# Just picked up a VSS-3



## BravoKilo (Oct 29, 2011)

I just won a buy it now auction for a VSS-3. So, this enters my foray into big flashlights. I am so excited I practically have chest pains. It is shipping out freight from. Hamburg, Pennsylvania. 
I can't wait!!!!!!!


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## BVH (Oct 29, 2011)

Be sure to find and read all the VSS-3 and VSS-3a "How to" threads in the "Spotlights and HID flashlights" section. There's tons of great info in them including how to work with the cables to get it working (if not already done). Congrats on a magnificent light! This is your first post so I don't have any idea of your experience with very high power flashlights so I'll throw in some cautions just in-case. If you're up on all this stuff then pardon my cautions. Be very careful not to shine the light at anyone/any animal at any time. Permanent eye damage WILL result along with burning of the skin due to IR. These are fun lights if used very carefully and like weapons if not.


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## BravoKilo (Oct 29, 2011)

I have been working my way through the VSS-3 and VSS-1 threads. I have the manual for the VSS-3 already printed out. I have lots of electricity & electronics experience but zero short-arc experience. Well - zero except that I got run a VSS-1 for a few hours a while ago. I was hooked at that point. 

Oh, I have not told my wife about winning this auction yet. But I did tell her about the light. She did say now 4 times to get it - so she must mean that, right? I'll wait to tell her that I bought it after her 2nd drink tonight, that should be safe, right? 

Here is what I bought (plus the control box, cable and mounting plate).


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## xul (Oct 30, 2011)

People who love guns want military weapons. People who love lights want military lights?


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## BVH (Oct 30, 2011)

xul said:


> People who love guns want military weapons. People who love lights want military lights?



I've had 8 military lights and currently have 4 and a definite YES to your "People who love lights want military lights?"


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## Bill Idaho (Oct 30, 2011)

Welcome! I own a working VSS-1 and a gutted VSS-3 that I have been trying to refit with a civilian bulb/ballast. (Still looking for a replacement bulb and matching ballast!) The -1 is unreal.


Someday, I hope I can say a refitted -3 is unreal too. And, they definitely are not toys, but they sure bring out the kid in a guy.


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## BravoKilo (Oct 30, 2011)

Is the bulb the same for the -1 as the -3? the manual said that it is rated at 1000w and the same for the -3. But obviously, the -1 is twice as bright in CP output. I am guessing that it is the same bulb but the heat dissipation capability of the -3 is lower and so therefore runs at a lower current. I have not done a lot of research on this yet - so much info to go through here. 

Someday I may try to pick up a -3. there is one up for auction now on ebay but I just cannot do that at this time. 

Good luck with your ballast. I have a friend with a -1 who used a resistor ballast and he showed it to me but I did not pay enough attention to it - I now wish that I had.


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## BVH (Oct 30, 2011)

No, the bulbs are not the same. 2.2 KW for the -1 and as you say 1.0 KW for the -3. Some of your post does not read right to me.

"The manual said that it is rated at 1000w and the same for the -3.....".

The -3 is, in fact 1KW and the -1 is 2.2KW.

"Someday, I may try to pick up a -3.......".

This is what you just bought, right?

Not sure I understand what your friend was doing with a ballast resistor and a -1? 

I had both of these lights. I would never attempt to modify them in any way and then run them. Both bulbs are under very high internal pressure and it would not take much to literally blow one up. If you have to remove one for any reason (I did), wear a welders thick leather apron, full lexan face mask and be sure every inch of your front is covered. Always triple check polarity of your hook-up. One instance of reverse polarity will fry internal parts. Same with hooking up some of the smaller control wires incorrectly. I think you already have a working cable - that's good.


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## BravoKilo (Oct 30, 2011)

OK - Now I cannot find it among all of the searches I did today. I did find one manual for the vss-1 that I am sure said the bulb was 1000 watts. I will post a link if I ever find it again but to tell the truth, it didn't sound right to me in the first place a lamp running twice the current and CP having the same size rated bulb. 

I did indeed get the VSS-3. Lighter weight, portable - it came with a mount plate. 

You know, I cannot remember what my friend said about his ballast, but I do seem to remember his saying that he had to convert to a resistor ballast. I could have that all wrong. I think he is a member of these forums and maybe he will see this post and chime in.


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## BVH (Oct 30, 2011)

I don't ever recall seeing anything about a 1KW VSS-1 but that doesn't mean there never was one. When you get the -3, be sure to unclamp and remove the back cover. Take a gaze and really admire the ultra-professional looking "insides". It truly looks "spaceage" in there. Clean, sano, professional, and many other adjectives that don't come to mind right now. There is no equal to true military lights!

