HELP: Using car HID with 220V

**OTEP** · August 21st, 2009 12:35 AM

Just salvaged a PSU from an old PC. I looked at the earlier posts and mukhang kaya ko naman. Kapag hindi ko na talaga maintindihan, time to call horsepower. hehehe.

Yep, the line from the PSU to the HID ballast is fused.

I already understand how to hook up the PSU to the positive and ground of the HID system.

I'll try to post a pic of the actual PSU.

**OTEP** · August 21st, 2009 12:41 AM

Originally Posted by Horsepower

yeah marami syang wires.

You'd see yung malaking block (either 20pin or 24pin). may black and green dun. yun yun kailangan i-short (or lagyan ng switch but for testing, use a paper clip).

The yellow is the +12v and the blue is -12v. I'm not sure though what's the difference between using the -12v and ground (black) for the HID. As for the harddisks (which uses 12v and 5v), it uses the +12v and the ground.

ATX power connector;

Tapos dun sa power para sa harddisk (yung apat ang wire).
Ang +12v yung yellow wire. Negative would be the black. Red is +5V

Here goes.

I'd just like to clarify, I think I get the part about shorting the green and and black. Yes, I'll put a switch there so the power supply can be up and running first. Then a switch for the HID unit.

Will I power the HID's using the wire for the hard disk? I don't need to use the red wire, right?

I think I'll go 12V and ground for the HID since that's how it was designed to be used on the car.

Btw, I also plan to put an auxillary fan (small lang) to cool the HID, which wire should I tap it into?

**rion** · August 21st, 2009 01:51 AM

Will I power the HID's using the wire for the hard disk? I don't need to use the red wire, right?

no, don't use it there, use the green/black jumper as your switch, dun ka lagay para parang naka relay na HID mo. or better if your psu has a it's own switch at the back para wala kanang ibang switch.

yep, no need to use the red wire.

Btw, I also plan to put an auxillary fan (small lang) to cool the HID, which wire should I tap it into?

if your aux fan is low power, then just use any other unused cable plugs from the psu.

kung may volt meter ka, try measuring it to see if your psu is giving out a good juice.

**oj88** · August 21st, 2009 02:54 AM

Just throwing ideas into the mix...

If you can get your hands on it, I'd also consider Luxeon LED(s) as a light source, directly coupled to the fibre optic. It's tiny, requires no more than 1.5A of current, generates little heat, little to no light leakage, and it practically lasts forever. It's also dimable by varying the input current. You could probably build one, power supply and all, inside an enclosure the size of a laptop AC adapter.

Specs here:
http://www.philipslumileds.com/products/luxeonk2/

Luxeon K2 Endoscope application write-up here:
http://www.faqs.org/patents/app/20090076328

**OTEP** · August 21st, 2009 09:21 AM

The LED project is for next year.

Currently working on it but still finding a way to adapt the LED onto the scope without the need for a fiber optic cord anymore. Meaning the LED is directly abutting the input side of the rigid endoscope.

I have an idea on this already using the current crop of battery operated LED scope lightsource.

Now, where can I source bright LED's with a 6000k rating?

Reason I'm using the HID's is because they are readily available and using other off the shelf parts for easier serviceability and because the hospital personnel are familiar with using xenon light sources.

**OTEP** · August 21st, 2009 03:56 PM

Wohoo! The PSU is alive! Now time to assemble the rest of the gear. Have to keep my fingers crossed.

**OTEP** · August 21st, 2009 04:42 PM

Where do I connect the positive and negative leads of the HID?

I tried the wire going to the hard drive but it didn't work.

Do I have to be on the main line? The one with 20 pins

**rion** · August 21st, 2009 05:06 PM

Originally Posted by OTEP

Where do I connect the positive and negative leads of the HID?

I tried the wire going to the hard drive but it didn't work.

Do I have to be on the main line? The one with 20 pins

can you post a pic of your hid kit? maybe we can draw from the pic then.

it's basicaly the same with the car. connect the power lines to the ballast.

**OTEP** · August 21st, 2009 10:12 PM

Hmmm...I tried connecting it to the PSU but I think it's not getting enough juice. Only thing it does is flicker and die down.

I bought a 12V 6A power supply and it did the same thing. How many amps do you think I'd need to get this party going? Or is the voltage just unstable?

Sorry, I'm really not an electrical person.

**ghosthunter** · August 21st, 2009 10:35 PM

Originally Posted by OTEP

Hmmm...I tried connecting it to the PSU but I think it's not getting enough juice. Only thing it does is flicker and die down.

I bought a 12V 6A power supply and it did the same thing. How many amps do you think I'd need to get this party going? Or is the voltage just unstable?

Sorry, I'm really not an electrical person.

Using a computer PSU is not ideal because the output per "outlet" is limited in amps. Only when you total all the outlets together do you get the rated power of the PSU.

Using the 12V 6A power supply, you might need to add a 12v SLA battery to adjust for the "light-off" power required for the HID ballast.

Why a 12v SLA battery? ... It is the easiest thing to use that would have the best chance to work. The alternative is to use a bank of large capacitors similar to what car audio guys use for their boom boom setups.