New here, with a bulb/lamp question.

[Bill Idaho]

Brand new, learning my way around here. I posted a short introduction in the practice posting forum, but I'll try here as well. (For more details, check the VSS thread.)
Basically, I have a gutted VSS-3 with a good housing, lens, and reflector. There isn't hardly anything left inside except the frame everything was attached to. I want to put another bulb, of hopefully near the same power inside and utilize what is left. I have room for a ballast, but realize I don't know anything about compatible bulbs.
I have several generators of various power at hand, so volltage shouldn't be an issue.
What's available?
I tried one of those 500 watt bulbs used in those small worklights found in numerous stores. Those bulbs are about 5 1/6 in diameter and 4" long. (I took the receptacle out of an old one I had laying around and rigged it inside the housing. I tried it out to about 150 yards, where I discovered it produced a somewhat triangular shaped beam. That was kind of strange.)
My ignorance is showing. I am learning (much like my Ham radio hobby, the more I learn, the less I know)
What can I use that would be suitable?
THANKS.

 

[DM51]

Welcome to CPF, Bill

That's a very interesting project. I'm moving your thread to the Spotlights/HID section; the regulars there should be able to offer advice.

 

[Bill Idaho]

Allow me to ask my question in another manner: Someone tell me what bulb and ballast to buy. I would like it to be as bright as possible (obviously), and still fit inside. Like I said, the fan will still work, so cooling things off isn't a real issue.
I have spent hours reading the different threads here about uber bright lights, but about all I have retained is a huge headache.
I went to the local Lowes, and saw they had numerous bulbs of several variety, such as metal halide, sodium, and mercury vapor.
Just tell me what to buy, and I'll let the money flow.
I do have one more question though. Is it possible to make it as bright as the original military configuration using civilian parts? I have learned a ballast will be required, but even at that, it will way less than the miles of wires and gizmos it had to begin with.

 

[forexer]

i'm no geek but those bulbs aint going to do. what you need are short arcs. Those you were looking at were long arcs. what you really want in this vss is throw hence you are going for the highest surface brightness and not lumens. Lumens can be the secondary objective.

short arcs need special ballasts and the bulbs themselves are exclusive and expensive let alone dangerous to handle because of the ultra preasurized chamber.

surely some pros will come and help you, the hid section is quiet.

all the best

 

[Bill Idaho]

I have spent a few weeks studying up on short-arc bulbs, ballasts, etc. I have learned there are such critters available, but the bulb and ballast must match. No if's, and's, or but's. I am starting to think I am in uncharted waters. There seems to be more interest in making ultra-bright handheld devices. The ground/vehicle/stationary-mounted stuff doesn't seem to spark as much comment.
I did manage to find a company that advertises a gaggle of bulbs much like what I need. I tried e-mailing them twice (no response), and actually spoke with someone on the phone twice but never got any of the promised return calls. (I would have thought I wouldn't have to beg a company to give them a bunch of money!)
I am thinking I need a bulb in the 500-750 watt range, HID short-arc, with the proper ballast. I do believe that would make my VSS-3 almost as bright as original.
One oddity I have noticed is many of the bulbs I have looked at, in the power range I am looking at, say "medical use" when they list uses. Why on earth would a doctor need to light up an operating table from a mile way to perform surgery?
Anyway......
Can anyone quote me a particular bulb and ballast suitable for what I listed? And hopefully, where to get it? I promised myself I wasn't going to buy another military vehicle to restore this year, and building this light would suffice, but I am starting to think the light might win this battle.
And as if this whole venture isn't going bad enough, my brother just called from Illinois telling me he found another old military searchlight. I guess it's all but free, and in visually good condition.
I can't win.

 

[LightSward]

Eventually I'd like to obtain one of those VSS-# myself. :welcome:

As you have probably learned by now, a small arc bulb (5-10 mm arc size) for surface brightness and then lumens is key. The only suitable Home Depot bulb for what you want is the 100 watt HID bulb and ballast. The arc and ballast are small, but only a hundred watts, not as bright as you may want, but would work nicely until you upgrade to higher wattage. The big wattage bulbs found at Lowes and Home Depot you mentioned, work great in my very large reflector searchlights, because of the large focal point distance. lovecpf

If you want to go into the 500-1000 watt range, (consider 1200 watts, as the 1000 watt in HMI short arc bulbs does not readily exist.) which with the VSS searchlight you should, If you are interested in throw. I obtained a 700 watt Osram 4mm arc bulb, but had matching problems resulting in some flicker and bulb degradation. I understand now, you get a Sodium Vapor Ballast and change the capacitor to match the characteristics of the HMI bulb. I am temporarily using a 600 watt Sun Master HID bulb and a Lumatek multi-watt electronic ballast; that brings the bulb up to full brightness in about a minute with supposedly 20-30 percent more brightness than a regular ballast.

You could temporarily get a 3k-5k watt incandescent mini bulb from a "Theatrical and Film" supply house, such as "Hollywood Lighting" here in Portland, for only a few tens of dollars, until you get an HID. The filament and support structures and bulbs are small and very bright, and with the cooling fan, should work.

I hope this helps a little bit. You probably looked at my 50 inch Monster and 36 inch Gorilla threads too. You can see what I mean about the large focal length. :welcome:

 

[ez78]

Hi there Bill

Here are some threads that contain useful information:

Petrev's 200W HID:

http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=218655

Some general high wattage HID bulb researching that eventually lead to the 400W HID:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=183090

get-lit's nightsword project:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=239998

The awesome Maxablaster: (if you somehow did not know about it yet)

http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?goto=lastpost&t=125819

The BIG lights thread is a good collection of homemade megalights:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=198582

 

[Bill Idaho]

Sorry for prodding a relatively dead thread here, but my patience is wearing thin. I wanted to get this done by the next Lodi Show in October, and the funds I have allocated for this project are starting to burn a hole in my pocket! Can someone simply advise of a 700-1000 watt short-arc bulb AND compatible ballast? Perhaps part numbers and where to buy them?

I have learned the bulb people don't hardly want to talk about ballast and the ballast people don't want to talk about bulbs.
(I cannot speak for attempts for the relatively speaking low powered stuff, more commonly tyalke dabout here, such as 35-100 watt HID.)
THANK YOU.

 

[LightSward]

Sorry for prodding a relatively dead thread here, but my patience is wearing thin. I wanted to get this done by the next Lodi Show in October, and the funds I have allocated for this project are starting to burn a hole in my pocket! Can someone simply advise of a 700-1000 watt short-arc bulb AND compatible ballast? Perhaps part numbers and where to buy them?

I have learned the bulb people don't hardly want to talk about ballast and the ballast people don't want to talk about bulbs.
(I cannot speak for attempts for the relatively speaking low powered stuff, more commonly tyalke dabout here, such as 35-100 watt HID.)
THANK YOU.

I found myself running into the same issue. I ran across some matches the other day, but was in a hurry and didn't have time to write down, bookmark or store the info...search history does not help. I'll attempt to retrace my search and find those specs. :tired: