# Osram 62138HLX for Aurora/Mule/Phoenix Class



## Ginseng (Jul 28, 2004)

*This post was returned to the thread on 2/8/06.*

I just received a bunch of Osram 62138HLX 12V100W bulbs from Specialty Optical Systems. These are Gy6.35 size but with a very small capsule. Specifications indicate that these will not tolerate much overdrive but it seems to handle a reasonably fresh (though not straight off-charger) 11-cell KAN1800 4/5A pack. That's 14.2V dropping down to 13.7V in the first minute. Not bad. You may know these bulbs as the HOLA for the Blitz 240 spotlight that Sway has done so much work with.

These bulbs have a small _axial_ filament to go along with the small capsule. Since the overall size is smaller than the 64623HLX I based the primary Aurora design upon, the LCL (filament to base length) is also shorter and puts the bulb at the very limit of adjustment on my Aurora prototype.

So how do they work? Aside from reservations about the stated *932F* operating temperature, this bulb kicks ***. The filament is small and wound tightly so that there is minimal axial distortion. This means it throws a wickedly tight and perfectly circular spot. Wow! The light color is also very pure white. Much whiter than the 64623HLX driven to the same levels. The CCT must be in the range of 3,600K-4,000K. Simply stunning. This is the new $3 wonder bulb.

I believe that the 64623HLX, when overdriven to 15V-16V will absolutely crush this bulb, but the '138 performs much closer to the edge at lower voltages and thus will maximize the punch of a smaller battery pack.

Since this bulb is not listed in the Osram online catalog, specifications are nonexistent. However, I will be doing some comparative testing tonight and return to post beamshots. One thing I do notice already is that within 10-15 feet, it doesn't seem as oppressively bright as the 64623HLX simply because so much of the light is concentrated in the hotspot. The retina just saturates above a certain level. The '623 by comparison throws a massive, winged hotspot that spreads out the light and creates a "wall" to go along with the central spot.

Look for garage and 200' tree shots with the 3" turbo head as well as pictures of the bulbs later tonight.

Wilkey

Note: I am working with Carley on a design for a deep-dish 6" aluminum reflector similar in aspect to the excellent RF2102. The initial prototype run could be for as few as 20 units in the $50 range. Think of a Vector 2MCP reflector but with 30% better collimation efficiency and the ability to be threaded for _direct mounting_ onto a Mag body. Grotesque? Sure, but incomparable for throw with a specified 6" central spot at 500 yards. I imagine the HID boys could have a field day with this baby.

_edit: corrected Osram bulb number_


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## FNinjaP90 (Jul 28, 2004)

Do your bulbs look like these?

http://www.bulbman.com/browseproducts/62138.HTML

If so, can you see the "pie slice" in the beam caused by the filament leads not going down through them like the 64440IRC?

Also, you mean the 64623HLX, right?


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## Ginseng (Jul 28, 2004)

That sure looks like the bulb. I'm glad I didn't pay $8.25 a piece though. I see no "pie slice" at all when shone on a blank wall at 10'. The support wire is the same diameter as the filament...thin. 

Yep, 64623HLX.

Wilkey


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## LEDmodMan (Jul 28, 2004)

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/popcorn.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif


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## bwaites (Jul 28, 2004)

Interesting, FpNinja, the site list it as being manufactured by Siemans, which might explain the cost difference as it is being touted as a replacement for a medical light, which they always charge more for!

Bill


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## udaman (Jul 28, 2004)

Misc. ramblings Ginseng....but:

1. Was that a 'mind fart' there, 6in spot or 6ft at 500yds? Umm, I don't even think the Megaray can do 6inches at 500yds /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif My hand is longer than 6in!

2. Can you do some stealthy shots too (regular Mag head?).

6in dia reflector, OMG it's a Rick James 'superfreak'. Maybe fine for 50w HID, but where do you put the ballast? Ah, are you going to get a blank version of this and stuff it into the Dorcy spotlight w/24v Osram?

