# Vector 192 BFL, 172W Dual Beam - Build



## stollman (Apr 27, 2010)

*Vector 192 BFL (Big Freak'in Light) 
 *** 02/06/2012 - Updated Pricing on 100W Ballasts used for this modification ****

















My name is Mike (a.k.a. Stollman), and I use HID lights for my video work in caves. I currently own an Oracle 28/35W, an L35 from Battery Junction, a YAO 35/80W Mule (purchased through LIPS), and an 80W Barn Burner from Xevision. I wanted to build something with a bit more punch to light up the large cave domes. The Vector 192 seemed to be a good host, and the reflector provides a little more flood than my other lights. The following are my build notes along with some pictures. It took about 10 hours to work through the issues. Beamshot comparisons against my other lights to follow in a week or so.

*Vector 192 BLF Specifications*
· Individual Ballast Output: 86 watts each (77 volts at 1.12 amps). Total Dual Output: 172 watts.
· Estimated Light Output: A little over 16,000+ Lumens
· Original Weight: 11.6 lbs, Mod Weight: 8.5 lbs 
· Powered by (2) Flightmax, 14.8V, 15C, 5000 mAh LIPO Batteries
· The light has venting to help dissipate heat from the bulbs. The light is neither water-resistant, nor waterproof.
· Continuous runtime using a 14.8V, 5000mah Flightmax Battery is 35 minutes. 
· After a continuous 35 minute runtime, the LIPO battery gets warm, but the Ballast is very hot to the touch (132 Degrees Fahrenheit). That is the reason I offset the Ballasts from the Host with Nylon Spacers
.
*Cost Information:*
· Build Cost Option #1 (YAO Ballast & Bulb Kit): $290.00
· Required Accessories (LIPO Battery Charger): $41.00
· Build Cost Option #2, (use FatBoy DL50 Bulbs & D2S Cables): Add $140.00 - 160.00

*Bill of Material:*
*(1) - Vector 192, Twin Halogen Spot Light*
· Total Price: $46.67 ($29.00 – Light, $17.67 – shipping)
· Purchased on: Ebay. This light is no longer manufactured, but they do show up on Ebay from time to time.

*(2) - YAO-E-100W/10-18V-HID Ballast and Bulb Kit (4300K, H7)*
· Total Price: $120.00 (2) 100W Ballasts & Bulbs
* The YAO brand may not be specifically called out on the Ebay listing. The specs should be the same.
*· *Input Voltage: Min 10V/ Max 18V, Current Rating: 8.5 Amps, Operating Temp: -40 - +85
· Ballast Dimension: 111mm x 97mm x 36mm 
* Bulb: Generic, H7, 3000 Hrs, 4300k. Different temperature bulbs are available. 

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*(2) - Flightmax, 14.8V LiPo Batteries, 15C, 5000mAh*
· Total Price: $87.95 ($59.98 for two Batteries, and $27.97 for shipping)
· http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/store/uh_viewitem.asp?idproduct=6500
· Purchased from: www.hobbyking.com
· Note 1: This battery can be fully depleted, though not recommended. Best not to drain them below 12V per Patriot's comments below.
· Note 2: At the maximum recharge rate of the Turnigy 420 (2.0 Amps), it takes up to 5 hours to recharge this battery after it has been fully depleted.







(1) – Turnigy 420 LiPo Battery Charger
· Total Price: $22.85 (Shipped with batteries – no shipping cost)
· http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=7898
· Purchased from: www.hobbyking.com
· Note: 12V Power Supply is not included. Only ships with alligator clips to connect to 12V battery.







(1) – 12V, 6A Power Supply for Turnigy 420
· Total Price: $17.98 ($14.99 - Charger, $2.99 – Shipping)
· http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812203037
· Purchased from: New Egg.com. You can also purchase a Power Supply from HobbyKing.com






