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davestreck
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# Posted: 21 Oct 2012 09:45am
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Is it possible to use normal 120VAC light fixtures in a 12VDC-wired cabin? Is it simply a matter of using an appropriate 12V bulb? I realize that standard 120VAC switches and outlets cannot be used, but what about light fixtures (with appropriate DC switches of course)?
I've done a number of searches on this, both on this site and on the interweb in general, and can't seem to find a definitive answer. Any help is appreciated.
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sparky1
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# Posted: 21 Oct 2012 10:27am
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I converted a Bridge lamp to 12 Volt-.the wiring doesn't care if it AC or DC- use a meter to be sure the (positive is the center tap in the Lamp socket)- The "ribbed" wire should be the "negative" the smooth wire is "positive"- I use a 12 volt CFL I buy from a RV web site---works fine,since they are polarity sencitive(sp).but i'm using alligator clips on the wire straight to a Lawnmower Start Battery in a Plastic box.-
I marked the base 12 volt DC.so if someone else acquire the lamp-it wouldn't blow the CFL maybe..
sparky1.in s.Va.
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TomChum
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# Posted: 21 Oct 2012 11:50am - Edited by: TomChum
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Quoting: sparky1 so if someone else acquire the lamp-it wouldn't blow the CFL maybe
Good planning. I'd also write 12vDC directly on the CFL (with a sharpie pen) someplace where you can read it without unscrewing it.
Quoting: davestreck I realize that standard 120VAC switches and outlets cannot be used
Wouldn't make any sense to use 120v outlets, but the switches CAN be used. A 15amp AC switch won't last long switching 15A of DC, but you probably won't have 15A of DC unless you have a HUGE battery bank and LOTS of lights, lots of switched outlets, appliances (in other words, a "house"). A normal 15A AC switch can probably switch 1 or 2 amps of DC for many years (many centuries if only 'cabin usage'). And if it ever does wear out, replacement cost is about a buck fiddy. Searching out special DC switches to wire a small cabin for 12v and a few lights would cost a lot plus doubtful the extra effort would pay off.
Mtn Don mentions this because of the difference between AC and DC current - it's something to remember when sizing your components but probably shouldn't be on the radar in a small 12v cabin. Maybe you could generalize that if your battery bank is less than 4 batteries, don't worry about AC switches.
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razmichael
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# Posted: 21 Oct 2012 02:35pm
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Although I have not finished my wiring completely yet, I went with 12V LED bulbs with a standard E27 base so I can let my wife pick out any standard 120AC fixtures she wants. Currently I'm just using very cheap generic homedepot fixtures until we choose the final fixtures. A couple of years ago these LED light bulbs would have been expensive but the cost has been dropping like crazy so you can get multiple wattage depending on your needs. I also went with normal AC wall switches as I have kept the number of lights per switch to a maximum of two so the amperage is very limited. I also bumped up to 20 amp 120AC toggle switches just to add a bit more life. Time will tell how they hold up but given the minimum amperage I do not suspect I will see failures for a long time (and as mentioned - cheap to replace). When planning the wiring the main concern I dealt with was the voltage drop issue with DC - thus the general solution of using heavier gauge (and more costly) wires. In a few of the circuits I went with relays to minimize the voltage drop (three way switches for lofts as an example). I also planned out things so I could move to AC in the long term if I every had the need. It all got a bit complicated but for me - it was fun.
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