Did you tell your wife yet?


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## BravoKilo (Oct 31, 2011)

I did tell hr about the auction before I bid on it. She said "go get it". Well, as any man knows - when your wife says "go ahead" it doesn't actually mean that. So I told her more facts about the light - 3 times, about an hour apart each time. Each time she said "go get it". So I did. 
When I got home, I planned to wait until her 2nd drink before I told her. But I didn't even get the first sip down her before she asked "did you get the light?". 
I told her I did and she said "Cool". Should I be worried how easy that was?

Yea, when I get it I will take a few pictures and post them for all to see - not like y'all haven't already seen this thing a dozen times over already.


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## xul (Oct 31, 2011)

BVH said:


> I've had 8 military lights and currently have 4 and a definite YES to your "People who love lights want military lights?"


So far, so good. 

To make an analogy between bullets and photons, people who fire them 'own' them. I don't know of any civilians whose sight has been damaged by the use of powerful lights in populated areas but I guess there is some small likelihood. 

The probability might be down there with the 60 per year shark attacks in the US [out of 330,000,000 people] but I wouldn't want to be the one to harm the vision of some curious child.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attractive_nuisance_doctrine


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## BravoKilo (Oct 31, 2011)

I have been checking and if I hadn't just blown part of my kids collage education on the VSS-3, I would get the VSS-1 that is still for sale on eBay. - plus my wife's generosity about this would probably come to an abrupt end if I got it anyway.


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## BravoKilo (Nov 1, 2011)

The seller contacted me today to let me know that he will be shipping the light in a few days - they still have no power over there.


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## BravoKilo (Nov 9, 2011)

I got it!!!!!













Now one question I have is about cleaning the mirror. It has dust and dirt on it.


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## BVH (Nov 9, 2011)

I gingerly swiped a lightly saturated (with 95% Alcohol) microfiber cloth from the center-out all the way around. No weight/pressure was applied. just the weight of the damp cloth. I would never touch a MaxaBeam reflector, nor most reflectors with anything but both my VSS reflectors seemed fairly tolerant of this type of cleaning. I have to believe they saw rough service in real-world use.

Heck, on the 60", I put a good portion of my body weight against the cleaning cloth. But I was removing carbon smoke deposits. They get dirty, fast.


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## BravoKilo (Nov 10, 2011)

OK - I have a 20" aperture telescope, the mirror is that big. I cleaned that with water and wadded up pure cotton batting that was completely saturated. The process is to gently slide the batting around but not to push on it. 
I have not taken a single screw out of the light, but I can see film on everything shiny. So, I am thinking about a cleaning. That mirror is actually metal, is it not?


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## BravoKilo (Nov 10, 2011)

Oops, I wiped out my own pictures. Re-posting them now.....


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## FRITZHID (Nov 10, 2011)

theres only 1 thing i can say........ :scowl::scowl::thumbsup::shrug::drunk::drunk::drunk::drunk::drunk::sigh::sigh::help::help::help::help::bow::bow:oo:oo:oo::thumbsup: :twothumbs:twothumbs:thinking: :santa:?


lucky/kudos!


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## BVH (Nov 10, 2011)

IIRC, the mirror structure is cast aluminum. Looks like you have a great location for some very long throw beamshots without disturbing anyone nor attracting too much attention.


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## DM51 (Nov 11, 2011)

_WOW!! _It looks superb!  If that usage meter is correct, it has only had ~20 minutes use, so it should be in great condition (once you get all the dust off, lol).


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## BVH (Nov 11, 2011)

Many all of these -1's and -3's were freshly overhauled just prior to being retired from service. All 3 lights I had were less than 5 hours use on the meters.


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## BravoKilo (Nov 12, 2011)

I am not sure if that control box was the one originally with that light, but it certainly does look well maintained! Temptation got the best of me and I opened up the back today and took a few pictures.

A friend asked me to take a picture of the ballast so I included that also. The only thing I notices was some sort of coating on the blower motor. I hope the bulb doesn't have a coating!!!

Now - does anybody know where I can get an appropriate supply cord for this beast? I read through these here forums and came up with something that the Amphanol connector for this is no longer available.


