LC100 Lamp Orientation Question - Need Help

[Luminocity]

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/help.gif

I've had some sporadic issues with my LC100 where it sometimes won't strike, even with fully charged batteries. Removing the bulb and reinserting it often resolves the issue for a few days, and then it surfaces again.

To make a long story short, I took it completely apart to check for any kind of loose connections and now I realize that I forgot the correct orientation for the rubber shock isolator (the dealy that has the position key) for the bulb. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif I put it all back together, but I had to guess on the position of the shock isolator. This means that I have a 50-50 chance of putting the bulb in correctly. Not odds I want to play for a $60 bulb!

I did notice that the there is a round black dot on the PCB of the socket that appears to be a pin marker. The mark on my socket could be considered to be either an upper left pin idintifier or a lower right identifier depending on the orientation of the module.

Can some you LC100 owners pull your bulb and see if this mark exists? If so, what is the position of your mark?

Here is a picture of the black dot on the PCB of the lamp socket:

Many thanks.

 

[LEDagent]

Luminocity,

DO NOT insert and turn on the bulb with your current configuration as shown in your picture.

The shock isolator is reversed! The notch on the isolator should be aligned with the OTHER small dot on the bulb socket. See here:

I don't know what the small black dot is in your picture, it's not on my ballast, but the other small dot is what you should use to allign the isolator to.

The notch on the HID bulb should also align with the small dot and isolator.

I have taken apart my ballast as well. I too forgot the placement of the shock isolator so i kinda took an educated guess as to the correct position of the bulb. Luckily that small dot serves a purpose! Looking at some pictures of the stock ballast from Solarc, it looks like the rubber shock isolator was added by UKE, i don't think the Solarc HID kits come with this piece.

Also, after re-assembling the ballast, i found that the reflector allignment wasn't the same, and wasn't giving me the same spot as before. If you thought putting the ballast together was hard...try realigning the reflector to the best focus. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[Luminocity]

LEDAgent,

Thanks for the reply and pictures. I fired up the lamp for about 4 seconds and noticed that the startup looked different than ever before. I immediatly reoriented the shock isolator and reinserted the bulb. Thinks worked great after that. All seems OK now. I really hope I did not hose the bulb by running it for only a few seconds in reverse polarity.

I had not noticed the little dimple in the plastic that denotes the orientation of the shock isolator and bulb. Your info was very helpful!

As to the issue of difficulties realigning the reflector for a better beam, I figured that out a while back. Just adjust the 3 screws that hold the heatsink in place. You need to adjust the screws in order to get the gap between the heatsink and the plastic body to be consistent all the way around. I was amazed at how much that improved the alignment of the beam. It resulted in a MUCH improved beam pattern.

Thanks again for your reply!

 

[LEDagent]

You're welcome Luminocity. However, i don't know enoegh about HID bulbs to tell you if you caused any damage to the bulb in reverse polarity. I know that most incandescent bulb can tolerate this and don't care which way you plug them in, kind of like bi-pin bulbs. I'm hoping there wasn't any serious damage, because the bulb costs, easily, half as much as the entire light.

BTW, where can you get the bulb for $60.00??? I've only seen them for $75+

I'm also glad that you've found the sweet spot for the focusing. No matter how much i adjust the screws, i'm not getting the focus that i want. I've probably killed the bulb more by MANY repeated startups rather than dropping it or long burn-times.

Does anyone know the tolerance of these bulbs? In reality, (from my experiences), they are not as sensitive as most people make them out to be. I've dropped mine at least 3 times without any damage to the bulb, i also don't see how shock could damage the bulb if it is seated correctly, because there is no filament to worry about. I've turned this light on and off so many times for short periods of time (1 sec or less), and i still haven't seen any degredation in performance.

Oh yea...and Luminocity, I, as well as everyone that has the LC100, has had a problem with the startup of the ballast. Mine doesn't turn on on occassion. It just clicks, kinda sounds like a mini-taser, but doesn't strike the bulb for some reason. I have done everything from shaking the light vigourously, tapping it on the bezel, removing the batteries, replacing the batteries, adjusting and re-seating the ballast, removing the bulb, and even gone as far as you and dismattling the whole damn unit. I just don't know what it is....it just turns on when it feels like it wants too. That is why i don't like using this as an emergency light for the car. I just use it for the thrills of having a portable HID light. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Now how many people do you know have an HID flashlight in your area?

 

[Ray_of_Light]

I ordered an LC100, and I should have it shortly. I have some other experiences with low power HID.

It is the nature of HID lamp to change the conditions for ignition every time they are turned off, due to the random condensation of mercury and rare heart compounds used in the lamp.

