[VAC] Re: Mostly 110v in 1957

[Dr. Gerald N. Johnson, electrical engineer]

There should have been some automotive headlight lamps (a few were 12
volts as far back as 1934) (before sealed beams) with enough output to
be useful, as well as some surplus aircraft lamps, though perhaps
landing lights were a bit on the strong side, marker lamps should have
been adequate. Aircraft wing tip and tail marker lamps can't be focused
to be seen at a mile or two they have to be seen in all directions not
blocked by the fuselage or airfoil they are mounted on.

The perpetual problem with lots of light at 12 volts is that it takes
battery power and in the 40s and 50s most affordable cars were 6 volt
which made wire sizes unhandy for lighting a 25 watt lamp in the trailer
without excessive voltage drop.

There were edison base lamps at 12, 24, and 32 volts since the 20's, not
miniature, but workable alongside 120 volt edison based lamps, so long
as users didn't screw the low voltage lamp into the 120 volt lamp
socket. That made for a lot of light for a short period of time.

Gerald J.



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