# Not to brag, but I think our light has EVERYONE beat!



## Kuryakin (Oct 31, 2009)

1942 Sperry 60 inch searchlight. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOq1lwMXoow
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1n3K6qAWsdY&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpZfu-npynQ&feature=related

We spent a year restoring this beast. 800,000,000 candlepower. 2,100,000 lumen carbon arc light source, <1 degree beam spread. Can be seen for over 40 miles.


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## [email protected] (Oct 31, 2009)

Damn, you smashed the last record of 600,000 lumens!


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## Roger Sully (Oct 31, 2009)

I don't know 'bout the rest of you guys but I'm impressed!:thumbsup:


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## USACelt (Oct 31, 2009)

Yeah it's bright, but can you EDC it ?





and good job on the restoration, that's an awesome light


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## BVH (Oct 31, 2009)

Actually, having owned one up until last May (with a Grade 8+ mirror), I did lots of research on the light produced from my GE 1942A. Carbon Arcs produce about 42 Lumens per Watt.

73 running Volts DC (ballasted down from about 98 Volts) x's 150 running Amps = 10,950 Watts
10,950 Watts x's 42 Lumens = 459,900 Lumens.

Granted, these Lumens are focused extremely tight. On most typical nights, the beam can be seen from about 25 maybe 30 miles. It is said that if the light was aimed straight across a 6 mile field, you could read a newspaper at 5.7 miles.


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## Kuryakin (Oct 31, 2009)

Ours is running 78 volts at 150 amps, at the arc, just shy of 12,000 watts. Sperry's use voltage control of the rod position, GE uses current control. As per the operating instructions. Fort Hancock has a GE. Their reflector is better than ours, but ours is still 7+, after considerable cleaning and polishing. 

They went to Cape May, we are at Cape Henlopen, and we shot the beams across the bay, 17 miles at that point. We're on top of a 65 foot dune where Battery 519 is located, and each side could EASILY read a newspaper from the beam across the bay. 

Yes, we crossed the beams, and did NOT get instantaneous protonic reversal. <G>

If you have a 60" GE, you should also be doing 2,100,000 lumens from the arc. The luminous efficacy of a carbon arc is actually pretty darn good, even with the ballast resistor. Of course, the down side is the rods only last about 2 hours. But the crater temperature is essentially at the boiling point of carbon, close to 6600F, and with the rare earth salts in the mix, it's about as efficient a white light source as you're going to get. As they get larger, they also get a lot more efficient. And yes, we're talking 175 lumens per watt!



BVH said:


> Actually, having owned one up until last May (with a Grade 8+ mirror), I did lots of research on the light produced from my GE 1942A. Carbon Arcs produce about 42 Lumens per Watt.
> 
> 73 running Volts DC (ballasted down from about 98 Volts) x's 150 running Amps = 10,950 Watts
> 10,950 Watts x's 42 Lumens = 459,900 Lumens.
> ...


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## -Virgil- (Nov 1, 2009)

Kuryakin said:


> Yes, we crossed the beams, and did NOT get instantaneous protonic reversal. <G>



But did the Sta-Puft Marshmallow Man appear? ;-)

Seriously sweet light - nice work on the resto!


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## LuxLuthor (Nov 1, 2009)

I still can't believe BVH sold his. Biggest problem with these beauties is air traffic control violations, unless these are owned by the U.S. Armed Forces. Then, as you recently saw with the Air Force One over NYC Photo Op, they can do whatever the **** they want without any notification.


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## Kuryakin (Nov 2, 2009)

Really? We've never had a problem, and we're right on the flight path into and out of Dover Air Force Base! We don't have the sound locator option (apparently only one light in the nation has this) and that would allow the light to follow the sound of the aircraft! Pretty cool for 1942 technology! 
Otherwise, it would be a quick flash in the cockpit, and that's it. Not a laser, so, don't think this is all that big a concern. 



LuxLuthor said:


> I still can't believe BVH sold his. Biggest problem with these beauties is air traffic control violations, unless these are owned by the U.S. Armed Forces. Then, as you recently saw with the Air Force One over NYC Photo Op, they can do whatever the **** they want without any notification.


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## ducat (Nov 2, 2009)

I want one.

I have absolutely no idea why or what I could possibly do with it.

But I want one.


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## Zeruel (Nov 2, 2009)

Nah...not for me. There's no clip for EDC.