3. If it cannot handle much overdrive, then we should figure btw ~2300lm at 12v and <3000lm slightly overdriven, thereabout?

4. Can you post picts to compare in size with the H3 that bwaites is using on the 'Mule'

5. So what do you think of the slightly larger H7, 12v 2100lm 65w bulb? Wouldn't this be usable with 12AA's in a Mag3D mod, for longer runtimes, but standard 100w halogen output when slightly overdriven (which it should handle well being an autobulb)? I don't recall, but I thought the H7's were about the same size as H3's, smaller than most autobulbs, at least diameter wise.
bwaites 'Mule' thread 

You know, I keep looking at the Hella projector HID aux driving light, and it's less than 2in in diameter, maybe 5in. long. Too bad we don't have access to CAD software to roll our own. Imagine 2in dia. body with seemingly innocuous 2in head, that holds 50w projector HID inside. Heck even the standard halogen headlamps for high-beam on autos with projector lows, are only around 3-4in in diameter now, can't we "graft" a pencil beam driving light housing like one of those onto a flashlight body?


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## FNinjaP90 (Jul 28, 2004)

Yeah, bulbman's bulbs are pretty pricey, but they have the cheapest TP61 GY6.35 sockets I could find.

So I'm guessing the 62138HLX has about the same bulb life as the 64625HLX? A lot of white, high efficiency, but only with a life of 50hrs. That sorta places it in a different category than the 64623HLX and the IRC bulbs, which can be overdriven more and still have a respectable lifespan.

6" at 500ft from a 6" reflector? That's a perfectly parabolic focus. Is that even possible?


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## Sway (Jul 28, 2004)

Wilkey,

A most excellent find in the axial filament LE and at a wonderful price now I can feel safe to playing around with mine a little more knowing an affordable replacement can be found....Er tell me they will be avalible at sometime soon /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif 

A 6” _Turbo Head_ you say, yes this HID junkie would be all over it. Me looks at my 3D Mag beater /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif 

Looking foward to the beam shots /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/popcorn.gif

Later
Sway


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## bwaites (Jul 28, 2004)

Where, o where, are you tonight?

Why have you left us here all alone?

It must be dark back there by now!!

Bill


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## cue003 (Jul 28, 2004)

Bring on the pics.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Curtis


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## J_Oei (Jul 28, 2004)

First on the list!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I'm in for whatever.


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## Ginseng (Jul 28, 2004)

*Osram 62138HLX Aurora2 Beamshotz*

*This post was returned to the thread on 2/8/06.*

Here are the photographs I promised. If you want to know the bottom line before slogging through all the stuff to follow, here it is: _The Osram 62138HLX is a robust, bright, white bulb which throws a powerful spot and massive amounts of spill. It is brighter than the 64623HLX and nearly as bright as the highly strung 64625HLX when comparably driven. This bulb is highly recommended for demanding 12-13.25V applications._

All beamshot photograph pairs were taken with locked exposure with a Sony DCR-PC120BT digital videocam. The garage shot was taken in digipic mode while all other shots were taken in video capture mode. 

*1. Comparison of Bulbs*
This is a tabletop shot of the bulbs of interest. From left to right are the 62138HLX, 64623HLX and an H3. The '138 is clearly the most compact both in terms of overall size and filament dimensions. The one in the '138 is easily one-quarter of the size of the one in the '623. The '623 is actually identical in overall size to the H3 bulb but you can see why you probably won't get the same performance out of a garden-variety H3. Just look where and how that poor H3 filament sits. Strangely, the '138 is the only Osram bulb I've handled that has no identification on the base.






*2. Garage Door Beauty Shot*
Here is one of my favorite shots. The three lights at play are, from left to right: Vector 12V 2 million candlepower spotlight, Aurora2, Dorcy 6V 1 million candlepower spotlight. All units are freshly charged. The Aurora pack had rested for 2 hours after auto-shutoff while I was out shopping.

