# How Do I Convert this Halogen Spotlight....



## Arnulf (Mar 15, 2010)

To a HID spotlight?


----------



## troller_cpf (Mar 15, 2010)

you first got to understand the base type of the halogen lamp. it might be an H3 or H7.
Once you got that info, you have to ask yourself if it has got a 12V SLA battery or just 6V SLA battery.
If it has got a 12V battery, then you're good to go with a common chinese automotive HID kit - you can choose 35W or 55W, basically they have the same bulbs just with a different ballast.
you got to pick up a hid bulb with the correct base - the same of your actual halogen bulb (H3 or H7), and also choose your prefered color temperature - I think that here on CPF we all agree to go on the 4300K temp, max 5000K.

Once you have the HID kit, you just need to open up the light, remove the old halogen bulb and replace it with the HID kit.

In both cases, even if you have a H3 bulb or H7 bulb, you'll have to connect the RED (+) and BLACK (-) wires coming out from the battery/switch to the two pins coming out of the HID bulb. At the same time, you'll have to connect the HID bulb to the ballast. For this there are usually 3 connectors: two small connectors similar in shape and circular, and one bigger connector that goes directly to the ballast.

Finally, you need to find the space to put the ballast. I doubt, by looking at your picture, that you have still space inside the body to put the ballast, so my suggestion is to put it under the body (external), by removing the base plate of the spotlight and put the ballast at his place.
In this case you want to dig some holes in the body/head to let the wires pass through.


----------



## Arnulf (Mar 15, 2010)

troller_cpf said:


> you first got to understand the base type of the halogen lamp. it might be an H3 or H7.
> Once you got that info, you have to ask yourself if it has got a 12V SLA battery or just 6V SLA battery.
> If it has got a 12V battery, then you're good to go with a common chinese automotive HID kit - you can choose 35W or 55W, basically they have the same bulbs just with a different ballast.
> you got to pick up a hid bulb with the correct base - the same of your actual halogen bulb (H3 or H7), and also choose your prefered color temperature - I think that here on CPF we all agree to go on the 4300K temp, max 5000K.
> ...



They make this spotlight in 2 versions the HID and the Halogen...the HID is sold in Canada called the Motomaster....this one is the halogen
Here are the specs.

Bulb: ................................................................................12 Volts @ 55 Watts H3 Halogen
Battery: .......................................................................................12V DC @ 4.5 Amp Hours
Case: ....................................................................................................... High impact ABS
Internal Fuse: ......................................................................................................... 10 Amps
On / Off Switch: ....................................................... Rocker Switch on Underside Handle
AC Wall Charger: .................................................................................... 15V DC @ 600 ma
Multi-color LED Panel: ..............................................................................Charging status.
Dual Purpose LED Lamp: ....................... Area or Flashing White Light. Three Position Switch.
Carry Strap ..................................................................................... Adjustable/Removable
Adjustable Base ............................................................................................Multi-Position

Thanks for the info.....can you suggest a HID kit?

I already swapped out the 55 watt for a 100 watt bulb....does not seem to be that big a difference?
I gave $15 for it on ebay NIB....figured it make a nice first time mod. 

Edit....I might be wrong....but when I had the bezel and the reflector off I seen what looked like a place for mounting a Balast?


----------



## troller_cpf (Mar 16, 2010)

any HID kit on E-Bay will do the job, as long as you are sure to pick up one that has H3 bulbs.
A 55W ballast is quite big and thick, I mean it is minimum 80x70x30 .


----------



## Arnulf (Mar 16, 2010)

troller_cpf said:


> any HID kit on E-Bay will do the job, as long as you are sure to pick up one that has H3 bulbs.
> A 55W ballast is quite big and thick, I mean it is minimum 80x70x30 .



Can you buy a kit with 2 different hid bulbs.....I have the spotlight above that I want to convert and I have a big "Nightblaster" handheld spotlight with an H1 100 watt bulb that I want to convert to HID?


----------



## ANDREAS FERRARI (Mar 16, 2010)

Arnulf said:


> I already swapped out the 55 watt for a 100 watt bulb....does not seem to be that big a difference?



Might have something to do with the shape of the reflector.I have the HID version of this light and it can't compete with my POB in the throw department.Spotlights with flat bottom reflectors don't seem to perform very well.


----------



## kramer5150 (Mar 16, 2010)

ANDREAS FERRARI said:


> Might have something to do with the shape of the reflector.I have the HID version of this light and it can't compete with my POB in the throw department.Spotlights with flat bottom reflectors don't seem to perform very well.




the flat area creates rings of flood out to the sides. reflectors that are a pure parabolic shape, or have a smaller flat area at the base will throw best (diameter being equal). This is why the stanley is as good a thrower, for its size... no flat base. This is also why the Northern Tool 25MCP throws as well as it does... reduced flat base.


----------



## Arnulf (Mar 16, 2010)

ANDREAS FERRARI said:


> Might have something to do with the shape of the reflector.I have the HID version of this light and it can't compete with my POB in the throw department.Spotlights with flat bottom reflectors don't seem to perform very well.



Yeah....that is a dumb way to design a reflector.....but it still puts out a nice beam....I bet if you swapped out that frosted HID bulb yours would be brighter?

Yeah...I just bought a POB off a guy in the CP market Place....the POB is an awesome spotlight.:thumbsup:

I would sure like to see where the ballast is mounted in your Motomaster?


