My first Halogen torch to HID conversion...

[leonskibeat]

These are some images, a description and questions of my first project converting a 100w H3 torch case to HID.

Hello CPF members, I'm a new member, and after having been interested in the concept of car HID technology for a number of years, I always wanted to own a portable version. Never thought that these were available until I did a bit of Google research recently. I was then a little surprised about the cost of buying these things! I guess some of the best models I found (general consumer - not military standard!) were the likes of the Polarian PH50 which I believe are selling for around £1000.

After a little more research, I quickly came across this site, and was inspired. So, I decided to do my own conversion and utilise HID power and efficiency within a torch housing. The existing 100w torch only ran for around twenty minutes. Through the conversion, I've managed to double that time and achieved a higher lumen output, which really does seem much, much higher to me.

After the initial conversion, I took the lamp to a cliff top at night, and was really surprised to see how well it lit the sea below. Subsequently, I've adjusted the beam to a much tighter focus, although not yet perfect, the spot/throw is incredible! the heat can be felt from some distance. I can't wait to take the torch back to the same cliff to see the difference and take some pictures/videos. I'll publish them here soon if anyone is interested.

The torch cost me £18, and the HID ballast/bulb around £40 - so £58 in total. I'm sure it's not the same as the Polarian!, however, a great step in the right direction for the cost.

I'd like to evolve the project in a number of ways...

• Construct a rig to hold the bulb and adjust it with higher accuracy in order to tune to focus
• Install a battery voltage indicator to provide a warning, as I've heard the ballast/bulbs don't like the power to go too low - is this significantly true?
• Find better batteries that last longer (more mAH)
• Ultimately, find a higher power ballast and bulb, perhaps together with a reflector that makes the most of the arc (optimal).

If anyone can advise on the above, or has more improvement ideas, please please comment!

Many thanks! :twothumbs

 

[karlthev]

Well, welcome and great first (?) project and great first post!!! Please do keep us all apprised!!


Karl

 

[toby_pra]

WOW great Idea...how about some outdoor-beamshots?

And welcome to CPF :wave:

 

[DM51]

Welcome to CPF, leonskibeat! That is an outstanding first post.

I hope you will post some pics of that cliff-top scene, with your light shining on the sea below.

 

[leonskibeat]

Thank you for the warm welcome and kind feedback, very encouraging. I'll definitely post pics of the sea scene from clifftop as soon as I get a chance to take the pictures!... I'm based in Bexhill on Sea in England, the cliffs aren't that high here but if the shots turn out to be impressive, I'll attempt some shots in the next town, off the infamous Beachy Head cliffs at a height of 530ft in Eastbourne (there's a lighthouse way down which would be nice to try to illuminate - is that even safe?! Daytime view shown below - image from dimsumdolly).

At this point in the project, if I get that lighthouse to glow, I'll be satisfied!

Thanks again! :thumbsup:

P.S. Whilst off topic, and with the utmost respect to these cliffs, I have to mention here that there are a lot of little crosses dotted around the edge which symbolise individual lives lost in desperation due to people jumping off.

The gravel down there is suitably dark, and I can remember seeing the odd burnt-out car carcass here and there in the past, wondering what horrors drove the driver to such extreme measures from so far above.

The scene is a mixture of visual beauty and internal sadness - in a way, it's served as an escape for personal human darkness.

Whilst not wanting to draw any parallels, I think it's not a bad thing to use the area as an objective for testing light - a symbol of life and hope.

Thank you.

 

[leonskibeat]

RE Battery suitability. I understand that certain batteries don't like to be treated to a massive peak/surge/draw (which I understand HID ballasts demand to undergo startup).

I'm running the rig on 2x 6v dry sealed lead acid batteries in series - will the startup activity and short operational cycles reduce their life prematurely?!

I'd love to have a lamp housing that accommodates a car battery (which I understand is constructed to handle huge surges), but that seems to defeat the objective of being portable...! A balance must be found in all elements.

Please, if you can, comment and help?!

L

 

[Gunner12]

Talk about starting with a bang!

Great mod and

:welcome:

I hope you will be able to hit that light house(not literally )

 

[Essexman]

:welcome: fleonskibeat from another UK member.

Great first mod, I 've got one of those lights sitting in my shed, I think it came from Homebase. I've been wondering about modding it.

Would you mind sharing where you found the HID kit for £40?

Anything else I would have to buy to convert to a super light?

Cheers

 

[leonskibeat]

Re: Essexman question

Hi Essexman,

Yes, the torch is selling at homebase - the 5 million candlepower model. The HID bulb and ballast is available from www.hids4u.co.uk - I bought the motorbike kit which is a single ballast and bulb, however, I've just checked their website and it seems there prices have shot up dramatically within the last month, though the good news is they are now supplying single 55 watt kits which are even brighter than the kit I used! I think with a little website research, you could get the price way down.

Other than that, the main problem is modifying the lamp housing to accommodate the thicker lamp base together with a wider spring clip, and importantly, creating or finding a shim that fits within the housing that pushes the lamp back to a specific distance in order to achieve a good focus/throw (make sure it's temperature proof as it gets very hot in there).

Then it's just a case of drilling a 22mm hole for the wires/grommet, and cutting down one of the screws that attach the ballast to the side - otherwise, the supplied screws will penetrate the battery - you could however use your own custom screws here.

The mod is electronically and optically quite crude at the moment, and as mentioned in my original post, I have some concerns and improvements to make, but hope this description helps as a starter for you.

L-beat