All subsequent comparo shots are taken with the Aurora2 and the V2MCP. Clearly, the Dorcy is not in this league and would not make an interesting comparison. Even the Mag85/MC85 kicks its *** soundly. Also, you can tell from the oblong central spot that it is the only one with a horizontal filament bulb. If I hadn't paid only $17 for this light, I'd be pissed. The V2MCP is a far better performer and a better value at $29 although it is less balanced in the hand.

Aside from the immense, overwhelming central secondary and tertiary spots thrown by the Aurora2, you can also clearly see the beautiful color of the beam. It's just white, white, white. 





*3. Backyard Forest Shot*
The distance is about 200' to the target stand of trees. I used a tripod but still got some smearing due to light movement in my hand. You can see two things of interest here. The first is that the V2MCP throws a damn tight spot as would be expected of its 6" reflector. It's also got a very bright central core. The second is that the central core of the '138 bulb spot, while perfectly circular, softens up at long distances. This is something I have observed with every axial filament bulb I've ever tested. I've expounded at length on why I believe this happens so 'nuff said. The '623 and '625 render brighter and more intense cores than the V2MCP at great distances particularly because they are H-filaments. I can't say enough about the spill light of the '138 even in the 3" head...it's just massive. Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide...at least for 7-10 minutes 





*4. Front of the House Central Spot Comparison*
In this pair of snaps, I'm aiming to show that even though the '138 has an external (to the filament) support wire, it casts no "pie slice" artifact. The V2MCP, which uses a more robust support wire does. The V2MCP is on the left, the Aurora2 is on the right. Exposure is turned way down. Again, very useful spill light. The very special 64440/64447IRC bulbs have a unique central support wire and thus cannot cast a "pie slice."





*5. Down the Street *
These two shots are down one end of my street. About 1/5 of a mile to the house at the end. Unfortunately my aim was not precise so the Aurora beam is a little left and down, but you can see that in a pinch, either of these two lights would make a useful automotive headlamp. The house at the end can be lit, not brightly, but clearly. The V2MCP is up top, the Aurora2 at the bottom.









Well, there you have it. I did not take any snaps comparing to '623 bulb. I played with both quite a bit in the house and thought that the '138 was worth showcasing. It is brighter and casts a qualitatively different beam than the '623/'625 bulbs. Its performance and beam characteristics put it in a category all its own...right at the head of the pack for spec-driving or mild overdrive. For extreme output, you would be very hard pressed to beat the '623 or 64447IRC pushed to 15V or 16V. On the Aurora pack, I'd estimate the '138 makes in the neighborhood of 3,700-3,900 lumens. Closer to the '625 than the '623.

Wilkey


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## bwaites (Jul 28, 2004)

*Re: Osram 62138HLX Aurora2 Beamshotz*

Wilkey, were these shot with the big or small reflector? Its hard to tell in the laying down pic!!

BTW, awesome and thanks!!

Bill


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## cue003 (Jul 28, 2004)

*Re: Osram 62138HLX Aurora2 Beamshotz*

Great shots. Thank you very much for the writeup and your view.

Curtis


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## WB (Jul 28, 2004)

*Re: Osram 62138HLX Aurora2 Beamshotz*

Very cool your neighbors must love you!!


Bill


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## Ginseng (Jul 28, 2004)

*Re: Osram 62138HLX Aurora2 Beamshotz*

udaman,
I did indeed specify a 6" spot at 500 yards. Of course this is unattainable with any incandescent bulb I know of but it was a design requirement. 

Sorry, I just didn't have the will to take stealth head shots. If there is interest, I will do so. 

I have no experience with the H7 bulb. This isn't the 9007 bulb is it? In any case, it would be pulling almost 5.5A, a demanding load for the AA form factor as we are coming to discover. 