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## BVH (Nov 13, 2011)

IIRC, there were many posts by TVODRD in the VSS-3 threads giving specific Amphenol part numbers for each connector. The only one that was impossible to find was the one for the final "light itself" connector, only because of the oddball thread pitch of the ring. The actual pin configuration was matchable. I made my own power cables by buying some ultra-fine stranded Vutron orange jacketed cable from McMasterCarr - 4 AWG. I soldered them to the Amphenol connector. I found this connector at a local military surplus store - Allied Electric. I believe they have a WEB site but I doubt that will help. I had to spend a couple of hours looking through scores of boxes up the 12' walls to find what I needed. This is one of those stores you could spend days or week walking thru looking at all the neat electronic stuff. No organization, just stuff all over the place - but fun stuff to look at.

Did you find the thread and specific posts with the Amphenol part numbers listed?


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## BravoKilo (Nov 14, 2011)

Yes, I did find that thread but must have misread it because I saw something about having to modify something to get it to work, so I lost interest. I'll go back and find it and get some numbers. We do have a military surplus store here - might be time to peruse the aisles to see what is there.


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## BVH (Nov 14, 2011)

Just to be clear, the oddball one was only the ring that threads onto the light. No one could find the correct thread pitch so Larry attempted to rethread them to the extent that they would function. The actual pin configuration that fit into the ring was obtainable. All other connectors were obtainable.

The Amphenols are sort of a modular connector in that you pick the ring, the pin config/size and the clamp extension based on what you need. Tons of different combinations are available. You may need to buy two different connectors to make up the one you need or you may be lucky and find the exact one you need. Be prepared to spend some time getting this done.


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## BravoKilo (Nov 14, 2011)

Check - Thanks. It goes to show the amount of stuff I have to learn. Fortunately, I am willing and happy to learn. I appreciate the help. Before I entertain firing up my lamp, I would like to have a proper connector.


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## BravoKilo (Nov 14, 2011)

And of course, it would help to look at the manuals and even the control box itself where the number "MS3102R32-5P" is stamped directly above the plug which searches out to a 2 pronged box receptacle and of course, searching a little further leads to a Digikey part that lists the appropriate partner plug as part number "MS3106R32-5S". They have it for $161.... I'll look around a little more.


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## BVH (Nov 14, 2011)

Yes, you reminded me of what I found out when looking for mine through retail outlets. I had forgotten the very expensive online sources. IIRC, I'm thinking I paid in the $10 - $20 range at Allied.


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## BravoKilo (Nov 14, 2011)

$20 would be closer to what I would want to pay. I am sure my darling wife would not be too happy with me paying $160 for that - I haven't told her about the cost for batteries and a charger/switchmode rectifier unit.


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## BravoKilo (Dec 14, 2011)

Just picked up my switchmode rectifier 24 volts @ 100 amps. I am 1 step closer!!!!!


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## TheRealDoodle (Dec 15, 2011)

I see the auction on ebay, was it the buy it now or best offer? What did you offer?


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## BravoKilo (Dec 16, 2011)

I just did the buy it now..... It was cheap enough for me. Now for batteries.....


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## TheRealDoodle (Dec 16, 2011)

BravoKilo said:


> I just did the buy it now..... It was cheap enough for me. Now for batteries.....


The one i'm seeing is 1000.00. Thats not cheap enough for me. Good luck on the batteries. .


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## BravoKilo (Dec 17, 2011)

Well, they just listed another one lime mine. 24 volts, 100 amps.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/C-D-TECH-RA...557?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53e9ff2ecd


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## TheRealDoodle (Dec 17, 2011)

OH, sorry for the confusion, I was talking about the light.


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## BravoKilo (Dec 18, 2011)

Oh! - no, I think unless you find one at a garage sale and the owner has no idea what it is and how much they are worth, YOU will be paying some big $$$ to get one. There are small, lower wattage short arcs out there, but these surplus units ain't cheap!


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## BravoKilo (Dec 28, 2011)

Well, after searching locally and coming up empty handed, I finally ordered a plug connector online and got a "DEAL" on it - if you can call it that. $126 and free shipping to boot! Who could ask for more...

Also, I pulled out my Swichmode Rectifier that Santa got me for Christmas (how did he know?!?) I'll need to do some configuration work before I can fire it up. I have a 2kva step-up transformer that I can use to power it in remote situations and in my garage, I have a 220 volt outlet to feed it for test. 

I feel I am just a few weeks away from First Light!!!! And some prized Beam Shots and maybe even a visit form the local police if I am lucky!

CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!


