Fairy Lights? (1 Viewer)

Armytwowheels

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Cannot ask Colin as he is away, so stupid question coming your way!

Can someone have a look at the pic and tell me if these lights will work on 12v. I particularly like these and would like to cut the 3 pin plug off and get C to wire them up for 12v use.

Thanks
Sandra
 

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No, they won't.

The "Sec" on the plug means Seconday Voltage which is the output voltage of the transformer so they need 21v to work. Depending on what they are they may glow a bit at 12v but not light up properly.

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Armytwowheels

Armytwowheels

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Oh that's a shame, yet something else to give away. They are LED fairy lights that I had up in the house and was hoping to have them in the van.

Thanks for your help guys.
 

hilldweller

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Oh that's a shame, yet something else to give away. They are LED fairy lights that I had up in the house and was hoping to have them in the van.

No harm in trying them, only need a couple of bits of wire sticking on the leisure battery. That is NOT the transformer but direct to the LED wire that plugs into it taking note of polarity.
 
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Armytwowheels

Armytwowheels

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No harm in trying them, only need a couple of bits of wire sticking on the leisure battery. That is NOT the transformer but direct to the LED wire that plugs into it taking note of polarity.

Pulled wire out of 3pin plug and now have this -

From the diagram on the plug I assume the thin pin is the + live wire and the thicker one is the - neutral wire? Now have to get this plug off without mixing up which wire is which.

If I get it wrong how much is it going to hurt when/if I put the wires on a 12v leisure battery ( of which there just happens to be one hanging around in the garage).
 

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Sep 23, 2013
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Sep 23, 2013
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Pulled wire out of 3pin plug and now have this -

From the diagram on the plug I assume the thin pin is the + live wire and the thicker one is the - neutral wire? Now have to get this plug off without mixing up which wire is which.

If I get it wrong how much is it going to hurt when/if I put the wires on a 12v leisure battery ( of which there just happens to be one hanging around in the garage).
From what I have read elsewhere, I believe the only ill effect of reversed polarity on LED lights is that they just don't work. So you can try it one way, then the other if needed. The usual disclaimers apply. :RollEyes:

But once you take that plug off, you've burnt your boats for ever using the lights with the mains adapter. It won't go back on & I don't know where you would go for a re-wireable version of that plug.

Someone who does these things more often may be able to point you in the direction of a suitable socket that you could connect to your 12v battery to try it out, or to the power supply NickNic pointed to if 12v isn't enough. That way you could still use it with the mains adapter as well if you ever wanted to (such as when on EHU).

Can you confirm that you don't have an inverter in the van?
 

hilldweller

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Pulled wire out of 3pin plug and now have this -

From the diagram on the plug I assume the thin pin is the + live wire and the thicker one is the - neutral wire? Now have to get this plug off without mixing up which wire is which.

If I get it wrong how much is it going to hurt when/if I put the wires on a 12v leisure battery ( of which there just happens to be one hanging around in the garage).

For testing just wrap wire round the pins, hold it in place with tape.

Or cut off a few inches in then you can re-join if you fail.

It won't hurt you if you "jab" the wires.
 

sean n maggie

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split the wires back about 6 inches,,then cut them,,if they dont work, just connect again with small block connectors and tape up...:thumb:

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Armytwowheels

Armytwowheels

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split the wires back about 6 inches,,then cut them,,if they dont work, just connect again with small block connectors and tape up...:thumb:

That's too sensible! :Doh:

Thanks, even I can do that.

Actually we do have an inverter - 400w, will have to check with Colin that these lights would not be too much of a drain if used with the original plug. At least I can use them for a festival in a couple of weeks time, the solar panel should take care of any drain.

Thanks for all your help guys, really appreciate it.
 

Gorse Hill

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Led are not polarity conscious so as pointed out they just won't work the wrong way round
 
Sep 23, 2013
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Actually we do have an inverter - 400w, will have to check with Colin that these lights would not be too much of a drain if used with the original plug.
They will be fine. The power supply only puts out 3W, so at most uses 4W. Just having the inverter switched on probably uses more than that, but you can run them for hours at that rate. :thumb:

It would be more efficient to run them via the power supply NickNic referenced, but you would never recover the cost, given that you already have both an inverter & solar panels.
 

sedge

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Sheesh Sandra!

LED solar fairylights are approx. £5 in B&M. But if you are happy with blue, they were cheaper.
 

Wildman

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we use solar powered LED's cost £3.50. 3 strings is all the light we ever need in the van and tis free leccy.

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Armytwowheels

Armytwowheels

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But these are special. It's my little project now I will not be beaten.

Except that OH must have moved spare leisure battery into the storage while we move house. After very carefully striping the plastic of the wires with the kitchen scissors, went bravely forth to touch them on the battery terminals and no battery:Doh:

Oh well! He's back today so he will either laugh his head off:ROFLMAO: or do this:RollEyes::Doh:
 

Geo

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But these are special. It's my little project now I will not be beaten.

I like and applaud your outlook, Sandra the world needs people like you.:clap::cry-smile:

If the battery test fails and the hubby laughs or even smirks, Bring those Baby's to Pecks Hill Garage and I'll stick 450V 3 phase up em, together we will make those suckers shine:thumb:
Not for very long but shine they wil, bring dark glasses :Cool:
G

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Terry

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Hi Sandra lift the car bonnet and stick the wires on that battery -12v wont hurt at all :thumb: unless you are sopping wet then you may get a tingle ::bigsmile:
Do I detect a joining of the fairy lights battle between Haggers and Mick ::bigsmile:(bet they have theirs winging it's way from China as I type)::bigsmile: We have a car boot at Donny that sells them on Sunday Mornings --You could go and buy loads at the Misterton meet only a few miles away :thumb:::bigsmile:
terry
 

Terry

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It'll take more than that to make Sandra blush :winky:::bigsmile:
terry

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