A 35W or 50W tube torch the size of a Mag 3D would be a coup. The hangup, as always, is the ballast.

FNinjaP90,
The 62138HLX has an even worse spec life of only 25 hours. I can't imagine that it would last very long even at 13.5V. It is indeed very different from the '623 and '440/'447IRC in terms of overdrive potential. 

The Maxabeam gets pretty darn close to the ideal. No hot wire ever will, at least not at great distances. 

Sway,
I can't take credit for uncovering the '138. Someone else mentioned it and I went right after it knowing that I had one of the only 2 or 3 platforms out there that could put it to test. AlexGT's H3 adapter system being another one. Strange that it was buried in the Osram Photo-Optic PDF catalog and not searchable on their online catalog.

In any case, you can get them for under $3 at Specialty Optical Systems. Didn't you say that they were $18 from Blitz? If so, that's just a heinous markup. rapacious even.

Wilkey


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## theepdinker (Jul 28, 2004)

*Re: Osram 62138HLX Aurora2 Beamshotz*

AlexGT asked about a bulb that spec'd like the 62138 in a post. I happened to have found it just a day or two before.

Theepdinker


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## Ginseng (Jul 28, 2004)

*Re: Osram 62138HLX Aurora2 Beamshotz*

Bill,
It's the 3" Oto-modified RF2102.

WB,
My neighbors think I'm weird. Weird but essentially harmless. Every few nights, searchlight-like beams can be seen stabbing out from my back deck. I try to refrain from lighting things up at street level though. As a result, I know I can hit any of the clusters of trees in my vicinity from 150' out to a little more than 1/5 of a mile. 

Cue,
No problem /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Wilkey


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## Ginseng (Jul 28, 2004)

*Re: Osram 62138HLX Aurora2 Beamshotz*

Thanks Theep. Now that I think about it, I think it was in one of the "Phoenix" threads tha I heard about this bulb.

Wilkey


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## Sway (Jul 28, 2004)

*Re: Osram 62138HLX Aurora2 Beamshotz*

Very Very nice work Wilkey /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

That little Blitz pill will surprise you with true HotWire color and throw over the larger automotive lamps and you have housed it in a small portable package it can only get better with the larger _Turbo Heads_ you have in mind.... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

HID Ballast I have an idea /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinser2.gif

Later
Sway
PS: Thanks for link to the cheep LE's /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/party.gif


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## StEaLtH_ (Jul 29, 2004)

*Re: Osram 62138HLX Aurora2 Beamshotz*

OMG sweet stuff!
Thats a sh*itload of light from such a small package /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif


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## FNinjaP90 (Jul 29, 2004)

*Re: Osram 62138HLX Aurora2 Beamshotz*

Wow! That's amazing! Bright stuff!

The things I'd give to be your neighbor...


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## udaman (Jul 29, 2004)

*Re: Osram 62138HLX Aurora2 Beamshotz*

Ginseng, 

Of course I knew the standard Mag head would give even more flood, but I kind of like massive short-range 'kill factor' for crowd control /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif. Kind of like how police startle with flash bombs. Then again, you hit those neighbors which such a huge wall of light they call the police on you /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif.

Hmm, interesting beam pattern with the Oto mod'd 3in. Carley. Now if I did not know that those were Par lamps above the garage door, if you turned down the exposure a little bit, could have even fooled some into thinking this was the beam pattern from an optic on a LED mod /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif. Crop the pic., post it in the LED forum /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif then ask ppl there to guess /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crackup.gif (I think the white light might even fool them, notice there's no apparent yellow halo around the hot spot like the 2 other lights).

Umm, how do you specify a design parameter for a 6in reflector of any kind to do 6in spot at 500yds...unless your light engine is a true Laser? The MagSFH (SuperFreak Head)

Not to criticize (is that pesky, admitted hot-headed js lurking, hehe /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink2.gif; j/k js), but how would I, or how do you estimate the output on this particular lamp? It has a short life-span to be sure, but given it's yet another unusual Osram specialty bulb; without spec's, have you done a side-by-side with the others like the 64623 or x25 Xenopots, driven at the same *voltage* using the *same* Aurora batterypack?

