Re: [VAL] 12 Volt Flourescent Fixtures?

["Tom" <thomm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Dave,

Week before last when we spent 8 days at the Top of Georgia Airstream Park I 
had the good fortune of meeting lots of very nice people and we also shared 
lots of tips and tricks about our Airstreams.

One of the neatest things I witnessed was the installation of two 120-volt 
fluorescent lights hidden behind the window cornices that are above all of 
our windows in our Airstream trailers.  This fellow had these 120-volt 
fluorescent lamps hooked up to 12-VOLT instead of the 120-volt you'd expect. 
The result?  A warm, homey glow to the front of the trailer where the living 
area was.  These were the 20-inch variety and have been there for over TEN 
years or more.

It stands to reason that a 120-volt fluorescent bulb will light off the gas 
with a 12-volt power supply.  After all, you are not trying to light up a 
filament for light like a regular light bulb, all you are doing is warming 
up tiny filaments which light off the fluorescent gas inside the tube.

Before you go spending a FORTUNE on 12-volt fluorescent light fixtures give 
this idea a try.  I plan to add a couple of these lights to my 34-ft 
Classic.

Tom Meeker
WBCCI 5303