To overcame this problem, commercial (high power) HID lamps are ignited not with a brief duration arc, obtained in the ballast with an high voltage generator (like in signalling beacons or gas strobe light), but with a constant high voltage spark, that ceases once all mercury is evaporated and the lamp is burning at full power.

This is not true in the LC100. The designers decided that the "spark" ("kinda sounds like a mini-taser"...) is enough to ignite the Solarc Lamp.

The lamp doesn't ignite if there aren't the right conditions to initiate the arc. Those conditions are mainly due to the last condensation, when the lamp was turned off last time was used.

Also, the lack of ignition is because there is the wrong electric spatial charge (Low gradient) around the bulb.

If you have a Solarc that refuses to start, and you do not want leave the ignitor clicking (it will start sometimes), place s metallic object close to the bulb, like a screwdriver blade along it.
In more severe cases, an electrified (static charged) acrylic pen would do.

But this supposes you open the light to access the lamp.
As suggestion only, try to put some moisture adsorbing compound inside the light. Any dampness will change the intended patterns of potential gradients around the lamp.

In a even more severe case, I would redesign (hack) the ballast to provide a constant low current, high voltage ignitor. I wouldn't rely on erratic electrostatic condition to guarantee ignition in such a priced light.

I'll keep you posted on my findings.

Anthony

 

[LEDagent]

Anthony,

THAT explains ALOT! Thanks for the details. I don't know if i'd want to put anything metallic near the bulb. I don't fear "screwing" anything up electrically, rather i'm scared about accidentally hitting or breaking the bulb. The ballast makes contact through pressure from the bezel when it is screwed down. So you'd have to hold the body somehow, hold and push the ballast into the light, twist the switch....and hold a screwdriver to the bulb. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif scary.

Anyway, if you were to hack into the ballast (it is SMALL by the way) and provide a constant ignitor, wouldn't that deplete the batteries a little quicker, and wouldn't that shorten the life of the ballast and bulb significantly?

Just a thought. THANKS!

P.S. What other experiences do you have with low powered HID lights? I'm curious.

 

[Ray_of_Light]

Laurence,

the spark should last until some of the mercury evaporates. It can be few seconds of time, up to twenty seconds. If the lamp doesn't ignite, there is something wrong with the lamp itself or the flyback circuit that provide the high voltage to keep the lamp turned on.

The modification to the ballast should include a second flyback circuit, controlled by the current flowing into the arc. I do not have yet the LC100, but I think the actual ignition is obtained with a capacitor discharged on the winding of the main flyback trasformer. I believe this is done for economy, and to save some space in the ballast.

There are some video projectors built in Europe that uses a HID lamp of about 100 Watt. They use a flyback transformer similar to the one used in horizontal circuit of TV sets. Being there no problem in space and cost, they use a single circuit for ignition and constant-on, with digital control. There are no issues on these projectors refusing to turn on.

I am not sure if I will hack the ballast of LC100. I'll try prior modifications like grounding the reflector to a low impedance point of the lamp, putting some moisture absorbing compound inside the light, metallizing the internal of the light, and ultimately to drill an hole in the plastic case, so the air flow will keep static buildup and moisture away. In this hole I would fit a recharging jack for a Li-Ion laptop battery, that do not emits salty compounds inside the light, like alkaline does... Of course, the LC100 will no longer be a dive light, but I am not a diver...

Later

Anthony

 

[LEDagent]

Anthony,

Please check out this thread that i started about a month ago:

LC100 Ballast

I took a lot of pictures of the insides of the LC100. I didn't take apart the balast itself because i was afraid that i would REALY screw things up. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Ray_of_Light]

Thank you Laurence. Before ordering my LC100, I searched CPF for it, and I already come across your pictures, very clear and explanatory.
Regards

Anthony

 

[Ray_of_Light]

I got my LC100 last Fryday. I am impressed from the sheer quantity of light produced from the light. But...

There is a problem. As many of you noted, tha light, from time to time, refuses to turn on. After the first battery change, I had the same problem.

The lamp I had in my LC100 is not the same pictured on Lawrence's pics. The ignition wiring is completeli different, with a small spiral at the base of the small bulb inside the glass casing. This, I believe, has been done to increase the electrical capacitance end ease the startup.
Also, the outer glass casing has two openings. I do not know exactly why, but here is where problems start.

Any moisture or minuscule air current will prevent the bulb from ignite.

I will better investigate this aspect and I soon finish it, I will post in the "review" thread.

I like the light, but it is not reliable.

Anthony