Remote Living > Lighting
A better mini-inverter for CFLs and such
Tritium:
I have a harbor freight 12V CFL that is still going strong after 4 years of 24 / 7 use.
Thurmond
dnix71:
http://www.sailorsams.com/lights_incnav.htm I'm not recommending these people but if you search for boat lighting you will find a lot of options for 12v and 24v dc lighting and dimmers for same. Not necessarily cheap, but if it can withstand salt air and the constant motion, it has to be well made.
http://www.rvstuffusa.com/lighting.html This rv supplier has 12vdc linear fluorescent lighting that looks nice, too.
http://ludens.cl/Electron/Fluolamp/fluolamp.html if you like building your own, check out this guys' 12v fluorescent lamp circuits.
frackers:
--- Quote from: DamonHD on July 24, 2010, 04:22:09 PM ---The only 12V CFL I've had failed early. Unlike the mains CFLs it needs an inverter built in to achieve sufficiently high voltage to strike the arc and that mini inverter is a source of unreliability AFAIK.
--- End quote ---
I'm surprised that you have found any CFLs without an inverter built in - all the ones I've ever seen rectify the mains to DC and then use an inverter to drive the tube.
The 12volt ones just use a different turns ratio on the transformer and draw more current at the supply voltage so use a beefier switching transistor. It wouldn't be too hard to convert an existing mains CFL to whatever input volts you want so long as you can get to the transformer primary.
frackers:
--- Quote from: frackers on October 28, 2010, 09:33:57 PM ---I'm surprised that you have found any CFLs without an inverter built in
--- End quote ---
Here is a typical circuit...
www.nxp.com/documents/application_note/AN99065.pdf
divemaster1963:
I have used a few 12 volt CFL's that I got from a RV center. they worked pretty good for the price. But I have gone to using 12 volt lighting from RV dealers. they use 1157 Bulbs from the automotive industry. I rebuild early model motorcycles in my shop and the light they produce works better for working on small parts. and the draw verses output allows for more lighting in my system.
I run my whole shop off solar and wind. about 1000 square feet shop. I do use a gas gen for my metal layth and metal saw. everthing else is off my system. If you still want 12 cfl units. I sugest contacting a local junkyard for dead RV's or check RV salvage dealers on the web. I got good parts off these sites.
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