Hey everyone!
After I saw other projects on this subject, I'd like to share my recently built HID torch with you.
I don't expect any whoa's on this, since it's only a 35W HID mod, but main advantage of this one is, it's actually useable without needing to check and observe anything while operating the lamp.
Technical data:
> Host is a 55W halogen torch from a local hardware store for 8EUR
> HID bulb (35W D2S Osram) and ballast (Hella system) were ripped off a broken Mercedes E-Class W211 headlight
> powered by a Li-Ion battery pack rated 14,8V 4,4Ah (stripped Dell 66Whr laptop battery pack)
> overcharge and overdischarge protected by a MAX1924XEEE based battery controller
The lamp runs about 95min (checked directly after charging), without any interruption or cooling. The battery controller automatically shuts down the lamp to prevent deep discharge of the Li-Ion cells.
Ok, you did some math and ask: how can the lamp be run for 95mins? The capacity of the batteries doesn't match the runtime? ... Well, at full charge the batteries have 17V, by providing a steady output power of 35W, the ballast goes down to about 2.4A at 17V, reaching it's nominal current drain of 3.2A at 12V (which equals to about 35% charge left).
Total cost: 63EUR (estimated)
Host lamp: 8EUR
HID bulb+ballast (broken headlight from ebay): 30EUR
Battery pack (unwanted semi-used from ebay): 5EUR
Battery controller: 15EUR
Misc stuff like connectors, switch etc: 5EUR
Charging is done via a standard laptop charger rated 20V 3.5A with 2x12V/21W car bulbs in serial to the battery (for current limiting).
Pics of the outside:
The bulb
Ignitor mounted on reflector and bulb
Lamp inside, ballast and battery pack
Battery pack with glued-on controller
Ballast with wires and 10A car fuse
Illuminated backyard
Beam shot
The beam shot sucks, because of 2 reasons. First, my camera sucks big time without daylight. Second, the beam is too divergent to create a good far-range spotlight, because the lamp still uses the stock reflector which you can't really expect high quality from. But the lamp is really bright at close range where you actually need the light.
After I saw other projects on this subject, I'd like to share my recently built HID torch with you.
I don't expect any whoa's on this, since it's only a 35W HID mod, but main advantage of this one is, it's actually useable without needing to check and observe anything while operating the lamp.
Technical data:
> Host is a 55W halogen torch from a local hardware store for 8EUR
> HID bulb (35W D2S Osram) and ballast (Hella system) were ripped off a broken Mercedes E-Class W211 headlight
> powered by a Li-Ion battery pack rated 14,8V 4,4Ah (stripped Dell 66Whr laptop battery pack)
> overcharge and overdischarge protected by a MAX1924XEEE based battery controller
The lamp runs about 95min (checked directly after charging), without any interruption or cooling. The battery controller automatically shuts down the lamp to prevent deep discharge of the Li-Ion cells.
Ok, you did some math and ask: how can the lamp be run for 95mins? The capacity of the batteries doesn't match the runtime? ... Well, at full charge the batteries have 17V, by providing a steady output power of 35W, the ballast goes down to about 2.4A at 17V, reaching it's nominal current drain of 3.2A at 12V (which equals to about 35% charge left).
Total cost: 63EUR (estimated)
Host lamp: 8EUR
HID bulb+ballast (broken headlight from ebay): 30EUR
Battery pack (unwanted semi-used from ebay): 5EUR
Battery controller: 15EUR
Misc stuff like connectors, switch etc: 5EUR
Charging is done via a standard laptop charger rated 20V 3.5A with 2x12V/21W car bulbs in serial to the battery (for current limiting).
Pics of the outside:
The bulb
Ignitor mounted on reflector and bulb
Lamp inside, ballast and battery pack
Battery pack with glued-on controller
Ballast with wires and 10A car fuse
Illuminated backyard
Beam shot
The beam shot sucks, because of 2 reasons. First, my camera sucks big time without daylight. Second, the beam is too divergent to create a good far-range spotlight, because the lamp still uses the stock reflector which you can't really expect high quality from. But the lamp is really bright at close range where you actually need the light.
