Art & Inspiration Dimming down a 12V headlight for a display

Hey Fellas...

I've got a project for a restaurant that wants a car frontend and they want the lights to work. I was thinking of getting a 6v power supply, but I'm not sure if that would be dim enough. I also thought of using one of those small plug in chargers for a cordless drill or something like that.

You guys got any ideas? I've googled and not come up with much. Maybe I can use a 12v or 6v power supply and drop a resistor in there? But what resistor?

This is a similar project we'll be adding lighting to.

Thanks for the help.

 

Adjustable dimmer used for dash lights should work.

Rich

 

What about a rheostat (variable resistor)? Can adjust it to the brightness to whatever you want... Radio Shack should have em, or a dashlight dimmer switch might even do the trick..

Edit: rodster types faster..

 

too much resistance on a headlight circuit may generate a lot of heat.

why not cut the back of the sealed beam out with a gl*** cuter or a abrasive cut off wheel and just use a small AC socket and 15w or 25w bulb in each light?

It would probably be the cheap and easy to do and less risk of heat/fire

 

A dimmer switch just switches the circuit to the low beam or high beam... I think I need to run less than 12v to the headlight to get it dim.

Might try the rheostat!

Gl*** headlights? How do I cut out the back of one of those?

 

You can always us AC current. Install a dimmable bulb through the back of the headlight and hook it up to a dimmer switch. Total cost should be under $20. And you don't have to lug around a battery or worry about it going dead.

 

Iagree with fordf1trucknut, way too much amperage on the headlight circuit to use a dash dimmer. You would need a pretty big rheostat to handle that type of amperage.

 

wire the headlights in series and it will cut the brightness in about 1/2.

 

Not sure how you guys are thinking I could cut the back of a gl*** headlight. I like the thought of ac power, but I want the stock headlight look in there.

 

Hmmmm! I hadn't thought of that. I'll try that as well!! Might be able to get away with 6v and series!!

 

use a power wheel,,phone or whatever plug...get one thats 12v but low amps,,,volts x amps = watts...should work

 

Any gl*** or mirror shop could cut it.

 

Well if you're. Gonna be in a restaurant wouldn't your feed coming in be 120v? And for that desk too? You'll need some kind of step down transformer to 12v then take that 12v to a compatible switch and then you're switch legs from the switch to each light. Just 1 suggestion.

 

Yes that's why I was thinking of using a 12v or 6v power supply that plugs into a 110 wall plug.

 

An old doorbell transformer would give you the lower voltage and operate on 110, a household dimmer switch to adjust the brightness.

 

Gl*** headlights are usually textured enough where you wouldn't see the bulb. They also make dimmable bulbs in clear (like the old style christmas tree lights).

 

run it on 6V?

 

either use a gl*** cutter to score it and tap the end off OR tape it up well, wear gl***es and gloves and use and abrasive cutter (preferably a tile saw blade) in a grinder and go slow...

 

Take the lights to a gl*** shop ,have them cut them for you. Then go to a lighting store get you some of the snap-in sockets like used in holiday decorations with the clear Christmas tree bulbs and you are good to go useing the 110 current with switch for on and off .Just a suggestion.

 

Y oh y has a good Idea of the doorbell xfmr. It drops it down to 12v, but I don't think household dimmers are rated for 12v. Go with a car dimmer? But if you go door bell xfmr or any open type make sure its free to get some kind of air flow, all xfmrs get hot no matter how small

 

(***uming I had enough fingers and toes to get the math right)
You cut power by four by halving the voltage compared to cutting it in half by doubling the resistance (ie adding a headlight). Typical headlights draw ~5 amp (~ 2 1/2 ohm each and 60W each on 12V). You can get an idea of how much resistance you need by putting a couple three four lights in series instead of parallel on 12V until you get the brightness you want. 150W power resistors should do. They're pretty cheap so just get a half dozen of em at Radio Shack and play with them in series/parallel until you get the brightness you want.

 

How about using a couple of pieces of frosted plastic or plexigl*** inside the headlight buckets and a low watt bulb or a Christmas tree light bulbs behind for illumination.

I used the Christmas lights in my Model A yard art but it's clear plexigl***,,so the bulbs are still visible and not diffused.HRP

 

I dig that HRP!!

I'm headed to the shop to play around with them!! Thanks for the ideas fellas!!!!

 

power them with a battery charger with a 6V setting. You can power all the lights and plug the charger into a switched outlet. Just use 10 or 12 gauge wire to the lights to ***ure you don't get a lot of heat from resistance. Keep the runs as short as possible.

 

Crusty has it...series will do the job. Presumably with a car frontend you will have at least 4 filaments in play, and you can get more by using both filaments in each headlight and turn/park bulb. That way you can try different combinations of multiple bulbs until you hit the level that looks good.

 

I plan on using 7" semi sealed beams with a city light.
Can keep the full power Headlights as well just incase.


Like these
http://www.ebay.com/itm/320911335910?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
or these
http://www.ebay.com/itm/330303133587?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

 

The bulbs don't no AC from DC, use a landscape transformer 12 volts and an AC dimmer in an electrcal box with a plug. Plug and dimmer in a 4" square box with a raised cover for a plug and a switch. wire the plug to the dimmer and a cord to feed the dimmer. Plug the transformer in to the plug that is on the box and the dimmer will dim the whole thing. I have done this for low voltage lights in restaurants.
KK

 

I would use small lamp light bulbs. I would cut a hole with a hole saw in the light bucket, and mount mount a couple lamp sockets through the back of the light bucket. Use small lights intended for decor lighting, like these from wal mart:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/GE-Nightlight-4W-Clear-Light-Bulb-4-Pack/15040871

Wire the "lamps" together and add a switch in-line. Just plug it into the wall, no need to worry about too much amperage, and you don't have to do any electrical engineering to make it work.

 

I have the entire rusty front end of 52ish Ford F1 hanging on the wall in the ba*****t.

The headlights and parking lights work on a small 12V charger, but like you, they are too bright.

I am planning on converting to small 110V volt lighting, and ditching the charger.

I think you can "pinch" the filamount and wiring out of the back of an old headlight to install a 110 volt bulb and wiring, maybe even drill it out, I'm pretty sure that I've done it.

Rich

 

Search for PWM - Pulse Width Modulation.

You adjust the frequency to change the brightness of the bulb.