12V lighting

[northjerseymike]

Lights installed from my post above. As you can see; lots of light! The two of them combined only consume around 20 watts.

I use these switches to control my 12v light and fan applications. The switches are fused, and you can pump a decent amount of juice through them.

https://www.amazon.com/Nilight/dp/B08Y6QPZ1Z

 

[ms314]

I used 3 of these mounted on the ceiling to light a 10x24 ft room and they work great. There's enough light that spills over into the adjacent room that I'll need less light there than expected too.

9 watt 12 volt A19 Medium Screw Base 3000K Natural White LED

9 watt - 12 volt - A19 - Medium Screw (E26) Base - 3,000K - Natural White - Frosted | LED Light Bulb

www.lightbulbs.com

 

[12VoltInstalls]

The price is a bit high, but also not bad. A19 base is a bit surprising.

I’ve bought bulk lensatic LEDs for countertop lighting, and just use multiples to cover bigger areas but not everyone would like that.
I placed one under each cabinet stile with a dc switch- didn’t use the led marker on the switch but you could. The lens is a flood lens. More than adequate for convenience lighting, or turn them all on for work lighting.
Placing them at the rear/wall side of the cabinets may be better as it would eliminate the shadow effect. Kitchen designers will know what I mean.
One of these floodlights over the stove is sufficient for me. I made an aluminum plate for the range hood light fixture but discovered I’m occasionally annoyed by the shadow effect- just a bit less so than the original (1076 bayonet) incandescent 12V light.

RV lights like: these are iirc 9W/18W switchable and were $20 for two units. The slider switch models have ponderous switches and I avoid those as the rocker switches don’t seem to fall apart. This model apparently has become an orphan unfortunately- I bought a number of them over the years but other than a camper place that wanted $55 for one the slider switch stuff is mostly what you’ll find. There’s a few rocker-switch models but I can’t speak to quality or longevity. Wish I’d bought a ten-pak as I want one in my boat and I want five for an office trailer I bought for my tool boxes.

These are nice lights, I don’t remember the watts but around 3W each

(yes my ceiling is carpeted) and can be controlling with a touch-sensitive button dimmer switch for a bit of luxury/coolness.
I also have some that tilt, and either one is just about enough to read by- though 2 or 3 might be more comfortable. I have some in ~2500Kelvin for evening before bed, but all the rest and the other styles here are at least 5000Kelvin; daylight colors within a few hours of bed can create poorer sleep, and I have sleep issues anyways. I hate yellowish light but not having daylight does make a difference closer to bedtime.

Then there’s these: individually they’re fairly bright but not quite enough for task lighting at a distance. However, I bought a bulk dozen for $30, and they have ten 6000*Kelvin twin-LEDs per string. The strings can be cut, or I think you can run up to two strings continuous. The whole string together can provide A LOT of light at about 70mW per twin module.

If you can’t make due with these to make a very well lit, flexible, and cool lighting design then maybe solar is not for you LOL

 

[northjerseymike]

The price is a bit high, but also not bad. A19 base is a bit surprising.

I’ve bought bulk lensatic LEDs for countertop lighting, and just use multiples to cover bigger areas but not everyone would like that. View attachment 117479
I placed one under each cabinet stile with a dc switch- didn’t use the led marker on the switch but you could. The lens is a flood lens. More than adequate for convenience lighting, or turn them all on for work lighting.
Placing them at the rear/wall side of the cabinets may be better as it would eliminate the shadow effect. Kitchen designers will know what I mean.
One of these floodlights over the stove is sufficient for me. I made an aluminum plate for the range hood light fixture but discovered I’m occasionally annoyed by the shadow effect- just a bit less so than the original (1076 bayonet) incandescent 12V light.

RV lights like:View attachment 117477 these are iirc 9W/18W switchable and were $20 for two units. The slider switch models have ponderous switches and I avoid those as the rocker switches don’t seem to fall apart. This model apparently has become an orphan unfortunately- I bought a number of them over the years but other than a camper place that wanted $55 for one the slider switch stuff is mostly what you’ll find. There’s a few rocker-switch models but I can’t speak to quality or longevity. Wish I’d bought a ten-pak as I want one in my boat and I want five for an office trailer I bought for my tool boxes.

These are nice lights, I don’t remember the watts but around 3W each
View attachment 117478
(yes my ceiling is carpeted) and can be controlling with a touch-sensitive button dimmer switch for a bit of luxury/coolness.
I also have some that tilt, and either one is just about enough to read by- though 2 or 3 might be more comfortable. I have some in ~2500Kelvin for evening before bed, but all the rest and the other styles here are at least 5000Kelvin; daylight colors within a few hours of bed can create poorer sleep, and I have sleep issues anyways. I hate yellowish light but not having daylight does make a difference closer to bedtime.

