so the actual output of Maxablaster always is somewhat higher than the measured value at 1000m, but hard to tell is how much higher.
The problem is the small arc: You need to be at quite a distance before the entire reflector is lit by the arc (Guess 150 yards)

The new electronics give way better performance: Startup without any problems, due to higher power startup time is shorter. I've run the Maxablaster for a total of 12 hours now with the new electronics, and I have a confident feeling about its stabillity and performance.

The olther electronics are repared under warranty by the manufacturer, they said that they could not determine what went wrong! There were no visible marks of components overheating, or any smells that point in that direction. So maybe soon another short-arc torch will roll of my drawing-table..

You'll have to wait for pictures from the inside: I'm not eager to open the M-blaster because deformation of the reflector meight occur. I had to make very painstaking effords to keep the reflector in its original shape: Mounting must be within tenths of a mm !! or the beam will not be uniform.

WINDSTRINGS:

Most of what you wrote is correct.. Only a few things:

This torch uses a mercury short-arc, with even higher surface brichtness than the xenon short-arcs (Maxabeam, Megaray). But this means that its not instand on, it even needs a little more time than HID to get to full output.
But its more efficient than xenon: A simple ceiling-bounce test learned that the Maxablaster has about the same lumens output at 105 watts as HID at 50 watts! (torchlumens ofcource) Xenon short-arc reaches only 1900 bulblumens at 100watt! If I recall correctly 50watt HID gives about 5500 lumens??

I also made a 45/65watt HID Thor-mod, and indeed that one is far more practical.
HID is the best overall solution if you want much lumens with decent throw (mine does one mile at 65watt) HID is more practical in therms of lamp-reliabillity, color rendering, colortemperature and can be used for more purposes. I know the needle thin laser-like beam of Maxablaster is not practical to walk your dog with!! It will probably cook your dog !!

I wanted to create a throw-monster, so I did.. BTW I am thinking of creating an electronic focus on Maxablaster, but with the perfect parabolic reflector I always will have a dark spot at the center when turning to flood!! Maybe I'll come with a solution for that prob..

Maybe Maxablaster is the elete on throw, but it has many disadvantages: Its by far not as simple as modding a Thor to (automotive-..) HID: I did that in one day, Maxablaster took me about one year !! Many hazards are to be overcome: Ultra violet light, the production of ozone, the possibillity of lampburst and super high voltages !! Making a safe enclosure, designing lamp- and connector-mount. And not to mention: HOW THE HELL DO I GET ALL THIS STUFF IN THE THOR !!!???

And SHORTARC:

The total component costs are about $2000 !!

Regards,

Ra.

windstrings · #16 11-07-2006, 11:32 AM

Nice pic!.. thats a knarly looking bulb!

ShortArc · #17 11-07-2006, 11:36 AM

RA,
Thanks for the info. I guesstimated that magnitude of component cost.
Most scary are the technical challenges though!!!
This may just be a project best left to the pros….

Ra · #18 11-07-2006, 11:50 AM

For those among you that have missed the original Maxablaster-thread:

http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=125819

And SHORTARC,

Its a pitty that I live far, far away.. I could help you make one if I lived in the US..

Regards,

Ra.

windstrings · #19 11-07-2006, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ra

This torch uses a mercury short-arc, with even higher surface brichtness than the xenon short-arcs (Maxabeam, Megaray). But this means that its not instand on, it even needs a little more time than HID to get to full output.
Ra.

I"m sure thats working in your favor to create lumens, but the other still stands I would think... an arc so many mm's will not put out as much light as one much longer.

It sounds like your "short arc" is longer than the average short arc, hence the need for mercury and a long starup time?

Ra · #20 11-07-2006, 02:58 PM

The arc of the mercury short-arc is in fact even smaller compared to the arc of a xenon short-arc like the one in Maxabeam!

You cannot compare the mercury-arc with an automotive HID-arc: Two totally different worlds (its confusing that both are called HID !!) The mercury-arc has over 40 times higher surface brightness compared to automotive HID !! So the automotive HID-arc needs to have an at least 40 times bigger *EDIT: REFLECTOR-*surface to produce the same amount of lumens *EDIT: THROW (not lumens!)* as the mercury-arc.

So, over 40 times the surface brightness means thats you will never ever reach the throw of mercury-arc with HID unless you use a reflector with at least 6.3 times the diameter !

The mercury is to create an ultra high pressure mercury-atmosphere (90atms)to boost the surface brightness of the arc to ultra high levels.

Regards,

Ra.

