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75 Watt HID Mag Mod! Estimated 5000 Lumens...

jayrob

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Also, check out my new 1000 Lumen XM-L T6 Maglite Modification! Awesome!

http://laserpointerforums.com/f64/fs-1000-lumen-xm-l-t6-maglite-modification-kit-parts-complete-flashlight-59581.html










I was going to get one of those HID flashlights that are on ebay...

But I read from more than one user, that they do not have very good throw, and are mostly a 'flood' type.






So I set my mind to trying to make an HID light that I could adjust the spot, and see if I could get some throw...

My mod is built around this relatively cheap 75 Watt ballast and HID bulb: ($31 bucks)

HID Mag 1.jpg


Notice the connection points if you decide to DIY...

This bulb is 8000K color temp, but I contacted the seller, and they told me that they can custom build the ballast/bulb combo with a 4300K bulb. So I ordered a couple of the 4300K ones to try out! :cool:






Parts:

* 75 Watt ballast and HID bulb
* Voltage monitor
* 3 X Feilong 32650 Li-Ion batteries
* Aluminum reflector
* Borofloat glass lens
* Custom glow ring from Fiddy
* 2" Aluminum tubing (1/8" wall)
* 1 3/4" Aluminum tubing for shim piece to mount the 2" material (1/8" wall)
(tubing is the order size - it is then machined to the fit needed)






A custom tail cap mod was needed in order to fit the 3 Feilong cells:

HID Mag 2.jpg


Just enough room to fit 3 of the Feilong 6000mAh 32650's into a 3D Mag...






Switch mod:

Mag%20XM-L%20T6%2030.jpg

Mag%20P7%204.jpg








Here's the rest of the pictures of the build: :cool:

HID Mag 3.jpg

For more details on the voltage monitor install, see this thread...

HID Mag 4.jpg

HID Mag 11.jpg

HID Mag 5.jpg

HID Mag 6.jpg

HID Mag 7.jpg

HID Mag 8.jpg

HID Mag 9.jpg

HID Mag 10.jpg







Notes:

I ran several 10 minute test runs, and the ballast stays surprisingly cool. (well not cool, but only warm after 10 minutes)

The HID bulb however, gets very hot. Thus the Borofloat glass lens is needed, as well as the aluminum reflector...

* Current draw - I measured an initial 7.5 Amps battery current draw on start up, and the ballast quickly brings the HID bulb into full power within about 8 to 10 seconds. At that point, it draws 5.5 Amps steady. So I anticipate about 1 hour run time between charges. Or a little more...

* Comparison - It’s considerably brighter than my 1000 lumen XM-L Mag mod. But not as good for a ‘user’ light. Because it will get pretty warm after about 10 minutes. Plus it will probably need charging of the batteries every hour or so.

My XM-L build has three modes, and is over 3 hours on high. (9 hours on medium – about 350 lumens) 40 hours on low.

Plus the XM-L mod is a 2 cell size. So it’s a much more practical light in many ways.

So all things considered, I don’t think you can beat my 1000 lumen XM-L Mag mod.

But I still like the HID build just for the cool factor...






Here's some interesting information on HID vs Halogen:

Lighting from an HID bulb is up to 10 times more durable than halogen. Vibrations can cause damage to a halogen filament, but there is nothing to break inside an HID bulb. Instead of using a filament as it's source of light output, an hid bulb generates a xenon arc that jumps between two diodes to emit its light output. This electrical arc is similar to the lighting in the sky, so in a sense, hid xenon bulbs are what you might call "lightning in a bottle!" Pretty cool huh?!! These light sources also produce a white to blue-white light in the 4300K to 6000K color range that is safer due to the fact that it is closer to the color of natural daylight.

The color temperature of daylight is close to 4300K, which is why we as human beings that see best during the daylight are able to see more vividly with a 4300K hid kit compared to 2300K from halogen bulbs.

The light output from a 35W 4300K HID Xenon lamp is about 300% more visible light than a 55W halogen bulb.

And this build is 75 Watts HID! :drool:

HID also consumes much less power, and generates much less heat during operation...





Hope you like the build! :beer:









Click here to see my list of projects and tutorials! :)

 
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Things

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Re: HID Mag Mod! Estimated 5000 Lumens...

My eBay 75W HID seems fairly throwy to me. Does have a lot of splash out the side though:

DSCF2791.jpg


Nice build tho! :)
 

jayrob

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Re: HID Mag Mod! Estimated 5000 Lumens...

That does look like good throw!

Man I just may have to buy one of those ebay HID lights after all!

