HID control PCBs (group buy of new NGX lamps/ballasts)

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snaps

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I've got a Topeak Moonshine HID bike light that uses thw WA 10w HID & ballast does anyone know where I can get a replacement PCB board for it or is it possible to replace it with the Trailtech PCB (as the lamps use the same parts)
 
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Re: HID control PCBs

Yes it does use the WA ballast like your modded Mag & I'm aware that there are ballasts to match different voltages.
That Trailtech regulator is just a regulator though, what causes the HID to strike its initial arc? is it in the control circuit or in the lamp?
The Trailtech bike HIDs are similar with a small control circuit board that contains battery level LEDs & a switch - is this just that or does it have anything to do with striking the arc in the lamp? (I think it may contain a timer circuit to prevent restrike in less than 10 seconds)
 
what causes the HID to strike its initial arc? is it in the control circuit or in the lamp?
Click to expand...
"unfortunately" it is so simple, nearly noone I have told yet, believes it.
There is the driver that steps-up the battery voltage to the roughly 65 V the HID bulb needs and - mounted parallel - a Voltage Multipier (Greinacher or Villard cascade)

As long as the arc does not work, the power goes to the Greinacher, till the voltage is high enough that there is a strike.
Again the arc does not start - the next spark form the Greinacher
every time there is a strike, the gap between the contacts "looses resistance" and at some time the arc stands,
more and more power goes to the normal step-up and the HID "goes off"

Everyone so far mentionned that this is "too easy", thinking a more sophisticated method has to be used.
 
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Re: HID control PCBs

yellow said:
"unfortunately" it is so simple, nearly anyone I have told yet, believes it.
There is the driver that steps-up the battery voltage to the roughly 65 V the HID bulb needs and - mounted parallel - a Voltage Multipier (Greinacher or Villard cascade)

As long as the arc does not work, the power goes to the Greinacher, till the voltage is high enough that there is a strike.
Again the arc does not start - the next spark form the Greinacher
every time there is a strike, the gap between the contacts "looses resistance" and at some time the arc stands,
more and more power goes to the normal step-up and the HID "goes off"
Click to expand...

all these are happening in the "igniter"
 
Re: HID control PCBs

So all this happens in the lamp & the control circuit board is nothing more than an LED battery guage & voltage regulator. - how does it alter the output of the lamp between 10watts & 7? does it just regulate to a lower voltage.
 
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all these are happening in the "igniter"
Click to expand...
better call it the "ballast",
so anyone uses the same technical terms

dunno how it is with the actual models, the older Solarc ballasts have an input voltage range. High input Voltage, higher output.
To simulate that for my build, I added a driver that gives different voltage, from slightly under "max safe continuous", to "normal", down to a lower level.
It works good, when going down in Power, but does not go up again. Light has to be switched off and on again, then.
No clue if it lies in my additional driver, or in the ballast (but with a Halogen to test the function, it works perfectly, so it must be the ballast)


PS: a new ballast costs You the same as the P7 DX bike-light. To me it makes no sense to spend any more money for a 10 W HID now and in the future.
 
Re: HID control PCBs

snaps said:
what causes the HID to strike its initial arc? is it in the control circuit or in the lamp?
The Trailtech bike HIDs are similar with a small control circuit board that contains battery level LEDs & a switch - is this just that or does it have anything to do with striking the arc in the lamp?
Click to expand...

The purpose of the trailtech regulator is to get the the voltage of the battery pack at the proper level to meet the input specs of the ballast. My unit uses a a li-ion battery with a voltage range from 16.8v(full)-14.0v(empty). The regulator keeps the voltage to the ballast at a stable 13.2V. This could be done with a simple voltage regulator (but inneficiently). The trailtech unit is a switching regulator, so it regulates the voltage without burning up the excess as heat (much more efficient). This particular regulator also incorporates a timer which keeps the user from restriking the arc from the ballast too soon. You can get the trailtech regulator/switch here: http://www.batteryspace.com/compone...atorandledindicator4longtrail-techfemale.aspx
It is a simple unit: +/- input from the batt. and +/- output to the ballast. If you remove the plastic housing, and jumper the switch, you can use your existing pre-regulator switch.

The ballast is a cylinder shaped unit with a socket which the lamp is plugged directly into. http://www.batteryspace.com/ballastforreplacementoftrail-tech13wmr11eclipsehidlight.aspx.

The high voltage arc is created by this ballast. Im not aware of any aftermarket options to replace or "upgrade" the ballast (besides the OEM ballast replacement unit). The trailtech ballast is simply a rebranded Welch Allyn ballast. You can use the trailtech, welch allyn or any other company's rebranded version. As you are already aware, however, there are a few different versions of the ballast (depending on the input voltage required).
 
Re: HID control PCBs

snaps said:
Thanks for that, I found on another forum that there is an upgrade using the WA NGX series of ballasts that contain the voltage reg circuit so have a much wider input range & are also more efficient.
http://www.walamp.com/lpd/webstore/detail.tpl?partnumber=B10R001
http://www.walamp.com/lpd/webstore/detail.tpl?partnumber=M10P003

I'm looking to do a group buy to the UK of these lamp/ballasts to share the shipping charges.
Click to expand...

I'd be up for buying a lamp and ballast from you...
 
nice prices in those links.
Has the bulb been updated in output? Because I never liked the 10 W HID and now - with MC-E and P7 - dont think it makes any sense to go the way more expensive 10 W HID route.
 
Re: HID control PCBs

yellow said:
nice prices in those links.
Has the bulb been updated in output? Because I never liked the 10 W HID and now - with MC-E and P7 - dont think it makes any sense to go the way more expensive 10 W HID route.
Click to expand...

I'm ordering a set to try in a dive light just out of curiosity. I already have a version of the light "in the wild" which uses an MC-E driven at 1A but it's difficult to get a powerful 6-degree beam in an MR11 format without going to HID.
 
Re: HID control PCBs

According to the WA Solarc website it is nearly double the brightness of the old lamps http://www.solarc.net/ & click on lamp.
Efficiency up 70% - more lumens per watt
 
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Parts have arrived, time to get soldering!
I'll probably be ordering again if anyone else wants to share shipping & get up to minimum order value.
These lamps fit most 10 or 13watt HID bike & dive lights that use the WA system Lumicycle/Hope/Nightrider/Trailtech/Topeak/L&M etc
PM me for details.
 
Posted yours today Steve.

These NGX's don't half chuck out some light compared to the older Solarcs!
 
snaps said:
Posted yours today Steve.

These NGX's don't half chuck out some light compared to the older Solarcs!
Click to expand...

Can't wait to try it out. The housing is sitting on the breakfast bar waiting...

thanks again Mark

regards

Steve
 
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