Overdrive Ballasts????

[Flashanator]

This might seem like a silly question, but I'm no HID expert, I just use HID.
Is there a way to overdrive ballasts & bulb??

(say 50/55w cheap automotive ones for Flashlight Mods)

I don't care about life shortage! Just want to experiment with more power & Light.

Cheers

 

[Patriot]

An unregulated ballast will be driven to whatever voltage to feed it. Some ballasts are unforgiving once the recommended voltage is exceeded though.

What's you're application? If we knew where you were going with this more might be able to jump in and help.

If you want one for a spotlight, just purchase a 55W kit....

 

[Flashanator]

Safety goes out the window.

Just want it for a show & tell spotlight, as much watts as possible. 55w just doesn't cut it anymore.

 

[Morepower!]

Safety goes out the window.

Just want it for a show & tell spotlight, as much watts as possible. 55w just doesn't cut it anymore.

I hate to rain on your parade but it seems, as Xeray stated in another thread, none of us running 55W HID automotive type kits are getting 55W at the bulb. I have been doing some testing this arvo and am about an hour away from finishing and posting the results, but so far I am very dissapointed !!!

 

[bfg9000]

Just saw your thread about cheap "55w" kits.

As you discovered, you can't expect any change just by increasing the voltage in; you have to mod the output sense resistors, just like in any regulator.

Fortunately most cheap HID ballasts appear to be clones of the ubiquitous Philips LVQ212. The LVQ212 is interesting because it can be overdriven to 53w and theoretically ~4400L (how long low-quality bulbs or even the cheap ballast will last under these conditions is questionable) by just adding three 0.1 ohm resistors in parallel with the sense resistor bank circled in yellow here (not sure where these pics are from, but am grateful to the original modder)

like so:

Active cooling for the ballast is suggested, if it is to be run continuously overdriven.

 

[Morepower!]

BFG9000, you sir are a champion !! Thanks for that info, I will be pulling one of these apart now to investigate whether I can implement this mod. And if so, subject it to the same test for verification of any increased output. Flash should be happy now.

 

[Flashanator]

Nice, Hope it all works out.

Morepower! looking forward to your results.

 

[Patriot]

Just saw your thread about cheap "55w" kits.

As you discovered, you can't expect any change just by increasing the voltage in; you have to mod the output sense resistors, just like in any regulator.

Fortunately most cheap HID ballasts appear to be clones of the ubiquitous Philips LVQ212. The LVQ212 is interesting because it can be overdriven to 53w and theoretically ~4400L (how long low-quality bulbs or even the cheap ballast will last under these conditions is questionable) by just adding three 0.1 ohm resistors in parallel with the sense resistor bank circled in yellow here (not sure where these pics are from, but am grateful to the original modder)

Just curious how that resistor mod worked out.