Lightbulb Votage Question

[Liquid Asset]

I am trying to replace the very ugly harvest yellow reading lights in all the bunks. As many of you know, finding fixtures that fit 32vdc light bulbs can by difficult. If found some fixtures that use MR16 bulbs, and while they do not make an MR16 Bulb in 32vdc they do make it in 36vdc. Can you think of any problems using a 36vdc bulb on a 32vdc system? is that enough of a voltage drop to make the lightbulb not work? Please give me your thoughts.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

What type of bulb is it? If it is just an incandescent bulb, it will work just fine, just slightly dimmer.

 

[Liquid Asset]

The MR16 is a Halogen bulb.

 

[Angela]

I'm thinking about just spray painting my ugly reading lamps until I can find something I like. Just a thought...to get rid of the harvest yellow real quick.

 

[Liquid Asset]

Angela,
I tried that, but because of the anodizing they look like SH!T. I can not have it since we are spending so much on this interior remodel.


These are the lights I am going to use if I can use the 36VDC Bulbs:
http://www.sailboatstuff.com/images/AB430210LG.jpg

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Same goes for halogen as incandscent. You can dim a halogen by just reducing the voltage.

 

[dastahl]

I painted mine for the same reasons. The Admiral could not decide on new ones, so I took them home and painted them black. They are still there 5 years later. The worst part is that I simply cleaned them off with solvent and sparyed them with black Rusoleum. Took me at least a half hour. They looked really bad in the basement but the vee bunk is pretty dark and once installed they look fine. Just don't look too closely.

You may not believe this but I also painted the biege refrigerator black, in the boat, and it passed inspection. Lots of cleaning and solvent wiping. I used epoxy applicance paint in two spray cans. I put a piece of nice teak on the bottom to replace the broken plastic vent and it really does look good. After two seasons no problems. Every one thinks we got a new one.

Skooch 42 LRC
Worton Creek MD

 

[rrrestorer]

Spray it with "wrinkle" paint. That will take care of the anodizing.---

 

[rwetherington]

yes you can use the 36 volt lamps on the 32v system. The actual voltage on a 32v system is 34.4 volts the lamps will last longer just a little dimmer. On all the Hatteras 24v systems the lamos are 28v to keep them from burning out so fast.

 

[StratPlan61]

Angela, after trying that on my light fixture frames (on the staircase down from the pilothouse) I took them to a local chrome plater. I asked him for a 'brushed chrome' finish. $45 later they look great and no more maintenance, rust, etc. If you can remove them and disconnect them, it might be an alternative which looks 'factory' when complete.

 

[GJD]

We redid ours with a simple white powder coat - turned out very nicely. An esthetic consideration for us was the darker aframosia circle that was behind the base plates so decided to stay with the originals.

 

[Nonchalant1]

Actually, they make a number of good 32V bulbs with the regular standard light bulb screw base socket. Just buy a good looking household AC fixture and use those 32V screw base bulbs. Don't use long AC wires supplied with the fixture if they're too small for the 32V bulb wattage you use.

Doug Shuman