Xenon anti-aircraft search light design and build advice needed

[SMOKEU]

I've got a few LED lights, such as a Lumintop BLF GT70 (XHP70.2), Convoy 3X21A SBT90.2 and LEP lights such as a Lumintop Thor 3. They make a nice beam when pointed at the sky, but I really want something that has far more power AND intensity than what LEDs can provide with current technology. I guess I could get a large COB LED but then I will need the right optics for it, and it seems like the BLF GT series has the largest reflector I can find, and even those aren't that easy to come across (I'm not taking the reflector out of my light).

I don't need anything particularly portable, pretty, waterproof, or durable since I will be running it in the back yard where I have 230VAC @10A outlets. I can also get cheap used ATX power supplies and short the green and black together to get a cheap, high voltage 12VDC source, and I also have CC boost converters if I need more DC voltage than that.

By the look of it, I'm probably limited to either carbon arc or xenon arc lights. What would be a "cheap" and relatively easy solution for a high powered search light, like a smaller, weaker light that makes a similar beam profile to those WW2 anti aircraft search lights? If I can keep the price under about $US200 that would be good, and I want to build it largely out of used spare parts. I can probably get a fresnel lens out of an overhead projector.

It's mainly the bulb and optics where I really have no idea where to even begin.

 

[Schokokeks]

Have I got the video for you:

 

[electromage]

I have a rough design in mind, it's been simmering for a while and I never really had space to build a prototype. I'm currently building a workshop that will allow me to do so. I'm interested in following your progress.

I have picked up a couple of nice COB LEDs, I think they are Yuji, and IIRC they are over 30Vf. I was able to power them with an ISDT Air 8 hobby battery charger, which can boost 12V up to the correct level with CC, so they could be powered by most standard large batteries or a CV power supply as long as it requires less than 20A on the input side.

As for optics you could take a look at https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/homemade-24-scratch-built-designed-reflector.226800/ where someone has built a few large custom reflectors. He brought one to a Seattle-area meet and the performance was very impressive. Something like that might work.

You will likely need active cooling, and I'm planning to use water.

 

[electromage]

Have I got the video for you:

Just have to get past the part where this guy talks like he invented the flashlight.

 

[JoakimFlorence]

Let me point out that xenon discharge only has around the same order of energy conversion efficiency as halogen incandescent.

(Though its spectral graph is very smooth for the most part in terms of wavelength distribution, even a little better than ceramic metal halide)

Because of this, it's not really the best suited for extremely high output portable light source, unless the weight of the power supply and heat dissipation is not an issue.