*Materials, Hardware*
· (6) – Hillman 5/16-18 x 1 ¼ Socket Head Cap Screw – Lowes - $1.39/2 pcs
· (2) – 5/16-18 Lock Nut – Lowes - $0.32/ea
· (6) – ½” Long, 9/16” OD x 375” ID Nylon Spacer – Home Depot - $0.41/ea
· (1) – Spool of Red Wire, 16 Ga. , 25’ – Lowes - $2.42/ea
· (1) – Spool of White Wire, 16 Ga., 25’ – Lowes - $2.42/ea
· (2) – Dean Ultra Plugs (wire connectors) – Local Hobby Store - $3.25/ea
· (1) – Roll Rubber Shelf Liner – Walmart - $4.25/ea. 
· (2) – Black Plastic Cut-Out Pieces – Home Made
· (1) – Small piece of Lexan sheet – Lowes/Home Depot (window area) - $7.00
· (1) – Package of 8”, thin Zip Ties – Walmart - $0.77/ea
· (1) - Radio Shack# 64-3109, 14-16 Gauge Insulated Crimp-On Butt Connectors, $2.19
· (1) - Radio Shack# 64-3049, 14-16 Gauge Quick Disconnect Crimp-On ¼” Male/Female, $1.99
· (1) - Radio Shack# 64-3039, 14-16 Gauge Female Crimp-On Disconnects, $1.99

*Tools:*
· Wire Crimper – Wire Work
· Wire Striper – Wire Work
· Socket Head Tools – Used to secure Ballasts to case with SCHS (socket head cap screws)
· Needle Nose Pliers - Used to remove Clip that holds in the bulbs and other fine work
· Small Flathead Screwdriver – Pop out Power Switches on the side of the Host
· Small Philips Head Screwdriver – Used to disassemble handle, remove Bezel
· Various Drill Bits – Drilling holes in case
· Electric Drill – Drilling holes in case
· Small Hot Melt Glue – Seal around where wires enter casing - optional
· Dremel with cutting wheel, grinder bit – Trimming internal plastic mounting bracket, cutting hole in Host
· Soldering Gun & Electrical Solder – Wire work
· Heat Gun – Heat Shrink covers on Dean wire connectors. Hair Dryer would probably work too.
· Small Hack Saw - Cutting out plastic rib to make a slot for the battery


*Option #2 Parts: *
(2) - D2S Cable Harness for Philips DL-50 Bulb
· Total Price: $22.00 (includes shipping)
· Purchased on: Ebay

(2) Philips MPXL-DL-50, Fatboy, 50W HID Bulb – Rare, High Quality Bulbs
· Total Price: $150.00 (includes shipping). Sometimes available on Ebay.· 
· This bulb is discontinued.

*Building Steps*
*Comments: If you plan on making this light from these directions, I would recommend reading through them first, and then read each step individually before executing a task.*

Step 1 – Tools and Supplies
· All required supplies and tools should be readily available 

Step 2 – Remove Battery, Front Bezel & Halogen Bulbs. Install the new HID Bulbs
· Remove the lead acid battery from the light, which will make handling the light easier. I am replacing it with (2) LIPO Batteries in this application.
· By reading the manual that comes with the Vector 192 light, remove the front rubber protective piece, and use the small Philips screwdriver to remove the bezel screws.
· Note: When removing the bezel, the lens is glass and breakable. Also, be careful not to touch the inside of the reflector. It is very difficult to clean properly.
· Once the Bezel is removed, use the needle nose pliers to remove the retaining clip for the halogen bulbs, and discard the bulbs.
· Install the new H7 HID Bulbs that came with the kit. You can then set the bezel assembly off to the side. This will be the last item to re-assemble on the light.

Step 3 – Remove Front Plastic Bracket #1
· You will not need this bracket. Use the small Philips screwdriver to remove the (4) screws

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*

Step 3 – Remove Front Plastic Bracket #2 & remove the electrical components
· Using the small Philips screwdriver, remove the (4) screws that secure Bracket #2.







· Using wire cutters, cut all the wires that lead to the light's Power Switches on the side of the light. Leave as much wire lead as possible. 
· Since my intent was not to use the any of the electrics or the LED light mounted in the handle, I pretty much gutted the light. Using the small Philips screwdriver, remove the (7) screws in the handle, and remove all the wiring and unwanted electrical parts. Then reassemble the handle.
· Now that the wiring coming down from the handle into the case is removed, you can now remove Bracket #2 pretty easily. Later on, we’ll be using the dremel to modify this Bracket.
· Remove the electrical components located in the bottom of the light, since none of it will be used. This helps eliminate weight and makes space for wiring.

Step 4 – Modify the Power Switches
· The Power Switches snap into the Host, and are held into position by tabs inside the case. Using a small flathead screwdriver, pop out the Switches by pushing on the tabs from inside the Host.
· Unsolder and remove some of the old wiring and install new leads. I hate soldering, so I used some crimp-on quick connects to slide onto the switch tabs. 

