fluro light question
Submitted: Sunday, Sep 25, 2005 at 19:25
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gbz2
usually when going away i have used one of those cheap fluro lights in a tube for my souce of light. This works ok when staying a caravan
park and the light works ok. I have also tried using it with an inverter powered by a batery but after a couple of hours use the base of the light starts to smoulder and melt. After the first time ithought it was a crook light. after the 2 nd time ibeginning to think that you cant run a fluro from inverter....any tecnical explanation...mod sine wave inverter
Reply By: Pete. R. - Sunday, Sep 25, 2005 at 19:28
Sunday, Sep 25, 2005 at 19:28
Replace the 240v fluro with a 12v fluro. $10 at Supercheap.
AnswerID:
131727
Follow Up By: sudsy - Sunday, Sep 25, 2005 at 19:41
Sunday, Sep 25, 2005 at 19:41
Yep.........I got myself a few of these from one of those "cheap crap" shops and they work a treat.
I just cut the wires off the lighter plug and hard wired them in the canopy on the ute through a switch.
The ones I got are 13 watts and are as
bright as....$10 each
FollowupID:
386087
Follow Up By: Member - Davoe (Widgiemooltha) - Tuesday, Sep 27, 2005 at 19:54
Tuesday, Sep 27, 2005 at 19:54
ummm no such thing - all fluros are 12v I used to buy
mine from some light
shop for 12 v use
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Davoe (Widgiemooltha) - Tuesday, Sep 27, 2005 at 19:56
Tuesday, Sep 27, 2005 at 19:56
sorry thought you were talking about the globes
FollowupID:
386352
Reply By: Big Kidz (Andrew & Jen) - Sunday, Sep 25, 2005 at 20:10
Sunday, Sep 25, 2005 at 20:10
I used a modified sine wave inverter to run my notebook computer and the power supply on the computer ran hot and buzzed fairly loudly and then would cut out after a while. I imagine that it has something to do with the modified sine wave as it all works fine on a pure sine wave inverter. It seems to be a bit of an idiosyncratic thing as other people have no trouble with their inverter and laptop.
AnswerID:
131735
Follow Up By: gbz2 - Sunday, Sep 25, 2005 at 21:02
Sunday, Sep 25, 2005 at 21:02
have been running my laptop and no problems as yet ...touch wood.
probably will get one of those 12 volt fluro's
FollowupID:
386105
Follow Up By: Member - 'Lucy' - Sunday, Sep 25, 2005 at 21:54
Sunday, Sep 25, 2005 at 21:54
I think you you have been sampling the 'she-pee' coming out with a reply like that.
Mate! you are a highly educated, intelligent, worldly type and you go an admit to using am inverter to power a puter. (LOL)
Everyone knows you use a KERIO which is purpose designed for such use and never (so far anyway) collapses, buzz's or interferes with the Laptop in any way whatso ever.
After the Vic Winch next weekend I am going to organise a drinks and eats evening in the Dande Valley area like the last drinks and pizza evening we had a few months ago. May see you there and you can tell us what 'vintage' it is that you have been tasting.
Will post that evening get together on/in the members trip section.
FollowupID:
386112
Follow Up By: Big Kidz (Andrew & Jen) - Monday, Sep 26, 2005 at 06:21
Monday, Sep 26, 2005 at 06:21
Nothing like the sweet taste of diabetic urine!
Have heard a Kerio would be the antz pantz 4 Big Kidz but I am happy with my pure sine wave inverter. Works
well with charging video camera, digital camera, rechargable batteries, gameboys and running the electric shaver too.
Might bring you a sample to the evening - look forward to it!
Andrew
FollowupID:
386126
Reply By: Scubaroo - Sunday, Sep 25, 2005 at 21:41
Sunday, Sep 25, 2005 at 21:41
AFAIK flourescent lights cannot be run on modified sine safely.
AnswerID:
131753
Reply By: Lone Wolf - Sunday, Sep 25, 2005 at 22:22
Sunday, Sep 25, 2005 at 22:22
This could also be due to the fact that on some of the smaller fluro lights, capacitors are not installed.
Here in SA, a capacitor is required on tubes over 18 watts. This then means the use of a 3.0uF cap to give a 0.8 PFC.
I imagine the poor ballast is getting a hiding, getting raw power, so to speak, without any artificial smoothing of loads.
Cheers
Wolfie
AnswerID:
131760
Follow Up By: Bonz (Vic) - Monday, Sep 26, 2005 at 07:06
Monday, Sep 26, 2005 at 07:06
Wolfie, is that with HPF or LPF fluoros?
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Follow Up By: Lone Wolf - Monday, Sep 26, 2005 at 17:19
Monday, Sep 26, 2005 at 17:19
Normally Low Power Factor is without a cap.
FollowupID:
386203
Reply By: Derek - Sunday, Sep 25, 2005 at 23:08
Sunday, Sep 25, 2005 at 23:08
gbz2
I gave up using 12 volt fluros in acrylic tubes from
camping stores and SuperCheap etc years ago. My local battery supplier also dabbles in solar panels etc and sells 240V household 2 ft fluros which she has modified to run on 12V. I have 4 of them. One is portable and screwed to a piece of 100x19 pine board with 2 hooks for hanging it up. The rest are hard wired. This may be a better option for you.
Derek
AnswerID:
131764
Reply By: Mike DiD - Monday, Sep 26, 2005 at 08:28
Monday, Sep 26, 2005 at 08:28
If you want to have 12volt lighting, then learn from those who live off
solar power - only use Compact Flourescents (the type that plug into a lamp socket) built for 12 volts.
They are available from www.jaycar.com.au and Bunnings (
Nelson ELV)
AnswerID:
131786
Follow Up By: Mainey (WA) - Tuesday, Sep 27, 2005 at 13:43
Tuesday, Sep 27, 2005 at 13:43
If you want excellent 12volt lighting with minimal cost and low battery drain, then LEARN from the experience of those who live with
solar power
0nly use Compact Flourescent 12 volt lamps
Number 1 brand is ...
Nelson...
Yes, as Mike DiD has posted!
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Sand Man (SA) - Monday, Sep 26, 2005 at 08:39
Monday, Sep 26, 2005 at 08:39
Any 240 volt fluro will work just as
well without the capacitor.
Capacitors provide a power factor correction which is only a real advantage where you have large banks of fluorescent lighting, rather than one or two.
Anyone noticed now and again, the stink from a faulty fluro?
Well this is usually the capacitor that has " bleep e" itself. Simply disconnect and the light will continue to work without the smell.
As for
camping, the 12 volt fluro is the go. Couple this with a portable battery pack and you have a very flexible lighting solution.
I haven't used my gas lantern since I invested in a versalite. (actually a piranha version of the same). I got sick of the mantle disintegrating at the most inconvenient time.
AnswerID:
131788