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## BVH (Nov 2, 2009)

A lot of my jobs were on the Instrument Landing System (ILS) approach to Burbank-Bob Hope Airport. I, as a diligent operator, I kept my eye out for aircraft on approach and took steps to ensure the beam was perpendicular to and below the flight path from the point the aircraft was 2 miles out until the aircraft was overhead. I then resumed rotations. On a typical night, there were about 12 - 18 aircraft. Same with the dozens of police and private helicopter passages near my light. While not required to do so, it helped ensure that Air Traffic Control/FAA and the Police Departments stayed happy and therefore, had no negative interest in my operation.


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## IgNITEor (Nov 2, 2009)

Kuryakin said:


> Really? We've never had a problem, and we're right on the flight path into and out of Dover Air Force Base!



Armed with the USA Patriot Act, law enforcement is having WAY more access to our Flashaholic rights. Don't be too relaxed with your beamshot session's. The air base would have to contact a local LEO to check on your status, and I'm sure they're too busy for that during night ops. Aircraft in transit are one issue, aircraft on final approach are a more serious matter.

I always tried to have a spotter who would position him/herself far enough away from the equipment noise using a Talkabout or similar reliable radio with an earbud for me. King County Sheriff's Guardian One helo had a sneaky tactic of feathering their blades into quiet mode for my troubles.

We have since moved to a safer neighborhood.


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## LuxLuthor (Nov 2, 2009)

Kuryakin said:


> Really? We've never had a problem, and we're right on the flight path into and out of Dover Air Force Base! We don't have the sound locator option (apparently only one light in the nation has this) and that would allow the light to follow the sound of the aircraft! Pretty cool for 1942 technology!
> Otherwise, it would be a quick flash in the cockpit, and that's it. Not a laser, so, don't think this is all that big a concern.



All it will take is a single complaint from any pilot or ground crew...whether directly illuminated or not. Their safety or perception of a potential threat will trump your playtoy. The law is there to shut you down and/or confiscate. The thing you want to be careful about is that you don't get charged with criminal endangerment of airplane safety. I think that is what BVH was preemptively managing.

I'm not saying you are being intentionally reckless, but perhaps unknowingly feckless. Up to you how you want to play it.


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## Kuryakin (Nov 2, 2009)

Out of respect, we do tell DAFB and the LEOs when we're operating this beast. No need for us to ask permission, they simply want to know when. DAFB has zero issues, and they said if we keep it above 30 degrees elevation, we don't even need to tell them! And the only reason the LEOs know is one of them is on our team! We have ZERO interest in following ANY air traffic, and the response we're getting is, if we don't do that, we're fine. 
Even though WWII 60inch searchlights are becoming a rare breed, EVERY airport and air base knows what they are! 



IgNITEor said:


> Armed with the USA Patriot Act, law enforcement is having WAY more access to our Flashaholic rights. Don't be too relaxed with your beamshot session's. The air base would have to contact a local LEO to check on your status, and I'm sure they're too busy for that during night ops. Aircraft in transit are one issue, aircraft on final approach are a more serious matter.
> 
> I always tried to have a spotter who would position him/herself far enough away from the equipment noise using a Talkabout or similar reliable radio with an earbud for me. King County Sheriff's Guardian One helo had a sneaky tactic of feathering their blades into quiet mode for my troubles.
> 
> We have since moved to a safer neighborhood.


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## Kuryakin (Nov 2, 2009)

Fortunately, we're part of a WWII museum, Fort Miles, at Cape Henlopen. What we have here is a historic artifact. EVERYONE in the area knows what we have, generally, no one we've talked to seems concerned. 



BVH said:


> A lot of my jobs were on the Instrument Landing System (ILS) approach to Burbank-Bob Hope Airport. I, as a diligent operator, I kept my eye out for aircraft on approach and took steps to ensure the beam was perpendicular to and below the flight path from the point the aircraft was 2 miles out until the aircraft was overhead. I then resumed rotations. On a typical night, there were about 12 - 18 aircraft. Same with the dozens of police and private helicopter passages near my light. While not required to do so, it helped ensure that Air Traffic Control/FAA and the Police Departments stayed happy and therefore, had no negative interest in my operation.


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## Kuryakin (Nov 2, 2009)

Here ya go!

http://victorysearchlights.com/searchlight.htm

More than you'd EVER want to know! And searchlights for SALE! 



ducat said:


> I want one.
> 
> I have absolutely no idea why or what I could possibly do with it.
> 
> But I want one.


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## Kuryakin (Nov 8, 2009)

Thanks! Yes, he did appear, he's a molten puddle of goo now... Ghostbusters would've done better with one of these bad boys! 

