# Info request on older LSI spotlight (pics inside)



## Sarratt (Dec 6, 2006)

A neighbour gave me this light but I can't seem to find any info on this particular model.
It's a LSI (Lighting Systems Inc) 
Nite-Tracker II
Model SP 200









The "bulb" is something I've never seen before ... I tried to take a picture but its not very good:






The light is only a 12v (cigarette lighter plug in) with a 6' cord. 

Any info on this light would be appreciated. Is it worth anything ?
I'm currently without a car but I have tested it and seems very bright -- about the same as my 1 mill spot. 

I hope I uploaded the pictures properly.

:thanks:


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## Ra (Dec 6, 2006)

I cannot help you with all the details.. But what I know is: The lamp-unit is a so called sealed-beam unit. That means that the reflector and front-window in fact are parts of the lamp itself ! If it burns out you'll have to swap the entire unit.

It is a more expensive lamptype, and the filament is centered exactly at its focus. Being a normal incandensent, it will not give halogen-performance.


Regards,

Ra.


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## Brighteyez (Dec 6, 2006)

There have been sealed beam halogen lamp assemblies in use for over a quarter century. Don't know why you would suspect that light to have a "normal" incandescent (whatever that is,) almost all of those spotlights have had halogen sealed beams (before they started using H-series bulbs.)



Ra said:


> Being a normal incandensent, it will not give halogen-performance.
> 
> 
> Regards,
> ...


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## Brighteyez (Dec 6, 2006)

It's old. 

LSI is now Koehler-Bright Star, and spotlights are still being made under the NiteTracker branding.



Sarratt said:


> Any info on this light would be appreciated. Is it worth anything ?
> I'm currently without a car but I have tested it and seems very bright -- about the same as my 1 mill spot.


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## Ra (Dec 6, 2006)

Brighteyez said:


> There have been sealed beam halogen lamp assemblies in use for over a quarter century. Don't know why you would suspect that light to have a "normal" incandescent (whatever that is,) almost all of those spotlights have had halogen sealed beams (before they started using H-series bulbs.)




Sorry Brighteyes, I don't know who told you about halogen sealed beam lamps..(maybe another way to grab peoples attention, like the highly exaggerated CP-claims!)

Halogen sealed-beams don't exist !!!

A halogen bulb needs to reach high temperatures to start the halogen-cycle, thats when the halogen-molecules bring back the evaporated tungsten to the filament. That also is the main reason that they are very small and have a quartz envelope!

Sealed-beam lamps are way, way to big to even dream about a halogen-cycle !!


Regards,

Ra.


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## Brighteyez (Dec 6, 2006)

So what did they use in sealed beam automotive headlamps that were marketed as halogen? I find it kind of hard to believe that companies like GE, Sylvania, etc. could have perpetuated the fraud that you claim for decades.

Since you seem to know all about halogen lights, how did those halogen sealed beam lights work if they are as you claim. Perhaps it was a halogen bulb mounted into the sealed beam assembly? Though I do have an old Brinkmann with a 'sealed beam' that is similar to the OP's light and I would have to agree with him that the brightness is about the same as the 55W halogen lights that are currently being sold. I have seen other sealed 'halogen' assemblies that appear to have a bulb mounted inside of the assembly. And the sealed Par 36 assemblies also appear to have a halogen bulb mounted in it. 




Ra said:


> Sorry Brighteyes, I don't know who told you about halogen sealed beam lamps..(maybe another way to grab peoples attention, like the highly exaggerated CP-claims!)
> 
> Halogen sealed-beams don't exist !!!
> 
> ...


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## Ra (Dec 7, 2006)

Hi Brighteyes,

From what I know sealed beam is the common name for a vacumised (and rare gas-filled) lamp consisting of an entire enclosure with a silver or aluminium reflector. Sinds it is vacumised the filament does not need a protective bulb. So in fact the entire enclosure is the bulb !

I do not know about the automotive sealed-beams you speak of. If indeed they put a halogen bulb into a sealed-beam enclosure, then you are right to call it a halogen sealed-beam.

On the picture Sarratt posted you can clearly see that there is no extra bulb around the filament. So that is what I would call a normal incandescent-sealed beam. Even when they filled the sealed-beam enclosure with halogens, and call it a halogen sealed-beam, the enclosure is way to big to ever reach the temperatures needed to start the halogen-cycle that effectively increases the lifespan of the lamp! (If it did, it would burst into a thousand pieces !!!)