I read on CPF from a couple of guys, that they don't have good throw??

Do you have a link from the exact seller?
 

Fiddy

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Re: HID Mag Mod! Estimated 5000 Lumens...

holly shit thats nice! great job Jay :beer:
 

jayrob

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Re: HID Mag Mod! Estimated 5000 Lumens...

:thanks:

I especially like the finishing touch with one of your custom glow rings! :beer:
 
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jayrob

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Nice build Jay! Is the aluminum extension threaded to match the body of the Mag or is it just epoxied?

I have the 85W version I ordered on Aliexpress a few months ago: Wholesale 2012 Sales Promotion!!! 85W/65W/45W+SOS HID Xenon Flashlight 8500LM 7800mAh

I talked to Leo and the transaction was good.

I've been wanting to make a review on this, but something else has always came up.


The smaller 'shim piece', is thermal glued onto the Mag host...

I was going to glue the head on as well. With thermal adhesive.

But decided that I would just use set screws...

HID Mag 12.jpg


I mounted everything in the lathe, to get it perfectly aligned, and then tightened the two set screws.

That way, everything is centered.

The other set screw shown, is to be able to adjust the ballast/bulb position...
 
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Blord

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That is a impressive beam in the sky. Another item on my to-do list :)
 

Dam

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Where I can buy this voltage monitor? Price? Dimensions? I have at least three project which I can incorporate it in.
 

jayrob

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Sorry for the double post, but I got one of the ebay HID lites today, and was able to compare with my Mag mod...

HID%20Mag 13.jpg


The ebay 85 Watt HID is a very nice light for the price in my opinion...

It has some cool features. Like low, medium, high mode. And also an SOS mode if you ever need it.

The head screws in or out for some amount of focus ability, but not enough out. I found myself wanting to be able to get a tighter beam.

But still, it puts out a ton of light. The head and reflector is much wider than my Mag modification, and so the side spill is a lot wider than the Mag.

But even so, one test that I did was to just point the light straight up inside the house in the dark to illuminate the room, and the 75 Watt mag mod won out easily.

Outside, the Mag had a slightly better beam as well, and a little more throw. But not drastic.

That said, I am still impressed with the ebay HID light for the price. And I do happen to like the light...

Edit: After removing the front glass, and experimenting with focus by holding the reflector and moving it around, I find that the light gets it to about the best focus that it can be focused to... (for the reflector that it has)

I'm still happy with the over all package for the price I paid...




Update:




I just took three more comparison shots because I swapped out the stock ballast/bulb with a 4300K 75W for the Ebay HID... (same for my 75W Mag HID mod)

As the pictures will show, the (now 75W) Ebay HID will do better. Which it should. Since it has a larger reflector.

My Mag mod has a smaller reflector vs the FF3, but still does better since it is 75W vs 42W for the Fire-Foxes III...

HID%20comparison%206.jpg

HID%20comparison%207.jpg

HID%20comparison%208.jpg


Having the 4300K color temp. bulbs made all the difference in the world! :D

I like the beam profile of my Mag mod best, but the size/weight + cool factor of the FF3 is amazing! :cool:

And it compares side by side with the 75W lights...





Here's the Ebay HID before and after side by side:

HID before after.jpg
 
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Awesome build! I am thinking about getting one of those eBay HIDs. What sized bulb did you get that you could use with the eBay light? Was it a simple PNP replacement?

I hate the 8kk bulbs that they use in all of the cheep HID kits these days.
 
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jayrob

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:thanks:


Awesome build! I am thinking about getting one of those eBay HIDs. What sized bulb did you get that you could use with the eBay light? Was it a simple PNP replacement?

I hate the 8kk bulbs that they use in all of the cheep HID kits these days.

I had messaged the seller to ask if they can provide a custom ballast/bulb at 4300K, and it's the hot ticket for $31 bucks.

At the time, all they had was 75W, but now they have 85W...

Here's the seller:
hid from lovepets88 | eBay

They also sell the entire light with a 4300K bulb.

But if you already have the light, you can just get the bulb/ballast, and swap it out.

So if you do that, take note that there is excess lubricant on the inside of the head of the light, so you can clean all of that off with isopropyl alcohol because I noticed that it was smoking the lubricant during my burn in with reflector off... (make sure to clean the bulb with alcohol too just in case)

One more tip. There is a little room for 'tweaking' the bulb centering when you install the new ballast/bulb. So naturally if you get it perfectly centered, your light will perform better.

It's easy to change out the bulb. They even have a video:

 




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