Then there’s these: View attachment 117481 individually they’re fairly bright but not quite enough for task lighting at a distance. However, I bought a bulk dozen for $30, and they have ten 6000*Kelvin twin-LEDs per string. The strings can be cut, or I think you can run up to two strings continuous. The whole string together can provide A LOT of light at about 70mW per twin module.

If you can’t make due with these to make a very well lit, flexible, and cool lighting design then maybe solar is not for you LOL

I use those switches as well. Here’s one on a battery box that controls a cooling system I put together.

 

[Delmar]

I mounted a pair of these 27W LED lights on my golf cart and they are bright. Only $11 each on eBay.

 

[12VoltInstalls]

The color-temps and so forth of 12v dc bulbs, is a constant reminder you are living in an emergency / battery situation, and not a normal one.

There actually are a lot of kelvin options in 12VDC lighting. I use mostly 5000K or more, but use 2200K for room lighting the last 60 or 90 minutes before bed. There’s 3300, 4000, etc. as well.

 

[curiouscarbon]

I am a complete lighting nerd and sprung for the DC LED strips that are white, but have two sets of different color temperature in them. The strip alternates between 3000K (warm orangey like candle) and 6500K (cool blueish like daylight), and does a decent 60 lumen per watt and 520 lumen per foot / 8.7 watt per foot.

5m Tunable White LED Strip Light - Color-Changing LED Tape Light - Dual-Row - 24V - IP20 - Tunable White - 196.9in (16.40ft)

A top choice for interior ambient lighting, this tunable LED strip light emits vibrant white light in temperatures ranging from 3000K warm white to 6500K cool white. Dual-row design produces a broad, ultra-bright beam of smooth light. Peel-and-stick 3M™ adhesive backing enables fast, easy...

www.superbrightleds.com

it was not super cheap, but i am turbo lighting nerd and love to reduce blue light exposure at night, and have blue light exposure during day, to encourage my circadian rhythm to be synced to my locale.

if color quality is of concern, be sure to look out for "high CRI" bulbs. Color Rendering Index goes from 0-100 where 100 is "just like incandescent" and 0 is "harsh like fluorescent"

on the international space station, the lamps automatically fade between warm at "night" and cool at "day" to keep the astronauts healthy with more ease ??️

 

[MisterSandals]

on the international space station, the lamps automatically fade between warm at "night" and cool at "day" to keep the astronauts healthy with more ease

Interesting! I learned something today.

 

[taltom]

Looks like plenty of options out there. 5000K if they're as advertised.

https://www.amazon.com/Interior-CAPETRONIX-120LEDs-Enclosed-Motorhome/dp/B094R1VNQX/ref=sr_1_11?c=ts&keywords=RV+Interior+Lighting&qid=1670349069&s=automotive&sr=1-11&ts_id=11439431011

 

[curiouscarbon]

my other LED strip is even more silly..

it has Amber, Red, Green, Blue, Warm White, Cool White, all on one strip. i wrote custom firmware for an arduino to control it with some buttons.

i also added a 10-band spectral sensor on the window, which can automatically make the LED strip match outdoor lighting character and brightness. i love it. like a digital skylight. i call that "ambient mode".




??

 

[12VoltInstalls]

was not super cheap, but i am turbo lighting nerd

I guess!! I don’t think I have $200 total in all my 12V lights!
EDIT: I paid $31 for a dozen 2-meter 6500K 14.4W 20-module/40led strings for example.

Interesting! I learned something today.

Getting sick in 1993 trying to work 3rd shift for the extra $1/hr I was diagnosed with a “circadian ryththym disorder” and “light effective disorder” and learned light periods, color, and intervals are critical for human health- some people radically more than others. Like me. I pay attention to lighting color.

wrote custom firmware for an arduino to control it with some buttons

I don’t have those skills.
But years ago I used to code a little, write html and some scripting ‘longhand.’ If I was younger I could see myself geeked out on stuff like that. Mildly jealous but not really. Leaving computers behind 20 years ago coincided with my discovery that I didn’t need to conquer everything and since there was so much I couldn’t know in one short lifespan I’m a happier person.

 

[curiouscarbon]

I guess!! I don’t think I have $200 total in all my 12V lights!
EDIT: I paid $31 for a dozen 2-meter 6500K 14.4W 20-module/40led strings for example.

Getting sick in 1993 trying to work 3rd shift for the extra $1/hr I was diagnosed with a “circadian ryththym disorder” and “light effective disorder” and learned light periods, color, and intervals are critical for human health- some people radically more than others. Like me. I pay attention to lighting color.

I don’t have those skills.
But years ago I used to code a little, write html and some scripting ‘longhand.’ If I was younger I could see myself geeked out on stuff like that. Mildly jealous but not really. Leaving computers behind 20 years ago coincided with my discovery that I didn’t need to conquer everything and since there was so much I couldn’t know in one short lifespan I’m a happier person.

for sure. even with a background in computer science, making all that from the ground up was an absolute annoyance of excessive labor, and i cannot recommend others to try the same. it was super annoying and tedious to debug and plan and build circuits.

i wish there were off the shelf solutions for this.

that said, i love my nerd lamps ?