ShortArc · #21 11-07-2006, 03:10 PM

RA,
Thanks for pointing out the original thread. I missed that one all together.
I travel to Holland several times a year, maybe next time I am over there you can point the Maxablaster upwards and I will try and locate you!
Great job on the light.

windstrings · #22 11-07-2006, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ra

The arc of the mercury short-arc is in fact even smaller compared to the arc of a xenon short-arc like the one in Maxabeam!

You cannot compare the mercury-arc with an automotive HID-arc: Two totally different worlds (its confusing that both are called HID !!) The mercury-arc has up to 40 times higher surface brightness compared to automotive HID !! So the automotive HID-arc needs to have an at least 40 times bigger surface to produce the same amount of lumens as the mercury-arc.

And 40 times the surface brightness also means thats you will never ever reach the throw of mercury-arc with HID unless you use a reflector with 6 times the diametre !

The mercury is to create an ultra high pressure mercury-atmosphere (90atms)to boost the surface brightness of the arc to ultra high levels.

Regards,

Ra.

Wow.. quite facinating.. Mr. Scott!

A very interesting bulb indeed..... Sounds like it may indeed cook your dog if you pointed it at him.. must be very very hot to be that small of an arc and still produce such lumens.

Have you tried roasting your neighbors wiener?

Ra · #23 11-07-2006, 03:43 PM

For those who want to know:

At first even I underestimated the dangers involved with a project like this:

One day, standing in the bathroom, I noticed a severe sunburned area on my forehead, at first not knowing where that came from...I suddenly remembered testing the Mercury arc lamp a few days earlier, protecting my eyes with a type 13 welding-filter. Conclusion: The rest of my face unprotected, in about 45 seconds (!!!) I 'ultraviolated' my forehead, causing those sunburn-marks!

That even when I knew the dangers involved: The downside of superhigh surface brightness: The 100watt mercury-arc lamp relatively has the highest UV-output of all short-arcs ! Down to the most dangerous, ozone creating UV-C !!

Oh.. and yes WINDSTRINGSS, very,very hot!! After switch-off the entire bulb glows yello-hot !! Thats why there always is the danger of lampburst! If I can find the time this week I'll try to photograph the bulb just after switch-off..

Regards,

Ra.

windstrings · #24 11-07-2006, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ra

Oh.. and yes WINDSTRINGSS, very,very hot!! After switch-off the entire bulb glows yello-hot !! Thats why there always is the danger of lampburst! If I can find the time this week I'll try to photograph the bulb just after switch-off..

Regards,

Ra.

When my HID is turned off, it glows a faint "very beautiful" baby blue for several seconds.. maybe 20 or so.

Ra · #25 11-08-2006, 12:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by windstrings

When my HID is turned off, it glows a faint "very beautiful" baby blue for several seconds.. maybe 20 or so.

Many bulbs do that: My HID does the same thing. I have 75watt xenon short-arcs with the same blueish afterglow. However, the mercury-arc lamp does not.

The blueish afterglow is caused by the type of quartz used for the bulb: It converts part of the infrared to blue visible light. A bulb that just has been switched off still radiates a lot of IR for a period of time.

Regards,

Ra.

LuxLuthor · #26 11-08-2006, 12:22 AM

Holy Crap Ra !!!! You truly are the Sun God !!

windstrings · #27 01-02-2007, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LuxLuthor

Holy Crap Ra !!!! You truly are the Sun God !!

He's ba ba ba ba bad.... baaad to da bone!

XeRay · #28 01-02-2007, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by windstrings

The arc of the HID being longer takes a few tricks to get it to jump and do its thing... very high initial voltage that would normally burn it up in a few seconds, but then the gasses heat up and do thier thing and the voltage quickly drops to normal levels for the warmup which takes 20 - 40 seconds or so for full brightness. Thats why HID cannot strobe.

We do "strobe" our Aviation HID see our website for visual display. We do 1Hz rate on each light. 1/2 second on 1/2 second off.

windstrings · #29 01-02-2007, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XeRay

We do "strobe" our Aviation HID see our website for visual display. We do 1Hz rate on each light. 1/2 second on 1/2 second off.

Wholly smokes.. I'm getting old.. I was reading that saying.. "I didn't write that!" LOL!.... I forgot about your Hot restrike whereas once its already hot from a normal startup, it can reignite without the usual ritual....

I stand corrected...........

'again....

PROFG · #30 01-07-2007, 07:30 AM

Hey Ra, talk about skyshine, a wonder those observatory guys didn't send over some lumps in trenchcoats! Excellent beamshots. Thanks.