Indoor security lights DIY Project - 2x10W Halogen them powered by Lithium Pack

[Kiriakos GR]

Indoor security lights DIY Project on the Go   

Some one throw away two lights bars of 3x10W Halogen lights.

IKEA GRUNDTAL L0603: (Cabinet Light Bar IKEA Systems B.V. 2007 )
Electronic transformer output 12AC
Housing from iron this polished to mimic quality item (poor and easy to rust).
Bulb 10W 12V  (Dc current 900mA).

My finding the two bars,  this discovered with:
Lights bar No1 => transformer working & two of three light bulbs working.
Lights bar No2 => all parts dead within it.

I am now remodeling those lights, so to use a single bar this be powered by external Lithium Pack.
My Lithium Pack this is well constructed as portable power bank with protection controller.

The first discovery which I did at those single 10W 12V light source this is that they generate allot of heat, the metal part of the bar this works as heatsink.       
In my project I will use just two 10W 12V light sources (2x10=20W) and this is equal to 2A DC as current requirement.
 
This is a first pack of pictures, and I will post some more as soon there will be any progress.
Security lights serve the purpose to emergency lighting when Mains 230V this is down.
I do not care of automatic activation but rather making one manually activated light torch this be mounted next to me at my office in a close distance. 
 

[Andrew-88]

There is no 50kHz handheld multimeter out there, so what other options we have for such measurements?
 

[Kiriakos GR]

There is no 50kHz handheld multimeter out there, so what other options we have for such measurements?
 

This is true,  actually there is no high bandwidth ACV multimeter out there able to measure correctly the volts.

But some handheld they are capable to measure correctly the frequency of 42kHz (transformer under load) but not at the range of 30 or 50 V.
There is a catch that in order the frequency counter this to measure correctly at dual mode measurement (Volt + Hertz) ,  the incoming signal it should be at specific volts quantity or greater at the specific range (according its DMM specifications/ datasheet).
So you are forced to select manually a lowest volts range so the frequency counter to work and deliver a correct measurement of 42kHz.

The FLUKE 8846A this proven to not need such workarounds, but ACV bandwidth this were identical to my top end handheld.
The scope this measure 15 ACV but all three multimeter they manage to measure 11.45 ACV as lower up to 11.60 ACV as higher.
This is approximately 30% lesser than the real ACV.
Here comes the experience if you are aware of the issue,  you may add 30% at the top of your measurement and minimize the error.
Do not forget this is a square wave and a challenge when most multimeter are capable just to measure sinusoidal signal (waveform).

   
 
     

[overvolt]

So such Halogen transformers they require an oscilloscope so the measurement this to not require guesswork or a correction.

This is interesting ! 

[3xSpecs]

Hello,
I've seen similar projects using lithium cells with a buck converter (eg 3.7VDC to 12VDC) and drive the halogen lights using DC only! You don't need a ballast or inverter.
You can use a number of 18650 cells from an old laptop battery to generate more current.
LED Downlights are cheap replacements, have heatsinks and use less power.
However it is much more fun doing it your way

[3xSpecs]

pic 2

[Kiriakos GR]

LED Downlights are cheap replacements, have heatsinks and use less power.
However it is much more fun doing it your way

Within twelve past months I did record two stories about LED based work lights.
https://www.ittsb.eu/forum/index.php?topic=1570.0

https://www.ittsb.eu/forum/index.php?topic=1387.0

Lights using halogen bulbs they are the cheapest to manufacture or was at China. (now everything is LED)
Neither I am happy with the significant amount of required components that an LED light strip this requires so to function.
Neither I was happy with the significant amount of required components that a CFL Bulb this requires so to function.


An buck converter (eg 3.7VDC to 12VDC) this will add significant power loss due the transformation.
My power source this is 4X 18650 cells (from a laptop) with protection controller 20A, and at my first test ( 2x 10W Halogen ) I got 40 minutes run time.