You'll notice the 32lm/w efficiency of the H7 I referenced here in this chart. While I have read on other forums that PiAA's tend to burn out too quickly compared to standard auto halogens (and Dan Stern lambasted them as being lower quality on the _160w H3_ CPF thread, never mind that in the UK, PiAA has a race-only 180/130w ceramic base H4 bulb), I would hope that the Osram H7 65w bulb could be overdriven to a certain extent. I'm not sure if those Rayovac IC3's will poop-out under load at 5.5A's, I'd have to go back to the threads on the RCgroups, battery forum and check again. I'd need to lay the H7's right next to any of the other bulbs here to determine if the axial filament is the same length, or thicker wire gauge/or thinner. I think the envelope is slightly larger, the base is larger, but it's the filament that is important.

Looks like the diameter of all 3 bulbs here is relatively the same. Now I got a bit confused, I see while the 62138 has thinner bi-pin leads, the filament is super short but of the same wire gauge as the x23. But it looks like the H3 you have pictured is a more tightly wound, and smaller wire gauge filament. Blue tinted glass (but in the pic of the Dorcy light it doesn't look so white) and one of the worst off centered filaments I've seen yet! So is this a 6v55w from the Dorcy? or a horizontal orientation Vector H3 100w? _*Edit* In looking at my H3 6v55w & H3 12v100w bulbs the main difference that I can see is the 100w filament is slightly longer, everything else is the same. In looking at VW Passat & new Volvo which both appear to use H7 55w high-beams, but different manufacturers, these are envelopes that are ~50% longer than a H3, very slightly larger in diameter, and filaments more tightly wound than H3 100w, but approximately the same length as the H3 100w in axial positioning...I'll assume the more efficient H7 65w is of the same size or smaller, how else would you get more efficiency?_

I guess it's a time for me to refresh my memories. I don't think a 9007 is the same as H7(much lower efficiency and could be larger bulb altogether), and I haven't read through the Aurora and associated MagChr bulbs/batteries threads you've done in a while. Without a link to those threads, I forget...mind fart, the Aurora proto and the A2 are different, how so? Wasn't there a 4k lumen axial bulb you showed in that bulbs/battery combo thread? Oh heck, let me come back tomorrow when I have researched it all, and I'll post links to the threads needed. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif

Sure hope you'll get the website database of bulbs/battery combo up soon, for us forgetful types.

And finally, at only $3; why the hell haven't you 'goosed' this bulb with as much voltage as it will take to flash it? What fun is it to be cautious when you've got something like that, and it only costs what a pair of wimpy Mag bulbs cost??? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/party.gif


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## Ginseng (Jul 29, 2004)

*Re: Osram 62138HLX Aurora2 Beamshotz*

udderman,

Right, the stealth head would be more floodish but the filament is approaching the size of a WA01160 so I wouldn't be surprised if it was reasonably close to the turbo head.

I came up with the estimated output based on comparison with the '623 and '625 in the Aurora with the same primary pack. It is a swag at best but useful for providing a sense for the comparative output.

That chart implies the H7 is overdriven at that voltage. A quick trip to a PepBoys would show the comparative size. In any case, I have found that automotive bulbs in general are ill-suited to this type of light due to the large capsules (like the 9004), large filaments and long base sizes. They can be made to work, but as you can see, the Osram bulbs well outclass the best of them. The 64625HLX _starts_ at 36 lu/W and goes up to 41 lu/W at mild overdrive.

I noticed that the '138 seems to have thinner leads as well. I haven't mic'd them though. They fit fine in the G6.35 base I have though. The H3 is a cheapo ricer bulb.

