48 to 12 volt conversion [RE-wrenches]

[Jeff Clearwater]

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Hey Ray,

Yes, I've see cigarette lighters melt at 5 amps too.  Absolute junk 
of a connector.  With the Edison plug hard screwed against the 
contact I thought it a different animal whereas the cigarette plug 
had a whimpy spring pushing a small point.  The Edison's do tend to 
bend flat and lose that contact though so in thinking about it more, 
no doubt you are right - especially if you are actually seeing 
melting around the tip.

Thanks for being patient with my skepticism!

Best,

Jeff C.

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>Jeff Clearwater wrote:
>
>>Yes, all good points.  I'm convinced to buy LEDs when I can afford 
>>it and go 120 VAC when possible and buy thin lite type 12 volt when 
>>applicable.   But still my question is:   are the 12 V CFs you 
>>bought the same ones they sell now?
>
>I can't answer that. The last ones I bought were from 2002. You'll 
>need to ask AEE. The Edison contact is similar to another favorite 
>hated connector: the cigarette lighter plug. I've seen those 
>completely melt down at a sustained 5 amps. The melting of the 
>plastic on the end of the DC CF is not speculation, it is a reality. 
>I have several  CFs visibly melted around the contact tip.
>
>>   Doesn't take much to connect 2 amps without heat.
>
>It also doesn't take much to get measurable volt drop and heating 
>with 2 amps. If I put DC CFs in again, I would definitely put the 
>circuit on a LVD set at 11.6 v or higher. The other comment about a 
>DC light in the equipment room: we try to do a pullchain (DC rated) 
>Incandescent Light over every power board. They act as a crude volt 
>meter too! (mmm pretty dim in here,  must be low batteries)
>
>
>Ray
>
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-- 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jeff Clearwater
Village Power Design Associates
Sustainable Energy & Water Solutions for Home & Village
http://www.villagepower.com
gosolar at villagepower.com

530-470-9166
877-SOLARVillage
877-765-2784
425 Nimrod St.
Nevada City, CA 95959
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