12 volt fluoro's again

I have been building 12 fluoros for years, both for camping and for a friend's house on Fraser. Normally I build a 12v 40v fluoro, a couple of options are:

http://www.charlton.vic.edu.au/mark/electronics/inverter/inverter.htm this is the cheapest option costing only about $7.50 to build the inverter circuit.

http://www.wescomponents.com/ Wes components sell an already built inverter 12v 40w for about $30.

http://www.oatleyelectronics.com/kits/k111b.html This is a kit from Oatley electronics, I have one on order so I have not seen them yet but they look like they will be good.

from Marty.

Jimbo,

Like marty, I've been building my own.

I buy the inverters from solar shop, plus some clear plastic conduit (approx 70mm diamater) from a special medical supplier I know. I bend some clean, shiny aluminium plate to go inside the conduit to act as a reflector. I then mount the inverter to the aluminium reflector. I then cut some timber endcaps which fit neatly inside the conduit and mount my flouro tombstones to the timber endcaps. Tombstones wire to the inverter and a 12v lead comes out thru a small hole in one of the tomestones. I bend up some stainless wire hangers which pass thru the plastic conduit to hold the endcaps in place.

So I end up with everything housed in a protective, clear pipe with hangers at each end. This allows me to store the lights anywhere while packing without fear of damaging them. They are as tough as nails.

The $30 inverters you buy from a solar shop are superb and leave most camplights for dead.

I like the peace and quiet that 12V lights provide.

Andrew

Lawrence & Hansen sell a 12v job that is exactly the same as the Primus version at less than half the price, c/w canvas bag, 2 hanging points with cigarette plug and inline switch. If you can tell the differnece with light between the versa light and this one you would be pretty hard pressed to do so. Good to see you got a good buy!

Cheers

The Jaycar 13w fluoro is great value at about $16.75 from memory. I've got 3. One burnt out after about 2 years; the others are fine and work great. But.... the cig sockets and cable are poor, so I replaced them with a good socket and curly lead, and its fine. I also waterproofed it with silicon. You get what you pay for, but they are still great value.

Jimbo,

You are the most illuminated person I've met...lol

Lynda

I've bought the Jaycar version, and it's great value. Only criticism is the colour temperature is only 2700deg, which gives a yellower light, compared with my 4000deg Versalite (best I've ever owned). Also seems to be less light output, prob due to the colour temp.
If building one with your own inverter, try to choose a CFL tube with a 4000 or even 6000deg colour temp - a bit harsher colour, but seems to light the place up a lot better.
Gerry

Reminds me of the "Blackpool illuminations".......