I’m looking to replace the bulb on a couple of old incandescent lights that are still perfectly fine for their intended use so I’d rather not send them to landfill.
The existing bulbs use P13.5s fittings and there seem to be plenty of cheap LED units available in that package.
One light is a 6v-3.6v (4 cells in series) direct drive, center negative which currently draws 0.34A@5.89v (2W) but has a plastic spacer around the bulb so I’m cautious about increasing the power draw.
The other is a maglite 2C (3v-1.8v direct drive, center positive, currently draws 1.7W but ample evidence of people running 3W bulbs in them).
But the Chinese advertising is confusing me and I need some real world experience.
For example they claim an LED unit as being suitable for torches then show a graph like this:
But those power draw figures mean a 3V bulb will hardly light up in a 2 cell torch, and will presumably consume far too much in a 3 cell torch? Are they just designed for fixed installations and the suitable for torches claim is bogus?
Also, power figures don’t always seem to line up so are the 1W, 3W etc. ratings designed to be some sort of incandescent equivalent in terms of heat output or just plucked from the aether?
Yeah, I know I can pay £25 from a UK source to get a couple that will definitely work but that price is getting a little high, especially as they’re ‘pure white’ (likely cold white) models. Is anyone familiar with the current direct from china offerings and can point me in the right direction?