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Q-Dog
Samba Member
Joined: April 05, 2010
Posts: 8700
Location: Sunset, Louisiana
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 Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2011 9:48 am Post subject: |
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| torsionbar wrote: |
your analogy is one of the most preposterous and nonsensical analogies i have ever read here on the samba. really. you ought to be congratulated for coming up with that. thanks for the laughs!
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Funny, I thought the same thing about your water to ice analogy. The electrical conversion is instant, so the water to ice thing isn't at all the same.
I would agree with you if we were talking about lots of power, but in this instance the amount of power, and power lost in the conversion, is insignificant. Seriously. Plug in inverter. Plug in lights. Done. You will almost burn more calories hacking the 120 volt LED string than burn with the inverter. I run LED holiday lights for DAYS on my RV and the batteries don't notice it at all. Can't even see the amount of power used on my guages.
_________________
Brian
'69 Dune Buggy
'69 Beetle Convertible
'70 Beetle |
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torsionbar
Samba Member
Joined: December 11, 2010
Posts: 2215
Location: earf
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| Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2011 11:37 am Post subject: |
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| bensherb wrote: |
| Wow, you missed the point entirely. It has nothing to do with power transmission at all, but with conversion. |
you brought it up. and it being irrelevant to this discussion is exactly what i just said. sigh. 
| bensherb wrote: |
| Simply put , it's common to change power from DC to AC, AC to DC, and back again. We all do it regularly weather we know it or not. It's no big deal. |
speak for yourself. no, it isn't common to do a double conversion at the point of use. perhaps you do it regularly and unknowingly, out of ignorance. those of us who know better do not perform pointless double conversions.
those little automotive inverters are for people who don't understand how electricity works, and all they understand is how to "plug it in".
| Q-Dog wrote: |
I would agree with you if we were talking about lots of power, but in this instance the amount of power, and power lost in the conversion, is insignificant. Seriously. Plug in inverter. Plug in lights. Done. You will almost burn more calories hacking the 120 volt LED string than burn with the inverter. I run LED holiday lights for DAYS on my RV and the batteries don't notice it at all. Can't even see the amount of power used on my guages. |
that's an rv. rv electrical system is designed for running electrical loads for days, so that isn't an effective comparison. in practice, yes, a 10 watt string of led's will work just fine in a car on an inverter. i never said it wouldn't. the only thing i'm asserting is that performing the double conversion is pointless and silly.
burning calories? if your main goal is to reduce the amount of effort you expend on any given task, perhaps an aircooled vw was not the best choice of a car. these cars are not for those who are afraid to get their hands dirty.
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| Max Welton wrote: |
[air cooled vw's] are no longer suitable for the general public. The owner has to be be able to maintain the car. And that is after fixing all the deferred maintenance items and ill-conceived modifications. If you can't do those things you are pretty much screwed. |
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skaw
Samba Member
Joined: February 05, 2010
Posts: 475
Location: VACAVILLE
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| Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2011 7:28 pm Post subject: |
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wow interesting points,, sound like Christmas dinner with distant relatives....Lol hey what if I run the wire from the christmas lights in line with my speaker wire will they blink to the beat? no need to answer im gonna make it happen,,,lol keep on keepin on!
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SKAW= SEEK KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM |
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Starr1969
Samba Member
Joined: July 22, 2011
Posts: 228
Location: Henderson, NV
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| Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 6:16 pm Post subject: |
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I added a string of lights today. Used the LED outside lights and a power inverter. Added a wreath too. I feel so festive.
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HERS: "Starr" 1969 toga white w/ sunroof
HIS: "Orange Crush" 1974 Super
OURS: 1976 Riviera Camper...needs engine work |
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jzjames
Samba Member
Joined: September 27, 2007
Posts: 1921
Location: Windy Point, WA
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| Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2011 11:08 pm Post subject: |
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| Take that car out and do 80 with those lights! |
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cferry7
Samba Member
Joined: February 17, 2011
Posts: 400
Location: S.E. U.S.A
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| Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2011 5:23 pm Post subject: Christmas Lights |
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Great Idea !
