Andrew Bryson(Offline)

Hi all

Well after 2.5 years of solid reliable usage, something has finally gone wrong on my little Halcyon Proteus 3 (fixed focus) torch. Of course it didn't help that this happened before dive 1 of tech 2, but these things can't be helped.

So can anybody suggest what could be wrong:

The light attempts to fire, with a flickering from the bulb for about 5 seconds before giving up. I have tried 2 different fully charged batteries. I took head apart earlier, and all the wiring into the ballast looks intact, and the bulb looks to be fine. The wiring at the lid end looks perfect.

When the light attempts to fire, there's a quiet buzzing like sound. Attempting to fire the light without the bulb still generates this sound, so it must be coming from the ballast - it never did this before.

I don't have a spare bulb to try.

I might break the wire connections into the ballast and connect it directly to the battery, but I've got a feeling something is wrong with the ballast.

Any help appreciated before I send it off for repair.

Cheers
andy

PfcAJ(Offline)

Its the bulb. I had the same thing happen.

maccajim(Offline)

I think it is the bulb 2.5yrs is about what i got out of mine the bulbs wear out as simple as that. Mine was a bit more obvious as the glass tube thing cracked, still i used it almost every dive so pretty long lasting

Harald Franzen(Offline)

Hey Andrew,

I concur with the others; your bulb is dead

Replace it and you'll probably be fine.

Best,


Harald

__________________
"Get the cotton out of your ears and put it into your mouth"
George Irvine
---
http://www.lotcavediving.eu

Andrew Bryson(Offline)

Cheers for the advice guys.

andy

Tautaz(Offline)

I bought a second hand HID 10W with Brightstar bulb it did the same and sometimes stopped.

So after checking the battery wiring to the anderson pole, the wire was dislodeged, made a new clean connection.

And for 10 dive the light stopped again... and flickered in pink and blue, dismantled the head, the bulb was dislodged, I glued it with a spot of aquasure, it's now fixed.

By my side, before thinking to change the bulb, I'd have a try to glue the bulb on the side of the ballast, where the bulb plug into the ballast




Cheers.


David

Andrew Bryson(Offline)

Hi all

Fitted a new bulb today, and the torch is working again.

Cheers
andy

zoglet(Offline)

FYI I recently had to service a Proteus and found a direct UK importer for Welch Allyn. The lady of the lamps, Liz Eastham, was really knowledgeable, friendly and helpful plus their prices were a bit cheaper than via Halcyon retail stockists. The name of the firm is BFi Optilas and they're based in Milton Keynes (01908 326326). You may need to quote the serial number for the bulb, which is usually written along the base of the unit.

For my 10W focusable HID, the bulb was the M10N001 and the Ballast is B10N001 but I believe there are different types dependent on year of manufacture so be sure to get it right or get ti checked before ordering.

Hope this may be of use to some of you.