The 4K lumen bulb was the 64625HLX overdriven. The Aurora2 is the same as the Aurora proto with just a few minor "adjustments."

I'll get the hotwire website up after I move this summer. Just won't have time until then.

I don't have a variable power supply, just a pile of KAN1800 cells. I could push them with the regulated 13.8V from my charger power supply though. That has some degree of adjustment.

BTW, if you want me to keep answering all your queries, I'm gonna need to see a new hottie in your avatar. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Wilkey


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## udaman (Jul 29, 2004)

*Re: Osram 62138HLX Aurora2 Beamshotz*

Damn Ginseng,

As always you're too damn fast for me to keep up with ya.

Now I recall why I don't go back to those Aurora threads, with dial-up they take forever to load, LOL; what a headache, as they load into Safari bouncing up and down on my LCD screen while I get errors in loading images and sit there for 5-8 minutes, waiting and waiting. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mecry.gif

OK, threaded single post, hit the 'flat' at the upper right-hand side to change back to threaded mode which should load the thread in a blink with broadband.
Aurora post with beamshots of 64623HLX, and the closeup pic of the way cool 64440 IRC 

Ah, I'm guessing all of those bulbs that are above DOT legal specs, I think are referred to as 'overwatt' on the chart that Daniel Stern has listed on his site. That ugly ***, warped as I've ever seen H3, you have pictured is 100w?, then it's 'overwatt'. I don't believe that any of these listed 'overwatt' are "overdriven" as some of them are really quite ordinary in efficiency. I.e. your Hella 100/80 bulbs in the WRX are not really 'overwatt' just normal 'high wattage' (illegal for pubic roads in the USA, like than stops anyone, LOL).

Ok, I the Aurora thread with the 13.2v batterypack, umm you listed the x25 saying it probably would not tolerate being overdriven much. But the 3k lm x23 would, that's (couldn't remember which thread it was) what confused me with your estimate of this '138 being so high at 3.9k lm. So what I think you would be implying is that from just using all of these bulbs over time, you feel that while the 138 does not warrant being overdriven, it appears to be much brighter that the x23 at its spec'd 3k lm or what you were running it off of in the Aurora thread at 13.2v, correct? And if you were to slam the x23 up to 16v it would clobber the 138 in sheer output, something we did not see in that post I have liked to?

Still; lets fry one of those $3 '138's and see how much it can be 'goosed', woohoo!

Oh geez, Ginseng what kind of car did you have that used the 9004? Just curious, cause I got rid of my orig. Passat with the absolute worst headlamp beam known to man, 100/80 9004 barely made it as good as a plain 'ol standard Halogen 6054 GE sealed beam. 7in round Cibie Leaded-crystal lens Z-beam, now that rocks, outstanding beam pattern. 9004 is BIG, H4 is *bigger* still. H7, like I said, is only slightly larger than the H3 you have, which makes it only slightly larger than the specialty bulbs you have shown...no need to visit Pep Boys, I've already done the close up comparison while you were sleeping (sheesh, and I still couldn't post back in time). As far as efficiency, on plain 12v spec.s at 32lm/w, the H7 is better than the 3k x23 Xenopot pictured. 100w x 30lm/w = 3k lm. It's just that the filament of the x23 is horizontal while the H7 is axial with friggin thick support wire. I was only thinking of this being relatively small (again the envelope is longer than a H3, but the filament is about the same size), so fitting into that bored out reflector of the standard/Stealth Aurora head would be feasible, for a current draw of less than 5.5A, and possibly greater than 32lm/w if slightly overdriven. No biggie, but it's possible--fingers crossed---to work with AA's in a cramped 12AA Mag3D setup...poorman's Aurora (oops, my bad...I mean poorman's/woman's 'Phoenix'). Surely it would outlast most of these other specialty higher output bulbs, at $18 I hope so.

No more questions, I'm spent /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif.

