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Posted by Joseph Meehan on February 21, 2007, 8:24 am
vic wrote:
> Can someone explain the benefits of 12 volt track lights.
>
> Does a 50 watt 12 volt light use 50 watts? Is there any operating cost
> inherent in using a 12 volt system vs a standard 120 volt track
> lighting system?
>
> Thanks for your help!
>
> Vic
Overall it is difficult to say. However in most situations the 12V will
be less efficient. Most of the time it would require a transformer to step
the voltage down and that looses energy. Unless the wires are oversized
there will be additional losses in the wires as 12 V wires would require
larger wires to archive the same efficiency as 120V.
In real life the equipment available in 12V often allows more precise
and creative control of the light output so if you gained enough there, the
overall efficiency may be better.
In either case the voltage is the least important part of the question.
--
Joseph Meehan
Dia 's Muire duit
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