DIY HID Floods

[ronman]

A friend and I were discussing lights for his new detached garage and had a beer-fueled idea: why can't we take a low-buck H1 or H3/H4 agricultural/industrial floodlight and swap in a cheap Chinese HID kit and run it off either a PC power supply, or a car battery if we're out somewhere?
I know the beam would be terrible with a huge hotspot at the center, but would there be a better way to do it? You can get an H1 conversion kit off eBay for like $25, and even if you bought higher-end fixtures, you'd only be looking at $40 or $50... which beats the heck out of dropping $20 for a 500W halogen and spending $3 for a new quartz bulb every time you look at the thing.

You guys are the experts, so what do you say?

 

[FRITZHID]

well.... this thread intrigues me... in a word, yes, it can be done. ANY automotive compatible bulb that there is a HID replacement for can be used, as far as powering it from an AC source, well thats open. auto HIDs use a large pulse for starting, so i'm not certain that a PC supply will cut it, however any standard auto batt charger 10A or more would cut it. you could mount the bulb, depending on need, in any # of fixtures... there are plenty of after market housings that would work, including standard HID home or industrial fixtures that could be used just as mounting/holders for an auto HID. they come in a variety of flood designs and mounting options. just keep in mind that the ballast needs adequate cooling and is weather resistant/proof.
there are plenty of automotive housings as well that would work well. if i were you, i'd look into the RV dept and see what they have avail. :)

good luck on your project! i look forward to see what you come up with!
keep your options open and always ask questions!