35W HID Questions - Safety, etc.

[kuksul08]

Hey everyone,

Alright, normally I'm an LED guy, but this has really got me interested :naughty:

Today I pulled the HID bulb (D2S), reflector, lens, ballast, and igniter from an old headlight I had sitting in my room from a BMW.

I really know nothing about HID lights as far as the components, how they function, how to handle them, etc. Can someone direct me to some information on the topic, or describe it for me simply?

Here's what I'm playing with. I want to turn it on tonight once I find out the polarity of the plug. There are lightning bolt symbols all over the components... what do I need to watch out for so I don't get electrocuted?

Eventually I plan to actually use it on something since I know it's VERY bright. What type of power source am I looking at to keep this running for a reasonable amount of time (more than a few minutes, less than an hour)?

Thanks!!:wave:

 

[mvyrmnd]

A good Li-Po battery should get you the runtime you need, without breaking your arm with weight.

Have a look for a HID spotlight build by Norm. He's got his all rigged up for Li-Po.

If you want to save a few $ on batteries and a gym membership, you can get a 12V SLA. It'll give more runtime, but weighs a hell of a lot more.

It looks like a pretty standard HID ballast, so if you sift through the HID/Spotlights forum, you should find plenty of pics and info in there.

As for how not to hurt yourself? Don't touch any wires on the bulb side of the ballast. It'll be peaking at 25,000V or so, and will certainly do you a mischief.

 

[dudemar]

Before custom building an HID I would suggest reading up on the subject. Use the search function and you'll get tons of information. The lightning bolt images are there for good reason.:naughty:

 

[kuksul08]

Thanks. I have been perusing the threads in the HID section a bit. I guess it's pretty straightforward. When I first came here researching LED's I was totally lost, CPF is definitely the enthusiast's site so I get a LOT more details for a beginner.

Here's a silly question... do you think I could run it from 10 Eneloops? I may end up mounting this on my touring bicycle which has a rack, so I can support the weight of a small (motorcycle?) battery, ballast and igniter on that. This isn't something I will carry around.

Time to research more

BTW, I just connected these pieces to my car (12V) and it lit up nicely. The beam is very irregular though. I handled it with some welding gloves haha.

 

[mvyrmnd]

If it did manage to run from eneloops, it would only last for a few minutes, if not seconds.

If you wanted it on the bike, I'd go for a Li-Po battery to fit on the rack.

Remember that this setup is designed to spread the light, and the beam is shaped for whichever side of the car is was on. If you want a regular hotspot, you'll need to use a reflector.