Please understand that I am using a translator. I live in a non-English speaking country…
I have actually already uploaded this project to another site, but I am writing this now in the hope of sharing more information about the project with anyone else who might be using the same Maxabeam product as I am.
What’s mean RE : MaXa project?
RE: The MaXa project is being undertaken primarily to achieve the following objectives:
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Increased Output = Advancements in 21st-century battery technology have made it possible to boost the output of the Maxa Beam while simultaneously extending its runtime. Accordingly, the project aims to enhance the output of the stock Maxa Beam to achieve greater brightness and longer-range projection.
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Increased Efficiency – Frankly, the luminous efficiency of short-arc xenon lamps is poor. However, for short-range illumination, LEDs offer an excellent alternative. The RE:MaXa project aims to create a synergistic effect by combining LEDs and short-arc xenon lamps, thereby balancing out their respective strengths and weaknesses.
There are three adjustable potentiometers. Starting from the top…
Top: Adjusts the “always-on” output. This determines the default brightness level immediately after turning on the Maxa Beam.
Middle: Determines the power saver (low brightness) output.
The output cannot be set below approximately 75W. Note that excessive adjustment can cause a conflict with the top potentiometer, resulting in the output being locked at 50W or rendering the output switching commands (via the handle’s 4-position button) completely unresponsive.
If such issues arise due to excessive adjustment, you must turn off the Maxa Beam, readjust the potentiometer, and then turn the unit back on to verify the output change and restore proper operation.
Until the setting enters the normal operating range, the Maxa Beam may remain locked at approximately 50W or fail to adjust brightness correctly, which might lead you to believe the unit is malfunctioning. Do not worry; restoring the middle potentiometer to its proper setting will return the unit to normal operation.
One issue to note is that while adjusting the top potentiometer results in an immediate change in power output while the unit is on, adjustments to the middle potentiometer do not take effect—or rather, the applied value cannot be verified—until the Maxa Beam is turned off and back on again. (This can also lead to the mistaken impression that the unit is broken.)
The final potentiometer controls lamp ignition. Excessive adjustment will cause operational issues until the setting is restored to its original state.
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If set too low: The active Maxa unit will suddenly shut off. Afterward, pressing the red ignition switch on the handle yields no response.
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If set too high: Ignition occurs accompanied by a loud, explosive sound from the spark gap. It produces a harsh ignition noise and a pungent ozone odor. While this likely won’t cause major functional problems, the significantly louder, menacing noise is quite unpleasant and could potentially generate substantial EMI noise.
Ultimately, it can achieve figures of 75W in low-power mode and 140W in standard output mode.
(Note: The efficiency of the Maxa Beam ballast is known to be approximately 90%.)
Output drops when the FET and diode overheat. This photo illustrates such a case; there are no heatsinks or cooling fans. Consequently, the 140W output began to decline after about five minutes, and by the ten-minute mark, it had dropped significantly, as shown in the photo.