Step 5 – Install Ballasts
· Make a drilling template for the Ballast mounting holes out of cardboard – Optional. You could also lay the Ballast against the case and drill the holes, but I did not want to risk damaging the Ballast.








· Drill (4) holes into each side of the case, (3) to mount the Ballast and (1) for the Ballast power cable. Pick a drill that is the same size of the SHCS, so they will thread into the plastic Host.

Picture shows ballast mounting holes, and cut-out in top to drop the Ballast
Component into the Host.






· Use the SHCS, Nuts, and Nylon Spacers to mount the Ballasts

Front View Angle - Left Side







Front View Angle - Right Side








Back View Angle






Step 6 – Cut out holes in the top of the Host for the Ballast Components and Leads
· Instead of running the leads into the area where the reflector venting is located, I decided to run the leads into the top of the Host. I did not want the leads in the area where most of the heat will be generated.
· Make a cardboard template to match the size of the Ballast Component. 






* Place it on top of the host, and use a marker to outline the dimensions. Use a drill, and drill out the four corners of the image, and then use a Dremel to cut out the rest of the sections. 







· I also cut out some black plastic cover pieces from an old plastic toolbox lid to cover the openings. I cut out a notch in each plastic cover piece for the Ballast Lead to pass thru. The plastic cover pieces were glued over the openings in the top of the Host once I installed the Ballast Components.







Step 7 – Modify Bracket #2 & MountBallast Components
· Use a Dremel to remove all of the plastics standoffs on the front and back of the Bracket. I also removed some material off the side of the bracket for a cable channel, and off the top for a cable channel.
· Drill some very small holes through the center of the Bracket to run small 8" zip ties through. Zip Ties will be used to secure the Ballast Components to the back of the Bracket.







Cut out the top of the bracket to remove interference issue with Ballast
Components and cable comng down through the top.







· Locate the Ballast Components on the back of the Bracket, and secure then into position using the zip ties (looking in from the back).

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*

Step 8 – Battery Compartment Prep

· Make a deck for the batteries to sit on by cutting out a piece of Lexan to fit into the back of the case. It should be about 130mm x 130mm. You’ll have to do a little fine trimming to get it to fit snuggly.







· Use a hack saw to remove the plastic rib on the left side of the light. This will allow you to slide in a LIPO battery in this groove (the Host is upside down). You can see the Lexan Deck I made in this picture.

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· From the rubber shelving material, cut out (2) pieces that are 241mm x 152mm (9.5” x 6”). Use this to wrap around the LIPO batteries so they fit snuggly in the Host

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Picture of back of the light with Batteries (wrapped in rubber shelf material) sitting on the Lexan Deck. Excess cables are underneath the Deck and out of the way.







Step 9 - Basic Wiring
· I am not going to go into too much detail here, since it is a little difficult to explain. All of the wiring is pretty basic. I used 16 gauge butt connectors for coupling wires. Most of the wiring fits underneath the Lexan battery deck, which is nice.
· I soldered the Dean wire connectors to the wiring coming from the Switches, the Ballasts, and Batteries. I had cut off the stock connectors from the Batteries and use the Dean wire connectors because I could not find any mating connectors at Lowes, Home Depot, Radio Shack, or the Hobby Store. The Dean wire connectors are a little expensive at $3.25 a piece, but they are nice quality.
· *Note: Make sure your batteries are “good” before you modify them, otherwise you won’t be able to return them. Make sure they are able to charge up completely. If you find out the battery is bad after you have replaced the connector, you won’t be able to return them.*

Looking in from the front, this is a picture of the Bracket showing the use of zip ties to help manage
the cabling from the Ballast to the Bulbs. The intent is to help prevent the wires from touching the Reflector, which
gets hot. This is the last thing I did before I reassembled the Bezel onto the Host.