Yeah, sure I'll change the avatar to another hottie, just as soon as you produce another cute-as-button daughter /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Course you know, Roth and js might protest violently at any such suggestions...what! no more Gawwdess Supreme Jessica Alba? In my best Gary Coleman impersonation "Whatchoo takin' 'bout, Ginseng!?" /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif


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## js (Jul 29, 2004)

*Re: Osram 62138HLX Aurora2 Beamshotz*

Ginseng called udaman "udderman". Hmmm. Now was that a mistake, an insult, or a friendly nick-name, I wonder?

[ QUOTE ]
Not to criticize (is that pesky, admitted hot-headed js lurking, hehe ; j/k js), but how would I, or how do you estimate the output on this particular lamp? It has a short life-span to be sure, but given it's yet another unusual Osram specialty bulb; without spec's, have you done a side-by-side with the others like the 64623 or x25 Xenopots, driven at the same voltage using the same Aurora batterypack? 

[/ QUOTE ]

Guilty as charged I'm afraid! Yes, I'm here. You know, udaman, I was thinking that it would be nice if you included a PayPal payment with every post of yours. Say, $5 per question to the person you're questioning. That might help get your multitude of compound, involved, and labor intensive questions answered. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

And you still haven't answered my PM!

Oh, and BTW, please do NOT change your avatar.


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## FNinjaP90 (Jul 29, 2004)

*Re: Osram 62138HLX Aurora2 Beamshotz*

Man you guys all have "Ginseng brain farts." Those are some long *** posts!


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## Ginseng (Jul 29, 2004)

*Re: Osram 62138HLX Aurora2 Beamshotz*

_br_Udderman,

Dial-up ain't no excuse sunshine. I'm rockin' it at 44kbps on IE5.2.3 ever since Safari broke my heart. Flat format is the way I work it.

Good point about "overwatt" versus "overdriven." Another fine point of terminology I need to be aware of. 

You are correct about the '623, '625 and '138. The '138 and '625 are quite close in output to the eye. The '138 get's the nod for color temperature, CCT, CRI while the '625 nudges ahead in output. Neither of these bulbs will take much overdrive. The filaments are smallish, thinnish and rated life is only 25-50 hours. Keep in mind, this means a 50% failure rate by the rated life. If the product life obeys a Gaussian distribution (I have no reason to believe that it does or does not) that means a small percentage will last 100+ hours while an eqivalent percentage will last maybe 1-3 hours. The same is true for overdrive.

The '623 is a 3,000 hour bulb, I believe, while the 64440/64447IRC are 4,000 hour bulbs. These are the ones that will take push to 16V and 18V, respectively. Of course, I would rather use a regulated, adjustable power supply to test this out. It is tedious and imprecise using cells.

My Subaru Forester uses 9004 bulbs. With the Hella Optilux 80/100W in there, the beam is quite good. Chalk that up to an effective reflector design and great lensing. Let me know if you can get an H7 to work. 

I hope you meant that you'd change your ava-pic after I posted a new picture of my daughter. Cause if you're waiting for a new _daughter_, it's going to be a while. In any case, get on it! Gotta stay fresh! BTW, Jennifer Garner can kick Jessie's butt /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Wilkey


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## Ginseng (Jul 29, 2004)

*Re: Osram 62138HLX Aurora2 Beamshotz*

uddamann,
The blue H3 I posted is a 55W bulb. The Vector bulb looks essentially like that except for a much lighter blue and better oriented axial filament.

FNinjaP90,
I tend to ramble as I get older...comes with the territory /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Wilkey


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## FNinjaP90 (Jul 29, 2004)

*Re: Osram 62138HLX Aurora2 Beamshotz*

The '623 has a 2,000hr life and the 64444IRC you are talking about is actually the 64447IRC.

Do you assume that 4,000hrs bulbs like the IRC bulbs can take a 50% (12V to 18V) overdrive without blowing, or have you actually done it? It seems too good to be true. And don't the IRC bulbs already have some special technology that boosts its output? Because of that, I don't think that the IRC bulbs will take overdrive the same as other 4,000hr bulbs.

