Most powerful commercially available portable HID spotlight?
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DayofReckoning
Enlightened
I don't have any idea, but the Lemax LX70 Superpower surely has to be near the top.
XeRay
Flashlight Enthusiast
Polarion-Sparetech2
Newly Enlightened
You may want to consider Polarion PH50D. It does not go to 70W but it is half the weight and more ergonomic. Few companies make hand-held HID searchlights. Market has gone LED. That said, HID is far superior for long range illumination.
XeRay
Flashlight Enthusiast
Because it is superior, with a military grade ballast that meets higher thermal management and EMI and RFI standards. (it doesn't get hot)
We also offer high wattage rated bulbs and warranty / service (repairs) are handled in the USA (cheap shipping within USA)
We also made the ULTRA limited edition 40/85 dual wattage version. An upgraded LX70 or Superpower.
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...od-SIGN-UP-NOW
Weight of XV-LX70 is 4.85 lbs (2200 grams) only including the handle. Not remotely close to "heavy" compared to others, check the numbers.
Well balanced in the hand and very ergonomic, with 20 watts more output. The Polarion PH50D weight is about 4 lbs. (1810 grams), hardly 1/2 the weight.
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Any thoughts on making a larger (like thor cyclops size) and even more powerful hid light? Do you do custom builds?
BVH
Flashaholic
Yeah......Where's that 250 Watt mentioned a number of years back???
XeRay
Flashlight Enthusiast
We build custom ballasts of different outputs, input voltages, sizes and shapes for our OEM customers.
We must look at market size and demand to be sure we make a product that will pay for its development costs.
XeRay
Flashlight Enthusiast
Yeah......Where's that 250 Watt mentioned a number of years back???
As you know we made a 1 off ballast and sourced a bulb. The warm up of the VERY HIGH output bulb took too long to warm up to its high output for any practical applications for any of our target markets.
The alternative bulbs didn't have the output we were looking for of about 25,000 to 30,000 lumens.
BVH
Flashaholic
Probably a Mercury Xenon lamp? They are very bright for the power level vs Xenon. Xenon in the 35-40 Lumens per watt and I think 110 to 115 Lumens per watt for MX. Downside is the warmup time as you say. My 300 Watt Locator Short Arc lights off in a beautiful Violet hue then takes a good 30 seconds to be bright and another 15 to reach max. Do you have that prototype ballast and bulb? I'd buy it off you if you'd part with it.
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XeRay
Flashlight Enthusiast
BVH
Flashaholic
Wouldn't matter to me. In line with the Locator warm up time.
Polarion-Sparetech2
Newly Enlightened
Strictly for completeness - all Polarion lights ship from the USA and are serviced in Connecticut. In terms of weight, we do stand corrected. The PH50D is marginally lighter at 1.8 kg.
Polarion-Sparetech2
Newly Enlightened
As you noted, the Polarion PH50D range is basically 1 mile. That said, actual results will depend on atmospheric conditions (particles in air, rain, dust, etc). I always remind people that 1 mile is a long way away. Any light effectiveness at that kind of distance will depend on the size of the object being lit. To give a simple example: on the water, I can illuminate a ship a mile away. The object will be easily resolved by my eyes, without magnification. If I illuminate a phone case at the same distance, my eyes will not be able to resolve without using binoculars.
XeRay
Flashlight Enthusiast
At 70W should run about 1.4 Miles (well over 2 km ), at 50W about 1.1-1.2 Miles (about 1.8 km) Our Electro-formed reflector is larger and well optimized.
So what is the most powerful HID you can buy? In english please
Is it the Lemax SP 70? The lemax looks like a laser, not much use. What is this superhead mod? the thread has no replies for a while.
Been looking for something with high output (10,000lumens+) & high throw (4km). Looks like nothing going. LED is catching up & getting decent runtimes...few more years & LED might be the go i rekon.
Is it the Lemax SP 70? The lemax looks like a laser, not much use. What is this superhead mod? the thread has no replies for a while.
Been looking for something with high output (10,000lumens+) & high throw (4km). Looks like nothing going. LED is catching up & getting decent runtimes...few more years & LED might be the go i rekon.
Polarion-Sparetech2
Newly Enlightened
For Polarion's commercial lights: 50 W, 4500 lumens, = about 1.5 km.
I will let XeRay elaborate on the Lemax line but a simple search leads to: LX50, LX70 and LX70 Superpower. I think that the LX70 Superpower comes close to your specification throw if not flux.
LED lights are improving but they will never "match" HID lights. Different product, different application. LED are mono-chromatic side emitters. HID are wide-band point sources.
In plain English: LED lights top out in the 500-meter range, with lots of side losses. HID lights easily top 1000 meters and the same light can be filtered to work in IR, red, amber, green and UV.
I will let XeRay elaborate on the Lemax line but a simple search leads to: LX50, LX70 and LX70 Superpower. I think that the LX70 Superpower comes close to your specification throw if not flux.
LED lights are improving but they will never "match" HID lights. Different product, different application. LED are mono-chromatic side emitters. HID are wide-band point sources.
In plain English: LED lights top out in the 500-meter range, with lots of side losses. HID lights easily top 1000 meters and the same light can be filtered to work in IR, red, amber, green and UV.
DayofReckoning
Enlightened
Sounds to me like you haven't spent any time looking at recent LED advances, or your just being disingenuous and trying hard to sell Polarion, as what you claim is categorically and demonstrably false. The claim that "LED's will never match HID" is stunningly bold and erroneous.
Purely on throw and illuminating a target at range, the ACEBEAM K75, with it's tested and validated 1.5mil legitimate candela rating (2500meters), will stomp all over anything in the Polarion lineup. I have no dog in the fight, but I do own a LEMAX LX50 (which throws just as far and outputs just as much light as anything in Polarion's lineup), and the Acebeam K75 as well. When it comes to purely throw distance and intensity of the beam, there is just no comparison at all.
Furthermore, lights like the Astrolux MF05 should have HID manufacturers sweating. And we haven't even gotten into the 2mil plus candela pocket LEP's yet.
HID has it's place, and there are applications where it is still relevant. But when it comes to pure throw, the LUMINUS SBT-90 has really been a game changer. Just think where the next emitter will take us. I am new to HID, and love them, but their days are numbered.
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