Halcyon 10W HID - 'First Dive with it' Report!

[Rick Huggins]

<font color='#0000FF'>From my understanding of the WA 10W HID bulb used in the pro 3/6, the ballast is matched for use with SLA batteries only.
i.e cannot be used if you decide to upgrade the cannister/battery pack to NiMH.

Does anyone know this for a definate?

[Rick Huggins]

<font color='#0000FF'>Oh, and does anyone know where I can buy the lighthead on its own i.e without bulb and ballast?

TIA

[Andy Phillips]

Ballast?

Andrew

[Mark Chase]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Bob Cooper @ April 13 2004,22:51)]

If I remember correctly, that was a 10W with the EKPP reflector.  The reflector makes a 10W look like an 18W in certain conditions.

Sorry M8

I remember the big shroud on the head and the large bulb looking thing in the lenze so I thaught it was a bigger unit than the 10W.

I also remember my tourch flooding and going bang 10mins into the dive

ATB

Mark Chase

[Rick Huggins]

<font color='#0000FF'>

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]Ballast?

The ballast is the electronics behind the bulb, which initiates the stike voltage and arc of the HID bulb.

HTH

[Woz]

<font color='#000080'>

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]From my understanding of the WA 10W HID bulb used in the pro 3/6, the ballast is matched for use with SLA batteries only.
i.e cannot be used if you decide to upgrade the cannister/battery pack to NiMH.

You can use any battery source you like but the discharge characteristics vary wildly between them. NiCad and NiMh tend to drop their voltage pretty quickly then level out for a time before plummeting. SLA tends to be a more gradual drop in output voltage. Welch Allyn recommend that the supply to the ballast is regulated- the simplest way to do this is to have an over voltage battery then some electronics to step down and regulate the volage to as near to ideal as possible. Ideally you should then get the power to cut before the voltage drops too far below ideal- this protects the batteries from damage too.

[Woz]

<font color='#000080'>BTW I may consider swapping a head for a 10W bulb and ballast- any takers?

[Mark]

<font color='#000080'>Hi,

WL's new 18w was very bright compared to my 10w on our dives at the weekend. My 10w bulb was faulty and blew on Monday morning after having only done 5 dives so that may be why it seemed so pathetic next to his big boy. The 18w was a PITA for me to dive next to because of the backscatter. We normally dive within arms reach of each other and with heads level (side by side) but the 18w was blinding me so I had to drop back a little.

Regards,

Mark.