Line No: 
1Stock No: 
96J9404Manufacturer Part No: 
MS3106F32-5SUOM 
Each/1Quantity: 
1Price: 
$126.98Extended Price: 
$126.98Customer Part Number:Customer PO Line Number: 001Description: CIRCULAR CONNECTOR PLUG, SIZE 32, 2POS, CABLE; Connector Type:Circular Military; Connector Body Material:Aluminium Alloy; Genderlug; Contact Gender:Socket; Connector Mounting:Cable; Connector Shell Size:32; Insert Arrangement:32-5Shipping Via: GROUND FOBS

Expected Ship Date: 01/04/2012 Expected Ship Quantity: 1Final Expected Ship Date: 01/04/2012


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## IgNITEor (Jan 5, 2012)

BravoKilo, when you think you can see the deep end of the pool, grab your mask & snorkel!
Because you're about to get into this real deep :tinfoil:


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## IgNITEor (Jan 5, 2012)

BravoKilo, when you think you can see the deep-end of the pool, grab yer' mask & snorkel!
You're about to get into this pretty deep :tinfoil:


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## BravoKilo (Aug 6, 2012)

Well, I have sat on this for several months. but today, I took another step towards firing this baby up. I tested the power supply and it worked perfectly. I even tried to load test it with my battery load tester but that did not work well as the higher voltage really angered the tester as I tried to load it up. Voltage drop was way too high I guess. Anyway, now that is done I am really tempted to see if this power supply can push the 60 amps I need to fire this lamp by itself.


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## BravoKilo (Aug 7, 2012)

FIRST LIGHT!!! Pictures to follow....


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## BravoKilo (Aug 10, 2012)

I have had 2 nights to play with this and what a blast it is. I only put 1.3 hours of runtime on the lamp but discovered so much about it in that time. 

First shot is from last night. The setup was elaborate to get the light running. 2 EU2000 generators because one was not enough. A variac hardwired for the maximum voltage I could squeeze out of it - didn't even use the slider. My 28 V, 100 amp supply and battery jumper cables to connect everything up in the most dangerous way possible.





Pointing the light towards a hilltop 1.3 miles away I was clearly able to see the beam in spot and spread modes. That is hard to see in this picture. 





We drove 1/4 mile away from the light and took this picture. I had to adjust the ISO to get a good enough exposure and I did edit the picture enough to make it look as it actually did. The bean was quite visible. In fact, I was told by one friend that he could see the beam from his house over a mile away. 





I posted more pictures at http://archnevada.com/vss3/. Look in the First Light folder. Some shots came out pretty interesting using a slow shutter. Bugs made interesting trails through the light.

Here is a nice shot from the first powering up test 2 nights ago. It was impressively bright really.


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## BVH (Aug 10, 2012)

Did you happen to note the Voltage and Amp draw on the PS for total input power consumption?


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## Walterk (Aug 11, 2012)

Beautiful picture, the beamshot from a distance!


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## BravoKilo (Aug 11, 2012)

BVH said:


> Did you happen to note the Voltage and Amp draw on the PS for total input power consumption?



I sort of did measure the voltage and current draw indirectly. However, my measurements were not too serious and the lamp was not running under ideal conditions. For example, I was using battery jumper cables rather than a good heavy gauge, thin strand cable and my connections were less than properly bonded. 

The readings I took were at the power supply rather than at the lamp itself and were measured using ports on the power supply rather than actual voltage & current to the lamp.

But still, my test showed that I was running 26 volts at about 25 amps. so, we were at about 650 watts.

Incidentally, the light ran flawlessly with the exception of the infrared sleeve not sliding back on when I turned off the lamp one time. I was switching from visible mode right past infrared to off. I knew immediately that something was wrong as I saw the incandescent glow of the hot bulb shining out. I immediately turned the lamp back on and the infrared slid into place.


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## BVH (Aug 11, 2012)

If the current was indeed 25 Amps then you haven't seen anything yet. It should be up at around 58 Amps, probably a little higher as my 58 reading was as 23.8 Volts input. I suspect an incorrect Amp reading as you describe from poor connections rather than the light actually running at 25 Amps.


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## BravoKilo (Aug 11, 2012)

Yes - there was nothing valid about my measurements. It had to be running under powered. The battery jumper cables alone had to present some resistance enough to impact the total current flow. Heck, none of my connections got warm at all, which I would have expected a little with that kind of current. I will measure again with a REAL current meter and get some real values.


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## Phased_Array (Aug 18, 2012)

Another crazy VSS3 owner joins our exclusive club! And pic's to prove it too.
BravoKilo, Don't forget to grab your night vision goggles to see the invisible IR beam, that blinds unprotected eyes a block away!


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## simplec6 (Aug 18, 2012)

So awesome.


