# Build thread of my 55w HID spot Pics Added



## Andredt2863 (May 11, 2009)

Just a quick question.

How hot does a 55w HID lamp get will it melt a plastic reflector?

Thanks lovecpf

*PICS ADDED*


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## DM51 (May 11, 2009)

*Re: Will plastic reflector melt?*

If you pack the reflector in dry ice or liquid nitrogen and use the light only at the South Pole at -60degF in a 100mph wind on the 1st Sunday in June when there's a full moon, it should be OK. Otherwise, I think it might melt, lol.

Apologies Andredt2863 - that was a facetious comment of mine. However, 55W of HID does belt out a lot of heat! You should see what a 40W one did to my mouse-mat when I stupidly left it on head down.


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## Andredt2863 (May 11, 2009)

*Re: Will plastic reflector melt?*

ROFL no probs bud at least you're answer made me laugh.

Thanks buddy.


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## Andredt2863 (May 11, 2009)

*Re: Will plastic reflector melt?*

From ure statement i presume a 55w HID will get hotter then a !00w halogen.


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## DM51 (May 11, 2009)

*Re: Will plastic reflector melt?*

The 100W halogen will actually be much hotter, as it is a less efficient light source - more of the energy output is heat.


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## Andredt2863 (May 11, 2009)

*Re: Will plastic reflector melt?*

U see the light im using as a host currenly got a 100e halogen lamp in swapping it with a 55w hid lamp and digital ballast. 

:twothumbs


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## Zeruel (May 11, 2009)

*Re: Will plastic reflector melt?*



DM51 said:


> If you pack the reflector in dry ice or liquid nitrogen and use the light only at the South Pole at -60degF in a 100mph wind on the 1st Sunday in June when there's a full moon, it should be OK.


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## DM51 (May 11, 2009)

*Re: Will plastic reflector melt?*

The 100W halogen is probably operating at ~30 lumens/watt, and the 50W HID at maybe 100 lm/w. The HID is ~3x as efficient. 

My guess is you are using a big and fairly shallow-profile reflector (>6" diameter?) and the lamp is physically further away from the reflector surface than would be the case with a smaller and deeper reflector. 

I'm not sure how 100W of halogen isn't melting it, but it obviously isn't, so maybe there's hope for this. It will depend on how you mount the ballast etc - and for that I would prefer one of the HID experts here to comment.

Good luck with it - and let's see some photos!


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## Richie086 (May 11, 2009)

*Re: Will plastic reflector melt?*



Andredt2863 said:


> Just a quick question.
> 
> How hot does a 55w HID lamp get will it melt a plastic reflector?
> 
> Thanks lovecpf


 

I don't know how hot a reflector gets, but on any of my HID flashlights, the glass lens itself bakes at a toasty average temperature of 350 degrees fahrenheit.


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## pyro (May 11, 2009)

*Re: Will plastic reflector melt?*

Depends on the reflector material and the coating i guess.
I have a 50W HID running in a plastic reflector that does only get warm,
even with long runtimes.
But i also melted one with only 35W in about one minute.
Was actually funny to watch the beam pattern changing until i 
realized what was happening,


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## Patriot (May 11, 2009)

*Re: Will plastic reflector melt?*

I'd say it's risky even though the halogen hasn't melted it yet. With HID your runtimes will increase a lot and that could be the only thing that was preventing the halogen from causing a problem. 100W halogens only run a very short time with rapidly decreasing output on a 12V 7A SLA. If the light is inexpensive and or the reflector is replaceable then I'd say go for it. Otherwise you might want to save your mod for a more suitable host.


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## Mjolnir (May 11, 2009)

*Re: Will plastic reflector melt?*

Are you sure it is plastic? I can't see a manufacturer putting a 100W halogen in a plastic reflector. Do you know the brand/model of the 100W light?


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## AusKipper (May 11, 2009)

*Re: Will plastic reflector melt?*

I have a Lightforce SL240, It has a plastic reflector, and plastic lense, and puts out a lot of heat, and it uses a 100w halogen, and it can be left continuously on without melting 

Theres plastics and plastics 

I know NOTHING about HID though..... so as for answering your question i have no idea...


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## Patriot (May 12, 2009)

*Re: Will plastic reflector melt?*

Wow...the SL240 has a plastic reflector!?

I've got a Blitz240 and it as a metal reflector but a plastic lens, which even that surprised me.


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## Andredt2863 (May 12, 2009)

*Re: Will plastic reflector melt?*

Ok guys i made a mistake the reflecter looked like plastic but when i took it apart it was infact metal.



The two 6v 4.2a batteries.



