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Lighting

Non Electric Lighting

Oil, parafin, candles, electricity

Electric Lighting

neon tubes, bus bulbs, halogen

Bus Bulbs (normal style bulbs, but for 12v) are generally really energy hungry, and are a good way to drain your battery. Flourescent Tubes and http://www.unlimited-power.co.uk/low-voltage-lights-12v-dc-CFL.html Compact flourescents are a huge improvement, generally using about 12w (ie 1 Amp at 12v), but still use a lot more than a decent LED bulb. 

LED lighting

LED lighting can be very light on power usage, but is generally considered to provide a very 'cold' light. Most LEDs provide a concentrated spot of light that isn't much good for general usage but wide angle LEDs are available too.

LEDs are easily wired up to provide mood lighting or 'fairy lights'. You'll need a soldering iron and work out which resistors to use. Or you can buy LED 'bulbs' that fit into halogen light fittings.

  • If you want to try making your own LED lighting then look at http://led.linear1.org/led.wiz . This tells you which resistors you need, and provides you with a handy wiring diagram. The technical info it needs should be available from your supplier.
  • Ultraleds.co.uk have some really good 12v LEDs bulbs that are surprisingly bright and usable.
  • jmgoods.co.uk also have some decently priced LED bulbs.
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low energy lighting

just found a 240v solution (need inverter )
9-13w megaman lights
The bulb is what costs and they last up to 10 years which makes them cheaper than 12v halogen for same wattage.

non recessed so they can go on straight to walls or roof
about £11-13 each as of Nov 2007
made of plastic and rather small but give adequate warm light and do look fine.
go to www.megaman.co.uk
i got from Robin on 01903730050

Low energy lighting

Sorry to disagree but any solution that uses an inverter for lighting is not low impact as the efficiency of an inverter can be as low as 80% when used for low power. Much better to use 12V lighting. There are suppliers of the same 'ice cream cone' bulbs for 12V, i'll try and find some links. But the basic principle is the same as 12V fluorescent tubes 13W and 8W which have been in 'caravan' lights for years, eg Labcraft, try jmgoods.co.uk very friendly and pretty cheap.

Low energy lighting

http://www.unlimited-power.co.uk/low-voltage-lights-12v-dc-CFL.html

Is example of 12V DC CFL's and such like.