Tea lights for T-lights?

Topics Last Day Last Week Tree View    Getting Started Formatting Troubleshooting Program Credits    New Messages Keyword Search Contact Moderators Edit Profile Administration
Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2013: Tea lights for T-lights?
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Keith Townsend ; ^ ) Gresham, Orygun on Sunday, December 15, 2013 - 11:33 am:

I love lighting my kerosene side lamps, however they have a tendency to blow out and are kind of messy and (according to my wife) stinky. Yes, I realize that using lamp oil is less stinky, and less, sooty...

I know there have a variety of electric conversions for side lamps over the years, both new and old. But I don't like running wires and switches where they don't belong, and hate drilling holes. I was wondering in anyone has tried anything like these?

http://www.100candles.com/i-8286/Acolyte-LED-Tea-Light-Amber-Non-Flicker-Battery -Operated-Candle-On-Off

or these:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lumabase-Bright-White-Non-flickering-LED-Tealights-Bo x-of-12-36612/203405729#.UqcscsKA2ic

I think I like the non-flickering type better than the flickering.

It seems that if the burner assembly was removed, and one of these little battery powered electric jobbies slipped in place, it would provide a light that could replicate the kerosene flame without the flicker, kerosene small, soot, or blowing out while driving. But would they be bright enough?

The foo-foo candle industry call them, "battery powered tea lights." If they work in Model T side lamps, we can call them T-lights. Has anyone tried these?

*< : ^ )

Keith


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Aldrich Orting Wa on Sunday, December 15, 2013 - 12:35 pm:

I like this idea but they seem a tad bit expensive.

http://www.modeltford.com/item/6958LED.aspx


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Walt Berdan, Bellevue, WA on Sunday, December 15, 2013 - 01:22 pm:

Doesn't seem like it should be all that hard to make your own. I agree wit John that those look nice but seem steep if you have some time and make a visit to Radio Shack.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Val Soupios on Sunday, December 15, 2013 - 01:32 pm:

My wife has them all over the house for Christmas. They are nice but do not produce any light to speak of. It is a warm glow at best. I wound up doing three things to make my side lamps functional. First I stated using scented lamp oil to address my wife''s olfactory objection. Second I stuffed the font with cotton to keep the lamp oil from vibrating out onto the paint. Third and most difficult, one lamp at a time, I light the lamp and I set the lamp in front of an oscillating fan on high speed. If the lamp blew out, I started looking for the reason and in most cases it was the way the chimney was designed. The fix was to make shields and put them in the chimney until the lamps would stay lit. Not surprisingly, the original lamps I had on some of my cars did not require anything. I could not get them to blow out no matter how hard I tried. The reproduction lamps not so much. Obviously, the art of making these lamps has not yet been mastered beyond the aesthetics


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erich Bruckner, Vancouver, WA on Sunday, December 15, 2013 - 01:38 pm:

Keith, I sure like that idea. Any of the lights like you referenced, that I have seen, were way to low output to look like much from inside the side lamp. But, I have not seen them all. Perhaps there is a version that has enough output while keeping the cost low.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Housego (United Kingdom) on Sunday, December 15, 2013 - 04:24 pm:

I converted a pair of bun lamps by removing the flickering LED from tea lights and fitting to the burner, the brightness is controlled by the original wick control which also acts as an on off switch. Tea light LEDs typically run from a 3V button cell any voltage much above this destroys them. I used a simple 3v regulator with a supply from 9v rechargeable PP3 battery mounted in each smoke stack. This gives about 15~20hrs operation and far more economical than button cells. Of course not for the purest but I was quite pleased with the results.

LED MOUNTED ON BURNER







VARO BOARD WITH 3.3v REGULATOR AND BRIGHTNESS CONTROL






FINISHED ARTICLE EVEN FOOLED A COUPLE OF NEIGHBOURS THINKING THEY WERE OIL LAMPS!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ronald Bolser on Sunday, December 15, 2013 - 05:59 pm:

Keith,
I use the flickering Tea lights in my side lights.
I got a pair at Menards 2 years ago on sale for $1.25. I place them on their side with the bulb over the burner wick( no need to remove burner) and they actually look like the lamps are lit and put out quite abit of light in the dark.
I even have had them on at car shows in daylight and people think I have the oil lamps lit.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Michael Mullis on Monday, December 16, 2013 - 08:59 am:

John Housego,
Thanks for giving me ANOTHER project to ad to my list.

I really like your "T" lights. I'll build a set this week.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hal Davis-SE Georgia on Monday, December 16, 2013 - 12:21 pm:

To each his own, I suppose, but I'm with Val. I use my oil lamps all the time and they seldom ever blow out. They don't soot up. And they smell just like a candle burning. Here is the lamp oil I use. No modifications necessary.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By ROBERT BERGSTADT on Tuesday, December 17, 2013 - 12:30 pm:

There are 20 tea lights on t bay right now for 11.00 with free postage, sorry I don't have the link, Bob


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Will Copeland - Trenton, New Jersey on Tuesday, December 17, 2013 - 01:05 pm:

I used to light up the wick at cars shows, Then some kid put his hand on the chimney that ended me doing that.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kevin Holland, Utah on Tuesday, December 17, 2013 - 06:12 pm:

Keith, I have side lights and have tried most logical ideas. I stumbled on some 3 diode battery puck lights, made by Sylvania. They are the right diameter and they turn on and off by pushing on the front. I tried making a clip to clip around the wick base, but that did not work. So, I used the handyman's secret weapon and looped it on itself and stuck them to the wick holder. That way, when your wife is not with you, you can pull them out and light the wick. 7 years without a hitch. I think I got them at Home Depot.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erich Bruckner, Vancouver, WA on Tuesday, December 17, 2013 - 08:05 pm:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/LightIt-2-75-in-3-LED-Silver-Puck-Stick-On-Light-3-Pack-30010-301/204205366?cm_mmc=shopping-_-googleads-_-pla-_-204205366&skwcid&kwd=&ci_sku=204205366&ci_kw=&ci_gpa=pla&ci_src=17588969


Posting is currently disabled in this topic. Contact your discussion moderator for more information.
Topics Last Day Last Week Tree View    Getting Started Formatting Troubleshooting Program Credits    New Messages Keyword Search Contact Moderators Edit Profile Administration