The overdrive graphs state that 50% overdrive creates 4.2x the light output from 1.86x the wattage. So a 64447IRC at 50% should put out about 7700lm from 121W at 63.6lm/W and still have a 32hr life...

If my professor friend has a big power supply I can borrow, I'll buy some bulbs, and see how much it takes to vaporize them /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Also, Wilkey, have you found any places other than purelandsupply that stocks the IRC bulbs?


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## Ginseng (Jul 29, 2004)

*Re: Osram 62138HLX Aurora2 Beamshotz*

Thanks for the correction Ninj. I've fixed my posts. 

It is generally acknowledged in the industry that long life bulbs are suitable for high percentage overdrive. I have it on good authority from a Surefire engineer that these bulbs work best (albeit for shorter times) when pushed hard. Also, related MR16 bulbs like the Solux are rated for overdrive up to 15V but will probably take more. I cannot realyl do a good test with cells as the initial spike is too severe and only gets more severe with the more cells you stack. A regulated power supply is the way to go.

I would also take the rerating formulas with an ever larger grain of salt the farther you deviate from spec. That is, error becomes larger and instead of 4.2X, it may be 3X or 5X or a dead bulb.

I'm afraid I have struck out with nearly a dozen Osram dealers. Only Pureland has been able to bring an IRC bulb from Europe and only the 64440IRC. I have been waiting on the 64447IRC for what seems like months.

The IRC bulbs have an IR reflective coating that traps heat and enhances luminous efficiency. More light for the same watts. Other than that, it seems like they can be considered as regular long life bulbs.

Wilkey

PS. Ahhh, so _that's_ a "Ginseng mindfart"


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## bwaites (Jul 29, 2004)

*Re: Osram 62138HLX Aurora2 Beamshotz*

UDAMAN,

Just for you, I tried the Osram H7 tonight, bright white light, similar output to the H3 I've been using, but a little better central hotspot. It will focus a LITTLE better than the H1. Its not very easy to use in the Stealth head as it is so long and thick.

Good output, though I think it would do quite a bit better in a different size reflector, maybe the 6" that Wilkey is working on?

I'm not going to use it for any further development until I get a much bigger reflector.

Bill


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## Ginseng (Jul 30, 2004)

*Osram 62138HLX Aurora2 Turbo v Stock Heads*

In response to _br_udderMan's request for comparative pics with the stock 2" and turbo 3" heads, I offer this pair of snaps. The exposure is turned way down to give a better idea of the beam formation.






One observation regarding this comparison is that the larger reflector is more effective in collecting and redirecting the light from the Osram 62138HLX, even with its tiny filament. This is seen in less of the diffuse, wide angle spill. See the clipped upper corners of the garage door in the left side snap. The 2" reflector (modified Carley RF1940MOP) allows the light to spread out at a wider angle. You can see this in the fully illuminated garage door in the right side snap. The larger reflector is also able to gather more of the light into the secondary corona. The secondary corona from the 2" unit is much softer and transitions gradually and evenly from the central spot to the wide angle spill or tertiary corona. 

As expected, the central hotspot is not quite as hot with the smaller reflector.

*Bottom line is this:* For "shock and awe" type show-off purposes, the stealth head is sufficiently effective when used with the Osram 62138HLX. It creates a fat, bright hotspot that is weak only in comparison to that given by the turbo head. Furthermore, the wide and evenly graduated secondary and tertiary cones contributes to the perception of an overpowering wall of light that is easily superior to any bulky handheld spotlight or even a pair of typical automotive headlamps.

Wilkey


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## naromtap (Aug 11, 2004)

*Re: Osram 62138HLX Aurora2 Turbo v Stock Heads*

Those beamshotz earlier in in the thread have given me palpitations!


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