Using 120 volt light fixtures for 12 volt circuit

[Stevenfyeager]

I had asked this question sometime ago but I couldn’t locate it again. can we take any 120 V light fixture and use it in a 12 V circuit and install a 12 V LED bulb ?

 

[coop3339]

Yes, as long as the wire is sized for the draw of the lamps. I don't know of an NEC problem but there maybe if it can except regular 120V lamps in the socket also.

 

[hbiss]

don't know of an NEC problem but there maybe if it can except regular 120V lamps in the socket also.

So they just won't light or be very dim. I can't see and safety issue with that.

-Hal

 

[LarryFine]

Most 12v bulbs won't fit in most 120v sockets. What configuration(s) are you looking at?

 

[n1ist]

There are a lot of 12v bulbs with an E26 base.

 

[LarryFine]

There are a lot of 12v bulbs with an E26 base.

You're telling me.

 

[tthh]

Oh boy...reminds me of a Halloween costume my wife dreamed up once. She cut a box so it fit around her midsection. Then she put wrapping paper on it that was bricks. I wore overalls and a cap and some masonry tools. Brick and bricklayer. We won that year for best costume

 

[ggunn]

Oh boy...reminds me of a Halloween costume my wife dreamed up once. She cut a box so it fit around her midsection. Then she put wrapping paper on it that was bricks. I wore overalls and a cap and some masonry tools. Brick and bricklayer. We won that year for best costume

I remember a pair of costumes at a H'ween party I went to many years ago. He was dressed as a table lamp and she was a wall outlet. He was carrying an oversized 120V style plug, and when he plugged it into her the lamp in the lampshade over his head would light up. She would say things like, "Ooh, baby, plug into my top hole!"

 

[herding_cats]

I have found all kinds of low volt bulbs that fit 120v sockets. I think you are just fine doing this.

Yesterday I was working on a custom 277v lighting project over in our work area and needed about 20 feet of wire. We have a cage with tons of leftover partial rolls of wire etc. I found a box manufacturer labeled "low volt control wire" that looked ideal. I pulled about 6 feet of wire out and it had seriously thick insulation and found the UL listing typed on the outer shell listing approved for 300v and I believe that. So low voltage can mean anything usually under 600v. I see this all the time. But in the field "low volt" is anything under 50vac/vdc. I would say that trying to use 120v loads in applications from 12vdc sockets, casings, terminals or lugs is a really bad idea. Go down not up.

 

[garbo]

So they just won't light or be very dim. I can't see and safety issue with that.

-Hal

Can remember reading somewhere many years ago that for every 1% voltage drop feeding an incandescent lamp there is a 3% reduction in light output. Years ago we used 240 volt lamps for indicating lights on 120 volt control circuits so we only had to replace them once a year. I installed a 24 volt lamp into an energized 120 volt light and it blow glass up and tripped a 15 amp circuit breaker. Some how we received a box of 24 volt lamps when we placed a large lamp order. Never used them at that plant. I would P touch a caution label stating to only use 12 volt lamps in such a conversion.

 

[Stevenfyeager]

Thank you all.