Review on Camco 12V/15W Fluorescent Light Bulb (Model 41313) by Jim Worthington

If you've ever camped at night with LED lights or flashlights as your only light source, you'll be more than pleasantly surprised at the light quality from this Camco CFL bulb! You can actually read a book without eye strain in your tent or cabin as if you were reading at home. My cabin is off the grid, deep in the woods, and I couldn't believe the amount of light my Camco bulb put out when I first tried it and reached full brilliance after about 20-30 seconds of warm-up. Even my nearest neighbor in the forest was amazed when I showed it to him. I'll confess that I haven't been using a Camco light for very long, so I can't speak directly about durability. The negative reviews suggesting that this lamp burns out too easily made me a bit hesitant to buy at first. But when I first saw a product being lucratively advertised on the website of a truck parts company I respected, I decided to give it a try. So far I have no regrets. It should be noted that most if not all 12 volt fluorescent lamps are susceptible to early failure if basic recommendations for extending their life are not followed. As detailed in Backwoods Solar's online catalog, 12 volt fluorescent lighting should not be used in situations where they will be frequently cycled on and off or used only for momentary lighting (such as in a closet or pantry). These lights should warm up fully and stay on for at least 15-20 minutes at a time. If you only use them for a minute or two, or switch them on and off repeatedly within a short period of time, their internal ballasts will burn out prematurely. They don't like cycling. Therefore, 12 volt fluorescent lamps are best suited for installations where they burn for a long time, such as. B. living rooms, bedrooms and kitchens. For toilets or bathrooms, it is better to use commercially available light bulbs or LED lamps for short-term lighting, which do not mind being switched on and off frequently. DC fluorescent lamps can also be easily destroyed by overvoltages. Never turn on more than one 12V fluorescent lamp at a time. Wiring these electrically sensitive bulbs so that two or more bulbs are controlled by a single switch guarantees a surge of electricity that turns them off instantly. Likewise, it is best to connect it to batteries that are not being charged (from solar panels, wind chargers, etc.) while the lamp is in use. The idea is to avoid power fluctuations/spikes causing premature failure of these otherwise great, energy efficient lights. A single 12 volt Camco CFL draws almost no power (only about 1.5 amps). I run mine on a standard car battery when I go camping. Three hours of light from this bulb uses so little 'juice' that my car charger will fully charge the battery in about 5 minutes after charging - no exaggeration! So a car battery and a Camco lightbulb will provide more than enough light for my cab for several nights while extending battery life. Camping has never been so easy! I am convinced of this particular product. With specific recommendations for the use of 12 volt fluorescent lamps, they appear to be the ideal solution for people who want to illuminate their home without being connected to the mains. Based on high web search volume, Revain appears to be offering the best price on this lightbulb - if you place an order large enough ($25 or more) to meet their Super Saver shipping requirement. Good product. Excellent distributor. If you're looking for a light that allows you to read offline even at night, you've come to the right place!