----------



## ANDREAS FERRARI (Mar 16, 2010)

If I get a chance latter I will pull it out of the trunk of my car and try to dismantle it.That frosted bulb doesn't really clean up the beam.Still lots of artifacts.But considering that I paid around $50 for it I can't complain.A good HID for the money.


----------



## Arnulf (Mar 16, 2010)

ANDREAS FERRARI said:


> If I get a chance latter I will pull it out of the trunk of my car and try to dismantle it.That frosted bulb doesn't really clean up the beam.Still lots of artifacts.But considering that I paid around $50 for it I can't complain.A good HID for the money.



Thanks. :twothumbs

$50 is an awesome deal for an HID spotlight.......my Halogen version has a stinky chemical smell...not sure but I think its that coating they put on it?


----------



## ANDREAS FERRARI (Mar 17, 2010)

I just finished completely dismantling and reassembling this light-sorry-no photos yet.If you remove the 5 screws at the rear you will see the battery.Pull out and unplug the battery.You will see an empty space under the battery tray(the belly section of the light).This is where the ballast sits.It is next to impossible(at least for me)to get the ballast out-so I didn't even try!!!! 
Since it appears to be a propriety type ballast designed for this light I'm not sure any other ballast will fit in there.I might be wrong but I wouldn't attempt it unless I could afford to make this mistake or figure out another way to mount the ballast.


----------



## Arnulf (Mar 17, 2010)

ANDREAS FERRARI said:


> I just finished completely dismantling and reassembling this light-sorry-no photos yet.If you remove the 5 screws at the rear you will see the battery.Pull out and unplug the battery.You will see an empty space under the battery tray(the belly section of the light).This is where the ballast sits.It is next to impossible(at least for me)to get the ballast out-so I didn't even try!!!!
> Since it appears to be a propriety type ballast designed for this light I'm not sure any other ballast will fit in there.I might be wrong but I wouldn't attempt it unless I could afford to make this mistake or figure out another way to mount the ballast.



Thanks my friend.....I appreciate the help....I took my spotlight apart and put the 55watt H3 bulb back in and I seen the empty space under the battery...it would be the perfect spot to put the ballast if it would fit?


----------



## LumenHound (Mar 19, 2010)

ANDREAS FERRARI said:


> Pull out and unplug the battery.You will see an empty space under the battery tray(the belly section of the light).This is where the ballast sits.It is next to impossible(at least for me)to get the ballast out-so I didn't even try!!!!



It's ten times easier pulling the ballast out from the front.  

Reducing the amount of frost on the bulb's envelope with polishing compound and a Dremel rotary tool helps improve the beam but not as much as you might think.


----------



## Arnulf (Mar 20, 2010)

That spotlight is making a strong chemical smell....I opened up the back and looked at the battery....it was not leaking or anything....I took it and sat it out in the pole barn...es stinken.


----------



## ANDREAS FERRARI (Mar 20, 2010)

LumenHound said:


> It's ten times easier pulling the ballast out from the front.
> 
> Reducing the amount of frost on the bulb's envelope with polishing compound and a Dremel rotary tool helps improve the beam but not as much as you might think.



Thanks for the tip-I might give it a try.:twothumbs



Arnulf said:


> That spotlight is making a strong chemical smell....I opened up the back and looked at the battery....it was not leaking or anything....I took it and sat it out in the pole barn...es stinken.



I would be mildly concerned about any strange smell.Might be coming from the ballast or battery.Maybe one of the HID or battery gurus around here could jump in and offer some advice or warning.


----------



## Arnulf (Mar 20, 2010)

ANDREAS FERRARI said:


> Thanks for the tip-I might give it a try.:twothumbs
> 
> 
> 
> I would be mildly concerned about any strange smell.Might be coming from the ballast or battery.Maybe one of the HID or battery gurus around here could jump in and offer some advice or warning.



Its a halogen spotlight...no ballast....yes I wish someone would advise me on it.


----------



## forexer (Mar 20, 2010)

Can you describe the smell? Sweet?


----------



## Arnulf (Mar 20, 2010)

forexer said:


> Can you describe the smell? Sweet?



No....not really....never smelled anything like it before:thinking:
It has a rubber or weather proof coating on the bezel....I thought it might be coming from that.....but the smell is everywhere on it and was permeating the dinning room so it got chucked out in the pole barn...its a nice looking light but the smell is pretty strong....can a charged battery give off a chemical smell? 
The Stanley and POB do not give off a smell.


----------



## forexer (Mar 21, 2010)

Arnulf said:


> No....not really....never smelled anything like it before:thinking:
> It has a rubber or weather proof coating on the bezel....I thought it might be coming from that.....but the smell is everywhere on it and was permeating the dinning room so it got chucked out in the pole barn...its a nice looking light but the smell is pretty strong....can a charged battery give off a chemical smell?
> The Stanley and POB do not give off a smell.


Then it is either the casing (synthetic materials) or a leaking battery. I'm guessing it's the former. SLA hardly do leak and they are quite hardy.


----------



## Arnulf (Mar 21, 2010)

forexer said:


> Then it is either the casing (synthetic materials) or a leaking battery. I'm guessing it's the former. SLA hardly do leak and they are quite hardy.



Hopefully some time out in the pole barn and it lose most of that smell?


----------