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## BravoKilo (Aug 19, 2012)

Yes, crazy - you would say that if you saw how I wired this up just to test it! I did get a good look straight into the light with the infrared in place, you can see the arc real good like that..... JUST KIDDING! I did use a welders mask to ACTUALLY look at the arc for a few seconds. I did manage to take a picture of the beam with the infrared on. The spot is on a tree about 20 feet in front of the light. Not the best shot but shows 2 things, its bright AND it the iPhone CCD is sensitive enough to see the infrared. Its a very grainy shot, but you can see the spot in infrared.
I am working on getting some infrared goggles to play with and/or an infrared spotting scope of some sort to mount on the light.


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## BravoKilo (Aug 22, 2012)

Here is a quick video of the first light test. Its interesting how a CCD camera will pick up infrared that our eyes cannot see. Just to let everybody know, I never actually looked directly into the light without adiquate protection. In this video only my phone was pointed into the light. All that I was seeing was from the side.


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## BravoKilo (Sep 22, 2012)

I have an idea for a power supply setup for this light. It involves 2 Eu2000i generators coupled to a transformer that acts as a energy combiner of sorts. It will allow for charging batteries and/or direct supply with just one (or both) generators. Each Eu2000i, being basically a grid tie inverter alternator, will synchronize to each other through mutual inductance coupling between the 2 primaries. The secondaries will combine power to produce the 240 volts needed to supply the switchmode rectifier, which will in turn keep the batteries charged as needed. 






Any thoughts?


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## BVH (Sep 23, 2012)

While it appears that I have much less knowledge than you on electrics, I can say that over a 3 year period, I've fried a couple of Mastec variable 30V/50A switch mode power supplies running high inductance kickback, relatively low (20 Amp max) loads. When talking with others more knowledgeable than I, they all say the same thing - switch mode supplies are not the best match for high inductance kickback loads. Linear supplies are better suited. That's why I picked up a 1986 Sorensen SRL 40V/50A variable, 120lb beast (ended up about $300 to my door) to run my small loads and an 85lb approx 26-29 Volt (tiny POT variable) Lorain 100 Amp Rectifier to run the VSS-3 (I got the Lorain from member Modamag for $150. He has more to sell) To each, I have added appropriate sized output capacitors to smooth out the sudden rush of current and to the Sorensen, I have also added a large capacity (5 x's output current) output diode in the + line and a large capacity "free wheeling" diode between + and - outputs. Both are heat sunk in a 1.5" solid copper bar.

As far as combining two, 240V outputs from generators, I know very little except what I read in my Sorensen manual about paralleling outputs from two of the units. Which is still, very little. I would GUESS that you would at least need some diode blocking? 

Assuming the Hondas' are 1800 Watts continuous, that would only be about 15 Amps @ 240V combined which seems a bit low to me, especially for starting? But then again, the Lorain is rated at 21 amps at 240V input for a 100 Amp output.

Not sure this all helps, hopefully so.


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## BravoKilo (Sep 24, 2012)

My depth of understanding electricity/electronics is limited to what I have learned professionally and a grid operator for our local utility and from what I have learned by hobbies like this short arc light. And one thing I have learned time and time again is that I do not know it all. To that end I make the following observation – you are 100% correct and it was something I should have known from the start. I should have known that an arc light like this is bound to produce a ton of hash on the power rails. But I simply did not think of that at all. And for your reminder of this fact, I am grateful that I did not fry my power supply and potentially my light by a sudden and catastrophic failure of my supply which could have caused an immediate cessation of my cooling system with the lamp hot and probable failure of the bulb as well. 

So I have spent the day looking at conditioning my supply to limit that hash from reflecting back to the finals of my power supply. And I think I have some simple solutions but I need to do some experimentation. I believe that my switchmode rectifier is good enough to power the batteries and lamp, but it does need to be protected.

I don't have an oscilloscope, so I can't see what conditions are like for the supply, but I can inferentially measure conditions from a few means that I will outline later if they work. Or maybe I will somehow get an O-scope and just see what is there so I know best how to treat it. 

Now, for my schematic, I drew that up really to show how I was going to couple 2 grid tie inverter based generators together and produce one 240 output. I don't think I need to worry as much about noise on that part of the power supply system. But again, I would need to measure conditions to know for sure. 

All of this is what makes the experience so fun. I am enjoying the learning and feedback from the forums here.


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## BVH (Sep 25, 2012)

BravoKilo said:


> All of this is what makes the experience so fun. I am enjoying the learning and feedback from the forums here.



Yes! Absolutely! I love learning about electrics and electronics! I've never stayed with a hobby nearly as long as with "flashlights" I still love participating here as much as back in Sept '04.


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