Illuminated
Enlightened
I've accidentally discovered a way to correct bad filament alignment on PR-based Krypton/Xenon type lamps, and thought others might benefit from this.
While attempting to install a new XPR3 Xenon lamp in one of my *ag*ites, I managed to drop the lamp onto hard concrete from about waist level. While it didn't break, it definitely knocked the filament supports way off to one side. C*#P!
I thought to myself that if this could happen so easily, there must be a way to "knock it back" into position.
I simply held the lamp firmly by the base and sharply "flicked" the glass globe with my fingernail, applying the force perpendicular to the plane of the filament supports.
Seeing that it did in fact move a little, I proceeded to flick it some more, checking repeatedly to monitor the movement. At one point it went beyond center, so I rotated the lamp 180-degrees and flicked it again. I was just "eyeballing" the alignment until it looked good.
Once installed, the lamp produced a decent beam. I have since done this to other similar lamps with bad alignment, and acheived good results.
I have even done this to "fine tune" lamps for better results.
I'm not sure if this would work with Halogen lamps, as the one's I have look like they have much stiffer filament supports (and they haven't needed it).
One other trick I've done for lamps with misaligned globes that couldn't be centered in the lampholder was to hand-file the flange to allow a little more lateral movement in the holder. The metal is nickel-plated brass (I think) and files rather easily. The more difficult part was holding the lamp while filing.
If none of this is new to anyone else, then please disregard. It worked well for me...
John
While attempting to install a new XPR3 Xenon lamp in one of my *ag*ites, I managed to drop the lamp onto hard concrete from about waist level. While it didn't break, it definitely knocked the filament supports way off to one side. C*#P!
I thought to myself that if this could happen so easily, there must be a way to "knock it back" into position.
I simply held the lamp firmly by the base and sharply "flicked" the glass globe with my fingernail, applying the force perpendicular to the plane of the filament supports.
Seeing that it did in fact move a little, I proceeded to flick it some more, checking repeatedly to monitor the movement. At one point it went beyond center, so I rotated the lamp 180-degrees and flicked it again. I was just "eyeballing" the alignment until it looked good.
Once installed, the lamp produced a decent beam. I have since done this to other similar lamps with bad alignment, and acheived good results.
I have even done this to "fine tune" lamps for better results.
I'm not sure if this would work with Halogen lamps, as the one's I have look like they have much stiffer filament supports (and they haven't needed it).
One other trick I've done for lamps with misaligned globes that couldn't be centered in the lampholder was to hand-file the flange to allow a little more lateral movement in the holder. The metal is nickel-plated brass (I think) and files rather easily. The more difficult part was holding the lamp while filing.
If none of this is new to anyone else, then please disregard. It worked well for me...
John