 

[curiouscarbon]

Interesting! I learned something today.

Let There Be (Better) Light

As the International Space Station circles the Earth every 90 minutes, astronauts pass through sunlight and darkness multiple times every 24 hours. That really disrupts a person’s daily rhythms.

www.nasa.gov

i used to watch NASAtv every day for many months. ??‍?

 

[curiouscarbon]

Leaving computers behind 20 years ago coincided with my discovery that I didn’t need to conquer everything and since there was so much I couldn’t know in one short lifespan I’m a happier person.

amen.

fighting computer is a very easy way to expend lots of effort and become frustrated and still not get what one wants.

sometimes i wonder if studying computers and electronics has left me worse for wear ?

commendations on coming to understand the profound effect light can have on the body.

glad you are able to see that there is no need to know everything or conquer everything. besides.. humans can be very happy with less than everything ?

hold my tea, time to debug some code ?

 

[curiouscarbon]

there are cells in the eye that do not contribute to the visual experience, yet sense blue light and strongly influence sleep/wake cycles, among other things.

Intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cell - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

some call them "sky seeing cells" because they are sensitive to the color of blue sky, which is usually only present during daylight hours.

 

[Checkthisout]

All 12V, including the two medium base. bulbs above the sink.

 

[12VoltInstalls]

there are cells in the eye that do not contribute to the visual experience

There’s so much more than we know, I think. Those that reject the idea of a god or integrative spiritual component of human beings that homogenizes physical being and ethereal elements are limiting science imho. Like driving 60mph+ in a 50mph zone and suddenly you get this ‘feeling’ there is a cop around the next corner and viola! there he sits 1/4 mile later, or the ‘feeling’ of being watched and later discover someone was there…

Light is the same. Fishing, for example: certain colors of lure work for certain species predictably depending on light conditions or time of day. But this doesn’t fully explain why black, white, purple- whatever- work better in complete darkness when sound, turbulence, or speed are not factors.

As a person that isn’t a scientist but yet has the inquisitive characteristics of a research scientist I got very interested in light once I was diagnosed with light affective disorder (and circadian rythym disorder). How could I improve my situation?

I can’t ‘really’ see in the dark. Or can I? I have had an uncanny ability throughout my life to “see” in the dark. I started describing to friends occasionally when the setting brought these things to conversation that, “it’s not about what you can or can’t see, you can see shades of darkness, and you can feel your way with your eyes.”
This has led me to often think to myself about my issues with light: am I more sensitive to light and that causes the circadian rhythm issues?

If I were an actual scientist I would be looking at the neurological relationship to light in persons with light period timing, color, and intensity.

Your little invention could be a ‘treatment’ for many to mitigate their symptoms is what occurs to me. I think light quality and light timing related to illness is more numerological than it is psychological or physical. Yet the common treatments are psychological medications, bright light treatment in the mornings with specific kelvin and incidental colors, and occasionally hormonal or adrenal treatments. Which other than the light box introduces other problems. One’s problematic response to light isn’t going to get solved with psychological therapy LOL

I’m serious here: you may have invented something more effective to take the place of ‘light boxes’ for treatment of SAD, circadian issues… dunno. Please send me a check for $50k once you sell the patents you and your PhD neurologist friend sell to phizer ? or Samsung

 

[Delmar]

Light can definitely alter your mood. I have always “craved” light, and moving from WI to TX has helped my mild case of SAD. I still hate the change from daylight savings time, losing an hour of my evening sun.

Police paint holding cells pink to calm inmates.

I have met people that claim they can “see” a persons aura.

While I am more objective and technical, my wife is artistic and can see/feel things that later prove true. I cannot otherwise explain them away.

 

[UpNorthMan]

I didn't read the whole post and may be late to the party. But 24v be better? There are many 12 - 24v led bulbs out there. And fuses, switches, ect are easy to find. Smaller wires also. Just a thought.
Ed

 

[Checkthisout]

Light can definitely alter your mood. I have always “craved” light, and moving from WI to TX has helped my mild case of SAD. I still hate the change from daylight savings time, losing an hour of my evening sun.

Police paint holding cells pink to calm inmates.

I have met people that claim they can “see” a persons aura.

While I am more objective and technical, my wife is artistic and can see/feel things that later prove true. I cannot otherwise explain them away.

Music mimics emotional inflection in people's voices.

Color and light does the same thing in regards to danger I.E. red sky means fire and/or evening which means loss of daylight and the protection daylight would have afforded our ancestors etc.

I notice an enormous change in well-being when I travel a short distance to the sunny side of our state and get sun on my body. Huge difference in energy and ability to sleep.

I absolutely hate anything other than warm white light.