fairy lights...

Post by **wibble_puppy** » Mon Aug 28, 2006 7:04 pm

...ok, ok, i know

well i would quite like to have fairy lights in my van, so there

it seems to me that i can't just get some household fiary lights and take the plug off and plug them into a cigarette lighter, can i? different voltage and all that?

i don't like the rope lights which are sold for use in big truck cabs.....

anyone help me here?

juliet

Post by **minor_hickup** » Mon Aug 28, 2006 8:24 pm

Perhaps if you could find the type that run off a transformer? Then you could either find a set that uses 12v DC or use a set with a lower voltage and a transformer from the cigarette lighter that will lower the supply to that needed by the lights.

But where will you light your cigarettes?

Post by **bigginger** » Mon Aug 28, 2006 8:50 pm

If you can find an 'old style' set which just end in a plug, they're wired in series so that each bulb only recieves a low voltage - if one bulb goes, all of them stop working. If you found a set with 20 bulbs, then each is 12v - rewire them in parallel and they should be fine on 12v, with the advantage of staying working when one bulb blows.

Post by **les** » Mon Aug 28, 2006 10:08 pm

................ok, ok, i know

Yes, you've gone too far this time, get a grip!

Post by **Onne** » Mon Aug 28, 2006 10:10 pm

What you need are neon tubes Juliet! Come in all sorts of colours

Post by **JustinMinor1000** » Tue Aug 29, 2006 9:13 am

Onne wrote:What you need are neon tubes Juliet! Come in all sorts of colours

Yeah and chrome that back axle Jack it up ...

Oh and did I mention spinners ?

Pimpin ..

Post by **bigginger** » Tue Aug 29, 2006 1:05 pm

JustinMinor1000 wrote: Oh and did I mention spinners ?

Pimpin ..

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeooooooooough!

Post by **Kevin** » Tue Aug 29, 2006 4:19 pm

i don't like the rope lights which are sold for use in big truck cabs.....

Well they often have Christmas Trees with fairy lights in the cabs so they should be available, looks like you need to visit yout local laybye and ask

Post by **wibble_puppy** » Tue Aug 29, 2006 9:00 pm

guys thank you for all your brilliant ideas - keep em coming - kevin i am loving the layby theme

i really am a little bit serious about this............ sorry les

Post by **Kevin** » Tue Aug 29, 2006 11:13 pm

Well in case you really get stuck Juliet
http://www.lights4fun.co.uk/battery-pow ... zz241p.asp

Post by **bigginger** » Tue Aug 29, 2006 11:38 pm

WHat was wrong with what I said? It's not hard to do, honest

Post by **wibble_puppy** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 9:27 am

bigginger wrote:WHat was wrong with what I said? It's not hard to do, honest

nowt! yer a geeeeenius man

it was exactly the kind of idea i was looking for - i just wondered if there were other ideas out there

......

.......... like kevin's battery powered set - that really could be a goer as well

Post by **lowedb** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 1:35 pm

Bear in mind the ones for trucks are 24v, not 12v that you'd need.

Using a low voltage 12v set would be fine, but most I have seen use 18v or 24v. Even though the transformer outputs are often AC, you wouldn't normally have a problem using DC, as bulbs don't care, and if it has an electronic sequencer they turn the AC into DC anyway. If you get a set that work on DC, make sure you wire them the right way round (unless it's just bulbs).

As for 'transformering' them down, sorry won't work. Transformers only work on AC, and cars are DC. You'd have to invert the DC to AC first.

Post by **minor_hickup** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 11:04 pm

What about the ones for charging phones? Don't they have to alter the voltage?

Post by **chrisd87** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 11:27 pm

Yes but they won't use a transformer - probably a switched mode power supply instead, or some kind of inverter.

Post by **minor_hickup** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 12:01 am

Oh right, i should have remembered you need AC for a transformer from GCSE physics, its all coming back now!