I never told you about the advantages of sealed-beams: The most important one is that here it is possible to use silver as the reflective material. It does not degrade like it would in our filthy atmosphere. Silver reflects about 98% of the light ! Common "normal" reflectors reflect 86% at the most ! And if the filament is slightly overdriven: Then yes,, it could give the same performance as a 55watt halogen torch..


Regards,

Ra.


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## Brighteyez (Dec 7, 2006)

The automotive sealed beams that I speak of were used from the early 80's until the mid 90's. I know that they were used in cars in Europe as well, you should have seen them at one time unless you are very young. What I don't remember is whether or not they had a bulb inside of the sealed reflector assembly.



Ra said:


> Hi Brighteyes,
> 
> From what I know sealed beam is the common name for a vacumised (and rare gas-filled) lamp consisting of an entire enclosure with a silver or aluminium reflector. Sinds it is vacumised the filament does not need a protective bulb. So in fact the entire enclosure is the bulb !
> 
> ...


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## Sarratt (Dec 8, 2006)

Not to interrupt the discussion because I am learning things .... but is the bottom line that this LSI is old and not worth anything?
Or is it going to explode in my face ? :huh:
As a newbie the ....filament? or bulb or whatever that is inside certainly does look impressive. But then again, as in most things, old means big, not necessarily good.
Am I right in assuming that it won't have much of a burn life?
Thanks also for this lesson btw


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## Ra (Dec 8, 2006)

Sorry Sarratt,

Indeed this thread is to give you more info: The sealed-beam unit in your lamp is harmless, that is if you are not planning to throw it around !!
The glass used is much thicker than on a normal household bulb, so during normal use it won't break or explode.

Like I said earlier, it has some advantages: Nicely prefocused beampattern; Reflector will always stay clean; Higher reflective reflector-surface.

Mostly they were used for search and recue purposes, because water and dirt could not get inside.

The one example I know of: A marine brand called Observator had a similar light with two filaments close together, it was 35/125watts I beleve. But as much I wanted that one, IT WAS TOO DAMN EXPENSIVE !! That left some psychical burnmarks in my brain!!

But being a special bulb the fabrication-proces ofcource is more expensive than with 'normal' bulbs.

I don't think they are still in production: Today there are better and cheaper techniques to manufacture bright and waterproof searchlights.
Maybe I'll try to find more info about this...

In the mean time you can play with it as long as the filament lasts, without having to worry about any dangers !
The bulblife will be around 300+ hours, so pretty long for a torch.

I think it is not worth much to the outside world, but then again, maybe there are some 'torchlovers' that would spend a few more $$ on it..

If I find more about this I'll share it with you.

And Brighteyes:

In the eighties I was already playing with the higher power halogens (24v/250watt) so not interested in car-bulbs. So I didn't notice weather or not there were sealed beams with halogen-bulbs inside.. Could well be possible tho..


Regards,

Ra.


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## Ra (Dec 8, 2006)

Ok Guyzzz,

It wasn't hard to find more info: Take a look at this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sealed_beam

On the picture at wikipedia you can clearly see a broken 'halogen'-sealed beam with the halogen bulb intact !

And what I was wrong about: They are still widly manufactured and used in the car-business !

But I doubt that is the same with the 'normal' incandescent sealed beam: I didn't find anyting about that one yet..

Another thing: There are two types of sealed beams: The one in your LSI: The sealed beam is in fact the bulb, vacumised and filled with the same gasses as with normal household bulbs.
The other type is more like a sealed enclosure around a bulb (halogen) that cannot be opened and is not nesseseraly filled with rare gas: the filament still has its own environment to operate in (extra bulb).

Hope this shines some light on the subject..


Regards,

Ra.


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## Sarratt (Dec 8, 2006)

Thanks a lot Ra ..... yes mine is the simple one. But it sure is bright.

It's not like the one in the Wilkopedia photo with the intact inner bulb---- mine has no inner bulb just the filament between the two upright forks. It's not much practical use to me (cigarette plug in) but who knows. 
If any Ottawa area members can use it ...maybe trade ? p.m. me.

Sarratt


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## Ra (Dec 8, 2006)

Sarratt,

It has a quite common spotlight enclosure, so if you have some modifying-skills, you can mod it with some recheargable-cells and have a burntime of about one hour on a charge !

Regards,

Ra.


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