Making workshop lighting from recycled standard lamp

[John CoatesParticipant @johncoates48577]

The metal standard lamp in the lounge has now been replaced. It had an uplighter and an angle poise reading light. Taking the unit to pieces for the metal I realised that the angle poise lamp could be recycled into a lamp for the workshop.

 

The two lights in it were run from a control box that allowed for dimmable control and may have reduced the voltage.

 

Before I wire it up to the mains and possibly blow it up I thought I had better ask if folks know whether I need to connect it up to a lesser power supply

 

The bulb in the unit is rated as 50w G-6-35 halogen

 

Thanks

 

John

[John CoatesParticipant @johncoates48577]

Broken item could become lathe angle light

[Steve GarnettParticipant @stevegarnett62550]

The only 50w G-6-35 lamps I can find any reference to are 12v ones, and if you connect those directly to the mains, there will be a loud bang, and no usable bits left . I’m pretty sure that you’ll need the control box as well, as it’s likely to contain a 12v transformer as well as a suitable dimmer.

[John CoatesParticipant @johncoates48577]

Thanks Steve I suspected as much. I’ve got a 12v battery charger I can test it with then.

[Steve GarnettParticipant @stevegarnett62550]

Should warn you that these 12v lamps are like ordinary mains halogen lamps in many ways – the life expectancy of them is considerably extended if you under-run them by about 5%. This effect is most marked on the mains ones, but applies to all of them. The reason for the warning is that if you over-run them, the life shortens by a very considerable amount!

 

So it rather depends on your battery charger. But most of them produce about 14-15 volts, and that represents a considerable overload for a halogen lamp, so you really wouldn’t want to run it for very long like this.

 

You are much better off with a known-quantity 12v supply with these lamps. Even better off still if you make it a DC supply rather than an AC one, because that way you absolutely guarantee to get no strobing from lathe chucks – a very real possibility with AC lamps. The worst effect of this (although pretty rare) is to have a chuck revolving at 50, 100 or 200 rpm appearing to be motionless!

Edited By Steve Garnett on 13/09/2011 22:02:40

[John CoatesParticipant @johncoates48577]

Ah right then. Thanks for that. I’ll re-wire up the control box.

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

I have a 12V desklamp for my lathe 0- the ones with the two ‘radio aerial’ supports. Very good, but I worry about shorting it out. Also an a recycled anglepoise (no base so it fits in a hole in the bench) with a compact fluorescent bulb, which is great.

 

Neil

[mick70Participant @mick70]

got old cross stitch angle light with magnifying lense on it for mine.

just removed one of cap heads holding top cover on then made holder from bit of 20mm rd.

[David JuppParticipant @davidjupp51506]

Don't under-run halogens by too much, that also can drastically shorten the life, evaporated filament condenses on cool glass giving black layer rather than re-depositing on filament…

Edited By David Jupp on 27/07/2013 18:18:49

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