mgs
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: Lights out!!

To: Mark Jurras <jurrasm@genesis.torrco.com>
Subject: Re: Lights out!!
From: Glen Eldridge <glenel@infobahnos.com>
Date: Sun, 16 Jun 1996 15:20:40 -0400
Mark Jurras wrote:

> 
> Sorry to burst everyone's bubble but it is not good Lucas bulb design
> but poor Lucas electrical design that keep you bulb burning. Bulbs are
> designed to have a certain life at a certain wattage. The wattage of
> the bulb is obtained by applying the correct voltage to the bulb.
> 
> Let's look at an example I am familiar with. A certain 12V 100W quartz
> halogen projector bulb life is rated at 25 hours. Not to long. But if
> the voltage is reduced, the life goes up exponentially. Running this
> bulb at 8 volts the calculated life is >20,000 hours.
> 
> Now with all the Lucas connectors and grounds that corrode the full 12V
> never gets to the head lights thus extending the life dramatically.
> 
> - -Mark "My bulbs last longer than my connections" Jurras

Mark et al.,   From the depths of my rusty store of electrical formulae, 
I seem to remember that watts divided by volts equals amps.  Given that 
is so, if the voltage drops for a given wattage of lamp, that SHOULD 
mean that the amperage goes up.  I don't know how much current that 
headlight circuit is fused for, but a drop of 4 volts in a 12 volt 
circuit means an increase of 50% in the amperage flowing through it.  
Somewhere, something has got to give; let's hope it doesn't require a 
fire extinguisher! :-)

Regards,

Glen Eldridge

glenel@infobahnos.com

'64 Midget Mk1(stage 3 1275)   '95 Nissan Maxima

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>