TWINKLE_TOES
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2000
- Messages
- 1,373
DIY-Do It Yourself, stole that from TV /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
I stumbled across an idea for tractor work lights while shopping at the local hardware store over Xmas. I tried it and it worked out pretty good.
Go's like this:
The security type outdoor lighting fixtures are dirt cheap and some are pretty good quality.
http://designersedge.com/secure.html#flood
Look at the Double bullet lamp at the top of the page to get an idea.
These lights run on 120 Vac, so while shopping for a replacement bulb I noticed I could by a plug in replacement lamp that works on 12Vdc. The 12 Vdc lamps are tungsten halides and available in 20, 35, 50, and 75 watts. The original 120 Vac lamps is a tungsten hallide at 100 watts.
I purchased the double "bullet Flood" for $9.99 and two 35 Watt halides for $2.49 each. The B21 work light circuit is fused at 15Amps, so if these work out I can add two more.
The lamp housing has O rings at the lens cover and elbow so it should be water tight. Re-lamping the fixture is a 30 second job. (don't touch these bulbs with your fingers, oil on the glass will cause hot spots and premature failure) The housing is about 3" Dia. and about 4" long its made of di-cast aluminum. Since it can handle the 100 Watt, 120 Vac lamp the 12Vdc 35 to 75 watt lamps should be no problem.
The 12 Volt lamps are not quite as tall as the 120 V lamps so they don't set at the focus of the parabolic reflector. On one light, I shimmed the screws on the lamp socket to raise the light to match the original. Turns out this was not necessary, I couldn't tell the difference beteen the one I shimmed and the one I didn't. (This is a flood light not a spot light, duh)
Time will tell how well the 12V halogen lamps hold up under vibration and battery voltage variations. Can't imagine what applications other than batteries there are for 12 volt lamps?? I let them run on the tractor long enough to get up to temperature, whacked them several times and they kept on shining. They have a good flood pattern and adjust 360 deg's horizontal and 90 deg's in elevation. I installed mine in existing holes in the B21 four post ROPS canopy with belville washers and a double nuts for easy rotation.
The T4 lamps cost about 1/3 to 1/4 of the sealed beam PAR 36 halides.
Total cost per light $7.50, replacement bulb $2.49
The buzz words if your shopping for the 12 volt lamps are "T4, Bi-Pin, Halogen, Group C2
http://www.vistapro.com/lamp_guide.htm
http://bulbtronics.com/guide/id_min01.htm
I purchased General Electric P/N 035T4/CL/CD (35 watt), 050T4/CL/CD (50 Watt)
I stumbled across an idea for tractor work lights while shopping at the local hardware store over Xmas. I tried it and it worked out pretty good.
Go's like this:
The security type outdoor lighting fixtures are dirt cheap and some are pretty good quality.
http://designersedge.com/secure.html#flood
Look at the Double bullet lamp at the top of the page to get an idea.
These lights run on 120 Vac, so while shopping for a replacement bulb I noticed I could by a plug in replacement lamp that works on 12Vdc. The 12 Vdc lamps are tungsten halides and available in 20, 35, 50, and 75 watts. The original 120 Vac lamps is a tungsten hallide at 100 watts.
I purchased the double "bullet Flood" for $9.99 and two 35 Watt halides for $2.49 each. The B21 work light circuit is fused at 15Amps, so if these work out I can add two more.
The lamp housing has O rings at the lens cover and elbow so it should be water tight. Re-lamping the fixture is a 30 second job. (don't touch these bulbs with your fingers, oil on the glass will cause hot spots and premature failure) The housing is about 3" Dia. and about 4" long its made of di-cast aluminum. Since it can handle the 100 Watt, 120 Vac lamp the 12Vdc 35 to 75 watt lamps should be no problem.
The 12 Volt lamps are not quite as tall as the 120 V lamps so they don't set at the focus of the parabolic reflector. On one light, I shimmed the screws on the lamp socket to raise the light to match the original. Turns out this was not necessary, I couldn't tell the difference beteen the one I shimmed and the one I didn't. (This is a flood light not a spot light, duh)
Time will tell how well the 12V halogen lamps hold up under vibration and battery voltage variations. Can't imagine what applications other than batteries there are for 12 volt lamps?? I let them run on the tractor long enough to get up to temperature, whacked them several times and they kept on shining. They have a good flood pattern and adjust 360 deg's horizontal and 90 deg's in elevation. I installed mine in existing holes in the B21 four post ROPS canopy with belville washers and a double nuts for easy rotation.
The T4 lamps cost about 1/3 to 1/4 of the sealed beam PAR 36 halides.
Total cost per light $7.50, replacement bulb $2.49
The buzz words if your shopping for the 12 volt lamps are "T4, Bi-Pin, Halogen, Group C2
http://www.vistapro.com/lamp_guide.htm
http://bulbtronics.com/guide/id_min01.htm
I purchased General Electric P/N 035T4/CL/CD (35 watt), 050T4/CL/CD (50 Watt)