consequences of 'overvolting' WA Solarc?

[hit4six]

Hi folks, this is my first post. I hope it is in the right place.

My question is, what are the consequences of running a Welch Alllyn Solarc 10w ballast and matching lamp with imput range 12.8-13.2v at a higher voltage, for example 14v-15v? I tried it for a few seconds and the bulb lit up quicker than usual and appeared much whiter in colour, less blue. I expect that this shortens bulb and ballast life, but I want to know whether it is the bulb of the ballast it is more likely to damage.

Why do I want to know? I'm tinkering with old hid bike lights. I have a spare 2-mode (originally 7w/10w) regulating switch designed for a 14.1-14.5v 10w WA solarc ballast and I currently only have one working ballast, the 12.8-13.2v WA 10w solarc ballast. I have spare bulbs, including one very old bulb which seems to manage only 250-300 lumens, so I wouldn't mind wearing out a bulb that had no use left in it anyway.

 

[BVH]

IIRC, the ballast can take a little over-volting but generally is not very tolerant of any significant over-spec input Voltage as your referencing, but I'll defer to Mac for a definitive answer.

 

[yellow]

why, instead of asking "somewhere" for such a very special question, You do not search W-As hp for the DATASHEET of Your ballast,
then run it on its max safe input voltage
(I dont have a link at hand and thus can not give it)


PS: the ballast will get even more hot + eventually the inside wires laquer might melt, causing shorts, ballast not being able to ramp up to the needed voltage any more
would not risk it

 

[hit4six]

thanks,

Perhaps I can make an early conclusion that if this is not something that people on this forum do then it is probably not worth doing ! I'll check out the datasheet though.

Yellow, thanks for the explanation of how it could destroy the ballast. I wanted to learn more about how this technology works and specifically how ballasts fail in normal use. I've just done a google search and found a great deal of information. Perhaps that is a better way to learn.

I look forward to any further replies.

 

[65535]

There's usually a pretty good reason for maximum allowable voltages/temps/currents and what not.

While in a lot of cases things can be overpowered the allowable limits are the limits that keep the devices operating in near nominal conditions and with a reasonable lifetime. Going over limits will reduce life possibly cause damage, and can be dangerous melting wires or coatings can cause shorts than can draw large currents and possibly damage power supply's be it batteries or some type of line voltage supply.

HID lamps have good tolerance for over driving, the ballasts do not.

 

[Patriot]

I've run them at 14V before but that's really driving it quite hard. As Yellow mentioned heat is the main issue. I wouldn't run one continuously over 13V as a general rule though.

 

[BVH]

Overdriving beyond "manufacturer's specs" is a personal choice. If none of us here on CPF ever did this, how would we advance performance envelopes? Published specs are one thing. Actual maximums are usually a certain percentage above published specs. If you're going to use a light regularly for typical uses, Police work, other critical tasks, then keep it stock/run it within manufacturer's specs. However, if you like experimenting and will pay attention to issues such as heat, max run times, cool-down periods, then have at it, I say! I wouldn't have the knowledge I have now if not for pushing the envelope - beyond manufacturer's specs.

 

[Patriot]

Very well put Bob! This hobby wouldn't be nearly as fun if I didn't occasionally push something to the point of failure.

 

[Flipside]

The 'Next Generation' 14W Solarc is regulated - 'over-volting' it won't do much over the Vin range (I believe it's 9-16V). Going over that range will likely lead to the release of the magic smoke contained inside. Mac's original (read unregulated) Sorac HID's were overdriven *somewhat* - and they worked fine.

 

[Nereus]

I built a MagHid a few years ago, see this thread. Even though the ballast is slightly overdriven it is running just fine. The bulb is just ok as well.

-N

 

[hit4six]

I read through your thread. Could you tell me what the quoted max input of the ballast is, sorry if i missed it.

Nice mod. I'm a bike lights person, you'll see what I do in my thread IRC Mr16 halogen. No pics yet.

 

[Nereus]

The Welch Allyn's datasheet for the B10N008 ballast only says that the nominal input voltage is 10,2V. That makes the bulb run at 10W. Assuming 75% efficiency for ballast you get 13,3W / 1,3 A input.

-N

 

[yellow]

of course W-As datasheets mention more than "nominal",
would not make sense not to offer this, it were no datasheet then but a press release or something


http://www.walamp.com/lpd/files/datasheets/MC3705RevB_10watt.pdf
(costed me 2 mins to find, therefore my 1st notice of searching for oneself - for such a very special questions)


PS: I have such a lamp housed inside a D-cell body. At nominal voltage it gets hot (the ballast!).
When being at the max. safe voltage, it gets really hot.
Take good care to get the heat away!

 

[hit4six]

Thanks for finding that for me. I had missed it, B10N002, B10N003, B10N008 that tells you which voltage input it is and the post says B10N008.

I like making friends. Yellow, Nereous, any one else affected, I didn't mean to steal those two minutes. I am sorry I can't give you your temps back, time being irredemable and all that, I really do know you could have got a better durée out of them.

It is very unlikely that I'll be overloading my ballast. My lighting needs are already met without any hid. If I do return to it I'll say how it goes.

Yellow, you confirm something I long suspected. 'Take good care to get the heat away!' The Trail tech Mr11 Hid sold by batteryspace as a bike light has the ballast and bulb each held in place by a thick layer of rubber designed to isolate the unite from engine vibration. This seems an unsuitable design for a cyclist who does not reach the speeds of an atv rider, less airflow to cool it down. I had a hid designed for cyclists with a plastic case and the ballast was smothered with (I assume) thermal paste so some effort was made to remove the heat.
enjoy your lights

 

[yellow]

hit4six, nice You came here.
Also pls take my apologies, as I think I sounded too harsh. My motivation was, that someone could have typed, that "20 V input is no problem" and - if You had tried way less 15 V then, to be on the "safe" side - might have still cooked the ballast ...
... on forums, one often can get silly answers, too


how do You like the beam and color of this TrailTech?

because I came to my ballast and 1st bulb by getting an UK Light Cannon 100. And by getting some MR11 lamps.
No matter what input voltage my driver gives to the ballast (low, normal, upper safe voltage), the beam from the MR bulb is somehow blue/green, I hate it
(the LC100 bulb, its the one without reflector, is perfectly white in comparison.
While ramping up, there is 1/2 a second, where the MR also is nice and white. Unfortunately, while it gets more bright, it changes to blue/green ...

Thats the main reason I switched to led
(better dimmability being the other)


PS: I have a driver to get the battery voltage down for the ballast and for the three input voltages to it. If one thinks his ballast makes heat, try my primary driver

 

[hit4six]

finished message lost message. telegram style retype.

I find this, page 2. http://www.walamp.com/lpd/files/datasheets/MC3705RevB_10watt.pdf. Why I not find earlier? Head not function.

green blue- likely bad bulb.

I own 4 bulbs new to v old. Output rapidly decrease with bulb use.

''... someone could have typed, that "20 V input is no problem" and - if You had tried way less 15 V then, to be on the "safe" side - might have still cooked the ballast ...
... on forums, one often can get silly answers, too''

give me brilliant idea one. I can sign off 'assume all my data is wrong until you have proof it is right.' Last sign off, appears over in Transport, bicycle, humourous intention may be missed, its 'respect diversity' aim may appear confrontational if not understand my name mean 'bewildered, stunned'. Six is cricket home run, v hard hit.

I commuter, may setup site, lighting for commuter. I not know all, but maybe know better than some. Brilliant idea two, someone on CPF will offer free advice on set up website.

Non native speakers who do not learn english well can teach us a lot about efficiency, no? Is all easy to understand.