rapt
Newly Enlightened
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2006
- Messages
- 16
Home made HID torch.
I decided to build a hid torch because the ones on the marker here were way overpriced. I am an importer of leds and Lasers so I decided to import the Hid bulb and ballast from a manufacture as a sample.
I should have just got a second hand one because there are allot of people who take their HID units out of their cars when one of the bulbs stop working, These sell for about $48USD
Cost
5,000,000 canldle power torch (100W halogen H3) $12.5 USD
35W Hid bulb H3 (6000k) and ballast $90 USD including shipping from China
The torch was on special. It came with a carry strap, ac charger and a dc 12v charger.
It runs of 2x 6v 4Ah batteries
How to build your HID torch
The Torch
The Kit.
The bulb in the torch was already a H3 bulb so it just un-clipped and the new bulb clipped right in.
The Balast was too big to mount inside the torch so it had to be mounted on the out side, 2 holes had to be dirlled in the side for the cables to go in to the torch. These holes were large because I did not want to cut the High voltage connectors off the leads. Small holes were also made so the ballast could bolt on the side.
As you can see the plastic that keeps the batterys in place had to be trimmed to make way for the cables to come through.
After the ballast is bolted on to the side of the torch and the cables inserted in the holes the batterys can be put back in.
The power cables were too long so I decided to chop them in half and put new spade connectors on them.
Final assembly: . Before plugging the Ballast in to the power check the battery's with a multimeter to make sure it is off. You don't want to get zapped by 22,000V.
Coil the cables around so they are not in the way and cable tie in place.
That's it.
Time to test it.
Hid bulbs are supposed to be about 3x brighter than standard bulbs so 3 *35 =105 equivalent. The standard bulb was a 100W bulb but because of the colours temperature it looks brighter and the beam is visible in mid air.
The focus is still good and there is a bright spot in the middle with a bit of side spill. I used it for about ½ an hour and the batterys went flat. I will have to charge it up fully and do some more testing.
I decided to build a hid torch because the ones on the marker here were way overpriced. I am an importer of leds and Lasers so I decided to import the Hid bulb and ballast from a manufacture as a sample.
I should have just got a second hand one because there are allot of people who take their HID units out of their cars when one of the bulbs stop working, These sell for about $48USD
Cost
5,000,000 canldle power torch (100W halogen H3) $12.5 USD
35W Hid bulb H3 (6000k) and ballast $90 USD including shipping from China
The torch was on special. It came with a carry strap, ac charger and a dc 12v charger.
It runs of 2x 6v 4Ah batteries
How to build your HID torch
The Torch
The Kit.
The bulb in the torch was already a H3 bulb so it just un-clipped and the new bulb clipped right in.
The Balast was too big to mount inside the torch so it had to be mounted on the out side, 2 holes had to be dirlled in the side for the cables to go in to the torch. These holes were large because I did not want to cut the High voltage connectors off the leads. Small holes were also made so the ballast could bolt on the side.
As you can see the plastic that keeps the batterys in place had to be trimmed to make way for the cables to come through.
After the ballast is bolted on to the side of the torch and the cables inserted in the holes the batterys can be put back in.
The power cables were too long so I decided to chop them in half and put new spade connectors on them.
Final assembly: . Before plugging the Ballast in to the power check the battery's with a multimeter to make sure it is off. You don't want to get zapped by 22,000V.
Coil the cables around so they are not in the way and cable tie in place.
That's it.
Time to test it.
Hid bulbs are supposed to be about 3x brighter than standard bulbs so 3 *35 =105 equivalent. The standard bulb was a 100W bulb but because of the colours temperature it looks brighter and the beam is visible in mid air.
The focus is still good and there is a bright spot in the middle with a bit of side spill. I used it for about ½ an hour and the batterys went flat. I will have to charge it up fully and do some more testing.