The 55w 6000k ballast



The H3 HID globe



The reflector.



Reflector back.



The host light.



Inside of the host light (nice and spacious.)


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## Andredt2863 (May 12, 2009)

*Re: Will plastic reflector melt?*

The ballast and light is top quality straight from taiwan :nana:

It is a 55W 6000Kelvin unit in H3 form so bulb wise it will drop in directly just need to mount the light.

I made a mistake and thought the batteries will become 12V 9amp as it is two 6v 4.5A cells.

Norm explained to me this is not true. 

So i will replace them soon with a 12V7A unit.

I need to figure out how i will install all this and put a new switch in.

Please note i will document all steps as i go.

Lastly i stick the globe into the reflector last night and connected the wires straight from the ballast to the batterie, just to see how it will look.

AND IT WAS EXTREMELY BRIGHT. when i stand on my balcony there is a house up in the hill about 800m from my house and it lit it up beutifully. Threw a huge white circle on the house.

Andre 

PS Any advice comments or help will be appreciated.


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## AlexGT (May 12, 2009)

*Re: Will plastic reflector melt?*

I Moded a light like yours with HID before I got another host here is the tread

http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=116491


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## AlexGT (May 12, 2009)

*Re: Will plastic reflector melt?*

Forgot to say that I changed the host because the ballast and 7ah SLA did not fit inside the package and had to use a "Spacer" so everything could fit.

AlexGT


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## Patriot (May 12, 2009)

Nice job Andredt. I'll bet you're pleased with the performance!


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## Andredt2863 (May 13, 2009)

I will let u know that when im done Patriot 

But i am also thinking it is gonna be the bomb :twothumbs


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## Flashanator (May 13, 2009)

I have the same reflector in a similar light, with H3 130w halogen bulb, no probs with heat at all. That reflector is great. Throws a really nice big *** beam, not too narrow like the huge reflectors. More practical.

Doubt you will fit a 12v7ah in the housing with the ballast. Maybe get a small 12v ~3-4ah?

If you can, buy a replacement 4300Kelvin bulb. better on your eyes & more light, so they say.

Maybe have the ballast on the outside or base of the housing?


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## Andredt2863 (May 13, 2009)

Maybe it looks small inside but im 99% sure i will fit the 12v7A batt and ballast in there.

Im am gona start with some of the manufacturing tonight and will post pics 2morrow. 

A


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## DM51 (May 13, 2009)

I'm relieved it turned out to be a metal reflector after all.

Could you please resize your photos in post #15 - they exceed the CPF maximum 800 x 800 pixel limit (see Rule 3).


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## AusKipper (May 13, 2009)

*Re: Will plastic reflector melt?*



Patriot said:


> Wow...the SL240 has a plastic reflector!?
> 
> I've got a Blitz240 and it as a metal reflector but a plastic lens, which even that surprised me.



After reading that i went home last night and double checked.

The SL240 does actually have a plastic backed metal reflector..

Sorry for the mis-information


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## Illum (May 13, 2009)

*Re: Will plastic reflector melt?*



Richie086 said:


> I don't know how hot a reflector gets, but on any of my HID flashlights, the glass lens itself bakes at a toasty average temperature of 350 degrees fahrenheit.



lens heat up through absorption [of probably UV] while passing thought visible light. I think just by proximity the reflector would be pretty toasty too...heating by induction due to proximity with lamp and glass:candle:


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## s13tsilvia (May 18, 2009)

i wouldnt worry about the 240 blitz melting, i have been using mine for upto 4-5 hours at a time doing spotlighting with a 55w hid ballast kit and it just gets to a comfortable warm temp and thats it!


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## BVH (May 18, 2009)

In my tests with the Blitz I modded with a 114 Watt HID (84 watts to the bulb) if I left the light stationary, the part of the reflector directly above the bulb became pretty darn hot. However, in real world use, the light would constantly be moved around exposing different portions of the reflector at different times. I would guess there would be no problem as long as it was not left stationary for longer than 15 minutes - with this particular mod. A 55 watt mod, with about 44 Watts to the bulb, would probably not do any damage to the reflector. Just an educated guess though.


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## [email protected] (Jun 7, 2009)

*Re: Will plastic reflector melt?*



AlexGT said:


> Forgot to say that I changed the host because the ballast and 7ah SLA did not fit inside the package and had to use a "Spacer" so everything could fit.
> 
> AlexGT



I note that your original host is identical to the locally available Arlec RT3500 and although it sports twin 6v 4.2A SLAs I was hoping to find a smaller dimension 12v 7Ah to replace them (relocating the ballast to beside the battery) :thumbsup:


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