Step 10- Test and Reassembly
· While the light is opened up, test it first to make sure everything works correctly.
· Re-assembly the light and You Be Done

*THE END*


*Useful Reference Links *

Other Vector 192 Builds:
· Petrev - [url]https://www.candlepowerforums.com/posts/2502089#post2502089[/URL]
· BVH - [url]https://www.candlepowerforums.com/posts/2584948[/URL]
· English Mart - http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=179017
· Big4x4 - https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/261432&highlight=200w

Info on LiPo Batteries, Care and usage:
· Care & Feeding of Lithium Polymer (LIPO) batteries
· Battery University

Alternate Battery Option #1:
· Rhino, 4S1P, 14.8V, 4900mah, 20C constant, 30C Burst, 165 x 32 x 42, $51.95
· http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=7299

Alternate Battery Option #2:
· Blue Lip, 4S1P, 14.8V, 5000mah, 20C constant, 20-40 Burst, 148 x 50 x 35, $44.70
· http://www.hobbypartz.com/83p-5000mah-4s1p-148-20c.html


_*Thanks of Appreciation:*_
I’d like to thank my fellow CPF members for helping with this project by providing expert advice: BVH, Patriot, Norm


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## troller_cpf (Apr 27, 2010)

*A W E S O M E*


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## Patriot (Apr 28, 2010)

Beautiful build Stollman. I received your PM but it appears that you got your answer well before I got home to respond. 



*
*


> *(2) - Flightmax, 14.8V LiPo Batteries, 15C, 5000mAh*
> · Total Price: $87.95 ($59.98 for two Batteries, and $27.97 for shipping)
> · http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/store/uh_viewitem.asp?idproduct=6500
> · Purchased from: www.hobbyking.com
> ...



Regarding the battery notes 1 & 2, you still never want to drain a 4 cell li-po below 12V and 12.8V give you a cushion. Your working voltage should be 12.8V - 16.8V.

A recharge rate of 1C or 5A in your case will yield a 1 hour (li-po allowable) recharge time. I recommend a .5C or about 2.5 hour recharge time as it's much faster but still very easy on the cells. .2C is unnecessarily slow and really doesn't add to battery longevity in my experience. I'm using similar batteries although with a much higher discharge rating. 


A couple of my birds. The one of the left is running a 85A motor and uses 2 x 4S 4000mah at 33.6V. Uses up to 1800 watts iirc. The prop is 17" in diameter.


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## liteitup (Apr 28, 2010)

just be sure to keep an eye on indvidual cell voltage as well as overall voltage.... 3.3 is where i cut it off for long life. at 12.8 volts one cell could be going below 3 volts which could damage it


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## stollman (Apr 28, 2010)

Patriot & Liteup...

Thanks for the comments on the batteries. I'll watch the runtime on the LIPOs. HobbyKing didn't mention anything in their product description about not running them down below 12V, and I don't know squat about LIPO batteries. I would also note that HobbyKing does not have technical support. I had some tech questions for them about these batteries, and they referred me to their "discussion forum". I guess with the low prices they sell merchandise, they can't afford real customer support.

The battereis can be charged at 2C from what I read about the product, which I think is 3.2 amps. I had the Turnigy 420 set at 2.0A (max setting) and it seemed to take forever to recharge the batteries (4-5 hrs) after I ran them down until the light shut off. They did charge to 100%, and the pretty charge indicator lights did turn from red to green. I assume the 2A charge setting is acceptable? 

P.S. Patriot - Nice Planes. Do the small children in the neighborhood enjoy you flying them around in them? They are freak'in huge! I bet they're loud!


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## Kestrel (Apr 28, 2010)

troller_cpf said:


> *A W E S O M E*


Yep, that's pretty much my exact thought too. :thumbsup:
An absolutely first-rate thread as well, sir. :thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## kramer5150 (Apr 29, 2010)

GREAT job!!
Nice tutorial too


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## moviles (May 10, 2010)

really awesome job


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## jcw122 (May 11, 2010)

Beamshots? :twothumbs


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## stollman (May 11, 2010)

I am working on Beam Shots. Unfortunately, it has been raining most evenings. I hope to have them posted in a couple more days.


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## andyw513 (May 12, 2010)

I'm waiting to see what that monster will do! It looks more than promising. Nice job.


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## toby_pra (May 12, 2010)

Really informative writeup...thanks for sharing! :wave:


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## Tmax1 (Jun 3, 2010)

Lithium Polymer batteries are Extremely Dangerous. Always exercise caution and never leave a charging Li-Po unattended...


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## IlluminatedOne (Jun 3, 2010)

That is a impressive build 16000 lumens is alot , cant wait too see what it can do.


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## stollman (Jun 6, 2010)

Beam shots:
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/275182

Besides the Vector mod, there are beam shots of other HIDS I won.


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## Flashanator (Jun 8, 2010)

You gotta love the Reflector this Beast has? Tremendous Output is what you get.

Its so perfect for flood/spill & with 100W+ the throw is outrageous, & its quite a compact reflector for its size. Its insane how good it is.


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