I'd Love To See More Beetles with Christmas Light - Pictures !
As the Holiday Nears I might get the Bug To Add Christmas Lights
To My Bug ! ! !
_________________
1st : ' 71 Super , 1641 cc , ~ Stock - a keeper !
2nd: ' 70 Standard , Totaled 7-14-01 , R.I.P. |
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Chris Vellat
Samba Member
Joined: April 09, 2004
Posts: 1590
Location: Seattle, WA
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| Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2011 12:42 am Post subject: |
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| CarlIseminger wrote: |
| ...Just have to figure out how to get a power source back there that turns on and off with the key (I don't want to overload the ignition wire). |
If your car has an internal regulator alternator you could install a relay in the engine compartment triggered by your ignition coil wire - it could be used to power the ignition coil and the Christmas lights - just run a 10-12gauge power from the B+ to the relay, should be adequate for quite a bit of lighting.
...but if you ever wanted to show the lights off without the car running, for more than just a brief moment, you'd want to disconnect power to the ignition coil in the engine bay, as you'd run the risk of burning up your points. |
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CarlIseminger
Samba Member
Joined: May 12, 2008
Posts: 833
Location: Grand Forks, ND
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| Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2011 11:21 am Post subject: |
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| My bug is a '68 with the generator. I have thought of running a relay off the coil wire and running a "power" wire to the relay from the starter. Just have to get under there and "do it." |
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banditwolf
Samba Member
Joined: April 03, 2011
Posts: 617
Location: oHIo
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| Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2011 1:04 pm Post subject: |
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I'm going to pick up some lights after christmas to use next year. I just got a 100W power inverter so I'll be good to go next year.
(can't drive it yet, needs work yet)
_________________
1973 Super Beetle l 1981 Trans Am |
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JerryMCarter1
Samba Member
Joined: January 07, 2007
Posts: 6199
Location: N.W. Phoenix
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| Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2011 4:44 pm Post subject: |
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Rule of thumb--
(1) never wire anything into the ign system
Jerry
_________________
Experience always triumphs over hearsay and You get to select which theory to believe |
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Chris Vellat
Samba Member
Joined: April 09, 2004
Posts: 1590
Location: Seattle, WA
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| Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 11:47 am Post subject: |
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| JerryMCarter1 wrote: |
Rule of thumb--
(1) never wire anything into the ign system
Jerry |
Unless it's a fuse and/or relay  |
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i_luv_my_bus76
Samba Member
Joined: May 18, 2012
Posts: 371
Location: High Desert
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| Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2018 6:33 am Post subject: Re: 12v Christmas lights in my bug. |
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| I have 7 strands of the 100 lights...I want to outline the body of my bug, fenders and running boards ect....what can I use to get the lights to stick in places that are hard to get the lights to stay but wont ruin my paint trying to get it off after the holiday season |
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FlyAU98
Samba Member
Joined: September 12, 2020
Posts: 67
Location: Milton, FL
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| Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2020 8:55 pm Post subject: Re: 12v Christmas lights in my bug. |
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| i_luv_my_bus76 wrote: |
| I have 7 strands of the 100 lights...I want to outline the body of my bug, fenders and running boards ect....what can I use to get the lights to stick in places that are hard to get the lights to stay but wont ruin my paint trying to get it off after the holiday season |
Same question... How do I mount the lights without damaging the body/paint. No roof rack.
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1972 Super Beetle |
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AutoMechanic
Samba Member
Joined: December 28, 2019
Posts: 483
Location: Roanoke Virginia
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| Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2020 11:13 pm Post subject: Re: 12v Christmas lights in my bug. |
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| FlyAU98 wrote: |
| i_luv_my_bus76 wrote: |
| I have 7 strands of the 100 lights...I want to outline the body of my bug, fenders and running boards ect....what can I use to get the lights to stick in places that are hard to get the lights to stay but wont ruin my paint trying to get it off after the holiday season |
Same question... How do I mount the lights without damaging the body/paint. No roof rack. |
Maybe some non residue duck tape? I used that on mine and it didn’t hurt the paint. |
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