rheostat for spotlight

homebuilt

homebuilt

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i'm in the process of building up a spotlight. i'm in need of a rheostat to save on my battery pack. does anyone know of where to get one? i was thinking of using a "dimmer" switch like the one's that used to be common in household lighting. they were a round knob that ya put in place of a regular light switch then ya just turned it. it ya just turned it a little you got a dim light the farther ya turned it the brighter it got. they were designed for 110 volt ac, so i thought that they would handle 12 volt dc. does anybody have any ideas on this?
 
Rheostats are measured in watts, the usual household dimmers are usually in the 600 to 1000 watt range. If your spotlight runs less watts than the rated rheo you should be ok. You might find a cheaper variable resistor at an electrical store
 
Hi Homebuilt......

Lightforce has an Electornic Dimmer switch (BPS) that can be bought separtly........for any 12 volt system.......has a 1 year warrenty also.......
 

Yeah, if I can throw this in....

Make SURE you get a pulse width modulator.

I dont even own a spot light, but learned all this stuff when I was researching how to make my own electric suit for motorcycling in winter...

If you get a regular dimmer, rheostat or potentiometer.. you shooting yourself in the foot battery wise. I'll explain..

The above type "dimmers" are always drawing 100% from the battery, no matter how bright your shining the light.
They work by drawing 100% power from the battery to the dimmer, and then at the dimmer, only a little power is allowed through to the bulb. What power doesnt get through the bulb is burned off into heat, a total waste of battery.

With a pulse width modulator, it's a digital set up, with no waste and you'll get far longer battery life.

It basically works like this. Go to your bedroom and flip your wall light switch on/off/on/off at a rate of say 10 times per minute. This gives you just alittle light.

Now flip it on/off/on/off/on at a rate of say 10,000 times a minute this gives you max light.

That is what the pulse modulator does. It turn off and on (EXTREMELY fast, you can't tell by looking at the light, it just appears "on") you control how fast it feeds power to get the brightness you want. and when turned "down" the battery will be used that much less and last longer. with it tunred upmax, every thing will be maxed.

I helped a friend set one up and it works great!


Tres
 
i'm going to try my setup out for another hunt or two before i put a dimmer in it. i went out last night and did six stands total and the light never dimmed a bit. i think i might have this light thing all figured out /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
i've got a cheap optronics handheld that i burnt the switch outa and the battery sucked. i put a new (different) switch in it and rewired it with a cord coming out of the handle. i also have a optronics scope mount 250 model. i threw out the mount that came with it and used a scope ring upside down to hold the light to the scope. i changed out the 6v 30watt bulb for a 12v 100watt bulb. i'm not to worried about the extra heat on this light as it is only used while shooting. i tied both of the cords together,and ended them in a pair of clamps. i went to wal-mart and picked up a cheap backpack for $9 and a lawnmower battery for $25. the lawnmower battery isn't to heavy to carry in the backpack, i've now got a spot to carry all the things i used to fill my pockets with. so far i haven't had the battery runout, i'll put it in my lawnmower in the spring and buy a new one in the fall. i'll alway's have a new battery in my light and my mower /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif.
i know i know it's not a lightforce and it's probably not as bright as one. but i already had these lights before i found out about the lightforce, and they'll light up as far as i need. it also won't cost me $40+ for a battery.
 
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Anyone know of a rheostat for a 6 volt setup?


A 12 volt should work just the same.



A 12V dimmer will not work for a 6V battery!!!!

The link provided before(http://www.theledlight.com/controls.html )has a 6V dimmer if you call and special order the 6V model. I know I have done it.

If you can get a 12V model to work on a 6V light, I will sell you my 12V dimmer!!!! I thought the same thing until I tried it.


Al
 


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