I attached my pot in two places that I tested and traced back to what I thought would be the right place....no power increase or decrease in any of the resistor location at any setting on the pot. I am not using the same ballast to let you know but I am pretty sure they all work the same. I think its the pot I am using, it may not be doing what it is supposed to. My electronics knowledge is rookie at best.
Tweeking the "55W" Ballast to get an extra 18W @ Bulb
- Thread starter Morepower!
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danjoo
Newly Enlightened
Try a different pot with lower resistance, if possible measure the pot you want to test.
if you add a 1mega ohm pot to a 1 ohm ressistor the komplete resistance is only very less decreased.
If you measure for example 3 ohm, try a 100 ohm pot.
Than you can set up in a proper range.
In my mods the current is low and the cheapest pot is good enought.
have fun
daniel
if you add a 1mega ohm pot to a 1 ohm ressistor the komplete resistance is only very less decreased.
If you measure for example 3 ohm, try a 100 ohm pot.
Than you can set up in a proper range.
In my mods the current is low and the cheapest pot is good enought.
have fun
daniel
Morepower!
Enlightened
Re: Tweeking the "55W" Ballast to get an extra 116.8W @ Bulb
Hi Guys, it's been a while, had alot of dramas, but I'm partially back for now. I have worked out how to mod the new style ballasts and have been getting 116.8W @ the bulb for 50mins straight without any problems so far, except for some bulb failures. It does however require active cooling via a 40mm (1 ½") fan, but no big deal. It is capable of more but I have decided to throttle it back for now, though of course by nature I will have to push the envelope later as my goal is for ~150W that is sustainable. The problem I am having now though is the Chinese bulbs are only lasting for around 3 hours before the arc chamber starts to bulge out and the 1 Fat Boy I have tested with is slowly eating it's self up (electrodes). The Fat Boys are also a little too yellow for me at that wattage. I'm saving them for some compact 80-90W throwers. The mod is a little different but it's not too bad, when I get a chance (which could be a little while) I'll do a "how to".
Hi Guys, it's been a while, had alot of dramas, but I'm partially back for now. I have worked out how to mod the new style ballasts and have been getting 116.8W @ the bulb for 50mins straight without any problems so far, except for some bulb failures. It does however require active cooling via a 40mm (1 ½") fan, but no big deal. It is capable of more but I have decided to throttle it back for now, though of course by nature I will have to push the envelope later as my goal is for ~150W that is sustainable. The problem I am having now though is the Chinese bulbs are only lasting for around 3 hours before the arc chamber starts to bulge out and the 1 Fat Boy I have tested with is slowly eating it's self up (electrodes). The Fat Boys are also a little too yellow for me at that wattage. I'm saving them for some compact 80-90W throwers. The mod is a little different but it's not too bad, when I get a chance (which could be a little while) I'll do a "how to".
Illum
Flashaholic
Re: Tweeking the "55W" Ballast to get an extra 116.8W @ Bulb
oo:
so they could exhibit an "non-passive end-of-life event" for a bulged lamp the next time its fired up? Got pics? I do not recall ever seeing such HID anomalies before:thinking:
oo:so they could exhibit an "non-passive end-of-life event" for a bulged lamp the next time its fired up? Got pics? I do not recall ever seeing such HID anomalies before:thinking:
Morepower!
Enlightened
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Here's one I prepared earlier
It's not the bulb I was talking about but it virtually has the same bulge and I have 2 others just like it. As far as the "how to" it takes alot of time to take the pics and do the write up. Also I havn't worked out how to set up the cooling fan properly yet. joedm are you going to have a go at modding one yourself ?
P.S. Does anyone know how I can edit the original Thread title ?
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Here's one I prepared earlier
It's not the bulb I was talking about but it virtually has the same bulge and I have 2 others just like it. As far as the "how to" it takes alot of time to take the pics and do the write up. Also I havn't worked out how to set up the cooling fan properly yet. joedm are you going to have a go at modding one yourself ?
P.S. Does anyone know how I can edit the original Thread title ?
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Morepower!
Enlightened
bshanahan14rulz
Flashlight Enthusiast
Morepower, have you ever used Philips 35W burners? This is just hear-say on my part, but I hear that they actually burn cooler than china bulbs when overdriven. Obviously some fatboys would be best, but they can be too expensive if you are just experimenting. Be careful! One of my favorite threads here, I plan on finding some HiLuxTek ballasts soon to mod them to also have a "boost" mode for when I need it.
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Glad to see you are back MorePower
I have not been able to get my ballest to do what yours does so for me some better detail would be awesome. I am obviously missing something.
Thread title is modded by clicking on "go advanced" once you click edit. It will let you do it there.
I have not been able to get my ballest to do what yours does so for me some better detail would be awesome. I am obviously missing something.
Thread title is modded by clicking on "go advanced" once you click edit. It will let you do it there.
Morepower!
Enlightened
Thanks I'll try that, I have done it once before but could not remember how I did it.
Perhaps you could tell me, or better still show me with pics, what you have done and I could help you from there. I'm assuming you have the old style ballast ?
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Morepower!
Enlightened
Well if you can believe it my camera has shat it'self also. So here is a drawing, please don't laugh as I just don't do drawings.
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i have some 55 watt ballasts that the only way i can find to turn them up is with the current sensing resistors. This works however i wanted to make something adjustable and i cant find a pot anywhere on these ballasts... have you seen anything like this before morepower?
Morepower!
Enlightened
I am using a 100K Pot. There is another part to the mod and you will also need 4 of these, but untill I get my camera back it is too hard to explain.
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Morepower!
Enlightened
I havn't played with any like that, maybe you could try and source a heavy duty wire wound pot and do it that way ?
Oh, and Mettee that is correct. The heatsinks are for the "new style" ballast.
Morepower!
Enlightened
Double post, sorry. But I found a Pic of the new style ballast I obviously took ages ago before my camera died. It is important to wire it as I did or it won't work, I know there seems to be an easier way of doing the same thing but it isn't the same. Also it is important to use a bought or scavanged SMT resistor as the 1/4W one's I have don't seem to work. The TO-220 heatsinks need one side to be cut off so you end up with an "L" shape and silicone them to the back of the stepping IC.
New style ballast
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New style ballast
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