LOTS of options for 12 volt lights out there:
http://tinyurl.com/2ehwnzu

Tom

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
> Richard Koerner
> Sent: Wednesday, May 19, 2010 9:49 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Camping Christmas Lights
> 
> Went camping recently, had shore A/C power at the campground, and ran a
> string of white Christmas lights outside the vanagon laid on the
> ground....just for the fun of it.... but provides just the right amount of
> light for illuminating the area.� Girlfriend likes it, too; now, she wants
> them all the time, even when out in the middle of nowhere.
> 
> I have an aux battery per the GoWesty kit.� So one option is to run the
> Christmas lights off a 120 VAC inverter.....easy smeasy I guess to do
> that.� The other option is to "rewire" the string of lights so as to
> directly operate off 12 VDC; my string has 50 bulbs so normally 120V
> divided by 50 is 2.4 volts per lightbulb....thus need to "group" about 6
> or 7 bulbs in series across the 12 volts of the auxillary battery.� Yes,
> much more hassle than simply using the inverter, but probably more
> electrically efficient, and I could "derate" the bulbs by putting them in
> groups of 8 or 9 thus with slightly dimmer light.
> 
> Anyway, I suppose a third option is to buy 12VDC Christmas lights from
> someplace....they must be available.� But that takes all the challenge out
> of it!
> 
> Just wondering if the List has any clever ideas on this; basically it
> provides low-cost, pleasant, lighting around the campsite in the immediate
> vicinity of the slider door area.� So would candles and a kerosene lantern
> I guess.....but candles blow out, and don't want to carry 2 or 3 kerosene
> lanterns, too bulky.
> 
> Rich
> 85 Vanagon
> San Diego