looking for 12 volt lighting

[dmlsr]

Anyone know a good place to buy 12 volt light bulbs. Maybe led's



Thanks

Dave

[glenn kangiser]

The small automotive inverters are pretty efficient now and then you could use compact fluorescents.

Automotive lighting could be adapted.

Possibly  the Harbor Freight 12v led work light could be adapted.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93944

[river place]

You might try some of the online RV places as most of the interior lights are 12 volts.  Another place to look is replacement motorcycle bulbs as a lot of us are changing out to LEDs for reduced current draw and longer life.

[peter nap]

Glenn. I have a couple of those and while they are handy, I wouldn't use them as  house lighting. I am assuming (and we all know what makes me :-/) that he is looking for low voltage lighting for off the grid illumination.

I have gotten most of my light fixtures and LED's from various Marine supply places on the net. LED's have gotten a lot better in the last year and because of the low current draw, I'd suggest you go that route.

If you Google "marine lighting led" you'll get a lot of selection. Here's one:
http://www.iboats.com/Boat_Lights/dm/category_id.216643--view_id.216643--dz.4430--kcid.marine%20light%7C887762059?kcid=marine%20light|887762059

Here's an example of just an LED that can be used in a standard 12 volt fixture:
http://www.yachtlights.com/item--LED-B15D-Bulb-Bayonet--LED-B15D

[MountainDon]

Assumptions can get you off in the wrong direction easily. However with only the info "where can I get 12 VDC light bulbs?" to go by, one must assume.

Dave, could you expand upon how/where you wish to use the 12 V lights?  

First, In my opinion most LED lights are not bright enough for general use; reading especially, unless very focused, and then I find the contrast between the bright spot and the other darkness unpleasant. Those that are bright enough are also too pricey for me... $ perlumen ratio is very high.

Regular incandescent 12 V light bulbs are ineeficient; they make mostly heat with light as a by-product. Same as 120 V incandescents.

My suggestion for best lighting running off 12 V is to go fluorescent. Either conventional looking tube types or the compact fluorescents (CF). The tubes are generally the same for 120 VAC and 12 VDC operation. It is the ballast that is different.

Thin-Lite makes a wide variety of FL fixtures for 12 & 24 VDC use. They are available from many sources. RV dealer will always have some. I have bought several things from Solarseller.com  http://solarseller.com/
including Thin-Lites. Their prices are better than many others. Their website will tell you what's in stock and the quantities, before placing in the shopping basket and all that other stuff some places make you do before you can find out.


Solarseller.com also sells DC Compact Fluorescents in 12, 24 and some 48 VDC (one piece throwaways like the common 120 VAC) as well as two piece (ballast in the screw in base with replaceable tubes. All kinda pricey, but go have a look. Lots of other DC stuff as well.



IMHO, if you are only going to need a couple of 12 V lights the Thin-Lite or the 12 V CF's are an energy efficient way to go. HOWEVER, once you get to the point of needing , say a half dozen lights or more in different locations the cost of the bulbs is going to add up rapidly. Then there's also the size of the wires needed to efficiently transmit 12 VDC power any distance. At some point there is makes better economic sense to go with a DC to AC inverter and use 120 VAC CF's like Glenn suggested.

As PEG is wont to say; It DEPENDS.  

G/L

[Kevin]

Here are a couple place I have

http://store.solar-electric.com/
http://store.altenergystore.com/

One on the best places
http://www.newenglandsolar.com/index.htm


Kevin

[tc-vt]

Gas lights, though probably not as safe as electric, are another way to go.  You can use either plumbed in gas lights which are 50-60 dollars each and give about the same amount of light as a 40-60w incandescent bulb or the Coleman white gas camping gas lights.  Replacement mantles are inexpensive (about a dollar a piece) and can last quite a while on stationary lamps.  I have been using mine for two years now and the only times the mantles broke were due to careless handling.  Get a carbon monoxide detector to be on the safe side if you decide to use gas lights.

Tom

[MountainDon]

The first problem I have with gas lights is they produce heat as well as light, just like an incandescent/ Maybe desirable in winter but most of the time here, not.  Except that I do have a single and a double mantle propane lantern in the gazebo. But even that will eventually be changed to electric when the solar PV in installed.

You're right about mantles, tc-vt, they last just about forever if handled properly. My biggest mantle killer with the lantern I carry in the Cherokee when traveling/camping off highway. The rough trails beat 'em up good.

[tanya]

YOu can get free 12V lights from a wrecked car the dome light is fine for a soft lighting type of application and the brake ligts are pretty bright take the covers off of course.  You can figure out how to make them look better there are all kinds of creative ways to make little lamps.  Headlights take up to much juice but if you needed a spotlight for chasing off bears that could work too.  I just got a great deal on some beautiful antique kerosene lamps only $9 a piece at the second hand store but then today when I went o buy the kerosene to fill them I about had a heart atttack!!!  $24.00 for two.5 gallons.  I could have got 5 gallons for $31 at the first store I went o but the bucket looked to heavy to pour and the last time I checked the prices a the other store the stuff was only $7 so it is expensive and I am so lucky that I keep a schedule similar to chickens up at dawn and to bed at dark.  My kid can't be trusted with candles or kerosene lamps he falls asleep reading every night so he gets the 12V LED that is built into the power charger thing and we just charge it up every day when the generator is on while I do laundry/vaccume and check email etc.  That all takes about an hour and the 12V booster gets a charge good enough for two or three 12V showers and him to read to his hearts content at night.  It isn't pretty by any meants but it is a lot safer than setting him loose with a candle or kerosene lamp.