Projector HID arc light mounted into a desk lamp

I combined the High Intensity Discharge bulb and power supply from an old LCD with a desk lamp to create a 270W spotlight. I bypassed the power supply's interlocks and shorted an optocoupler to cause the power supply to always turn the lamp on when AC power is applied. I used an inline power switch to control the device. The desk lamp's existing wiring is able to withstand the high starting voltage of the HID lamp (probably a few KV). Once the arc strikes, the voltage is much lower and the current much higher.

DIY searchlight housing for 1000W xenon arc lamp

Original test run of 1000W arc lamp:
http://benkrasnow.blogspot.com/2010/04/first-test-run-of-1000w-osram-xenon.html

I finally finished the 1000W xenon searchlight project that I started earlier this year. The power supply is a slightly modified arc welder coupled with an automotive ignition coil for the starting pulse.


This is the searchlight's beam shooting skyward behind a large pine tree in my back yard. The beam is very difficult to capture on video.