1000W xenon arc lamp built into DIY searchlight housing

TL;DR

This video demonstrates how a thousand watt xenon arc lamp was transformed into a searchlight, complete with a custom-built power supply and starter circuit.

Transcript

in this video I'm going to show what I built that thousand watt xenon arc lamp into I built it into a sort of searchlight housing and this is the power supply for the unit I took a hundred AM arc welder which is basically a constant current supply and kind of reworked it just in minor ways and built it into this box and I added ampere and voltmeter... Read More

Key Insights

• 🫠 The xenon arc lamp was repurposed into a powerful searchlight with a custom-built housing.
• 🪔 The power supply was created by modifying a hundred amp arc welder, providing a constant current supply for the lamp.
• 🪔 A starting circuit, utilizing an automotive ignition coil and a toroidal transformer, was crucial for initiating the lamp's ignition.
• 🥵 Additional modifications were made, such as adding heat sinks and capacitors, to enhance stability and prevent flickering of the lamp.
• 🦺 Careful insulation and spacing were implemented to ensure safe operation of the lamp housing.
• ⚡ The starting circuit was designed to prevent high voltages from affecting the high-power lamp drive circuit.
• 🥵 The cooling fan mounted on the back of the housing helps dissipate heat generated during operation.

Questions & Answers

Q: How was the power supply for the xenon arc lamp built?

The power supply was created by modifying a hundred amp arc welder and adding ampere and voltmeter gauges. It provides a constant current supply with a voltage of around 20 volts.

Q: What modifications were made to ensure stable operation of the arc lamp?

Additional heat sinks with a cooling fan were added to dissipate the heat generated by switching transistors. A bank of capacitors was also included to smooth out the high-frequency flicker of the arc lamp.

Q: Why was a starting circuit necessary for the arc lamp?

Starting the arc lamp requires a high-power, low-voltage supply, as well as a starting pulse of around twenty to thirty kilovolts. The starting circuit, located on the side of the lamp housing, isolates the power supplies and facilitates ignition.

Q: How was the starting circuit constructed?

The starting circuit includes an automotive ignition coil, a high-voltage capacitor, a spark gap, and a toroidal transformer. The ignition coil circuit is driven by a household dimmer and is electrically isolated from the high-power lamp drive circuit.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The video showcases the construction of a searchlight housing for a thousand watt xenon arc lamp.

• The power supply for the lamp is built using a modified hundred amp arc welder, with additional voltage and current gauges for monitoring.

• The starting circuit, consisting of an automotive ignition coil and a toroidal transformer, is designed to provide the necessary voltages for ignition.