BTW, the searchlight of ours is in the video, the pics here are someone else's. Also a nice restoration!



Scheinwerfermann said:


> But did the Sta-Puft Marshmallow Man appear? ;-)
> 
> Seriously sweet light - nice work on the resto!


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## The Voice of Reason (Nov 14, 2009)

So my wife is right... size does matter, in all kinds of things...


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## stallion2 (Nov 14, 2009)

if you can develop a Bat signal conversion kit and run it off primaries then i might be impressed. is that a diesel generator? if so how much fuel does it consume?


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## Mjolnir (Nov 14, 2009)

I'm pretty sure that the beam of light coming out of one of those would get a _lot_ of miles per gallon...


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## Kuryakin (Nov 15, 2009)

Bat signals don't work, contrary to popular movies. The light just isn't collimated THAT well, and it's not a projector. 

No diesel, diesels were not common back in WWII. It has a 320 CID Hercules flathead 6. Runs at 1250 RPM, makes 35 HP at that speed. Designed to be quiet, smooth, and durable. It's rated to burn 2.6 GPH. 

Primaries, eh? 15,000 watts? You can buy the batteries!! LOL



stallion2 said:


> if you can develop a Bat signal conversion kit and run it off primaries then i might be impressed. is that a diesel generator? if so how much fuel does it consume?


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## Kuryakin (Nov 23, 2009)

OK, how about THESE?

http://www.brettpeabody.com/


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## DM51 (Nov 25, 2009)

Kuryakin said:


> OK, how about THESE?
> 
> http://www.brettpeabody.com/


Superb!


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## vio765 (Nov 25, 2009)

is there an OP option? lol


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## Kuryakin (Nov 27, 2009)

So, who's going to buy one? I got the Sperry, so, it's someone else's turn! LOL



DM51 said:


> Superb!


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## LightSward (May 21, 2013)

Kuryakin said:


> Ours is running 78 volts at 150 amps, at the arc, just shy of 12,000 watts. Sperry's use voltage control of the rod position, GE uses current control. As per the operating instructions. Fort Hancock has a GE. Their reflector is better than ours, but ours is still 7+, after considerable cleaning and polishing.
> 
> They went to Cape May, we are at Cape Henlopen, and we shot the beams across the bay, 17 miles at that point. We're on top of a 65 foot dune where Battery 519 is located, and each side could EASILY read a newspaper from the beam across the bay.
> 
> ...




175 lumen per watt is unlikely, since open air carbon arcs are not in that efficiency range at all. Only LED and low pressure sodium arc lights approach and enter that range of efficiency. Even GE and Sperry don't rate their arcs that high. The newest arc rods are a little better but most operator's of 60 inch arc searchlights use surplus WWII rods. For searchlights, HMI light sources are four times as efficient and produce that much light more per watt than arc which is in the incandescent and halogen efficiency range. there are many sources that show this. BVH is correct in his analysis and statements about this above. Just thought I'd say.:thumbsup:


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## Ceya! (Jun 1, 2013)

Kuryakin said:


> Bat signals don't work, contrary to popular movies. The light just isn't collimated THAT well, and it's not a projector.
> 
> No diesel, diesels were not common back in WWII. It has a 320 CID Hercules flathead 6. Runs at 1250 RPM, makes 35 HP at that speed. Designed to be quiet, smooth, and durable. It's rated to burn 2.6 GPH.
> 
> Primaries, eh? 15,000 watts? You can buy the batteries!! LOL



You should have met this guy, It would have worked for him. He would have a BIG Bat signal in the air.
http://www.harrygrindellmatthews.com/beginning.asp

S/F,
CEYA!


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## LightSward (Nov 22, 2013)

BVH said:


> Actually, having owned one up until last May (with a Grade 8+ mirror), I did lots of research on the light produced from my GE 1942A. Carbon Arcs produce about 42 Lumens per Watt.
> 
> 73 running Volts DC (ballasted down from about 98 Volts) x's 150 running Amps = 10,950 Watts
> 10,950 Watts x's 42 Lumens = 459,900 Lumens.
> ...



That's one heck of a bright light. Check out this bulb at 18,000 watts HMI with a 1,700,000 lumens! Would make that really bright.






I'm working on a searchlight that will accommodate this bulb.


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## get-lit (Nov 26, 2013)

Ceya! said:


> You should have met this guy, It would have worked for him. He would have a BIG Bat signal in the air.
> http://www.harrygrindellmatthews.com/beginning.asp
> 
> S/F,
> CEYA!



And he wears a white coat to boot!


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