"Darth Vader" Signal head wiring question

[Derk]

I have acquired a darth vader type signal head with 3 lights, the bulbs are marked 25W 10V. Does anyone have any transformer suggestions to be able to wire this light to household electricity? I would like to be able to turn on 1,2 or all three lights at once.

Thanks for your time,

Derk

[ExCon90]

Can't help on the wiring, but it should be mentioned that those lights were only displayed one at a time.

[GSC]

Wire it up with a 120vac - to - 12vdc converter. Use 30w 12vdc bulbs, available from RV parts suppliers and dealers.

Or rewire it and install standard light bulb sockets to use household 120vac, available at any hardware store. Shouldn't be too hard either way. The guys at the counter at "real" hardware stores would know how to do it and give you good advice.

[FarmallBob]

Another option is to power the signal with a cheap 12 volt battery charger. Replace the existing 10 volt signal bulbs with #1156 12 volt automotive stop/turn/backup bulbs and you'll be good to go. (#1156 bulbs are about $1.50 ea at any auto parts store).

The resulting light beam will not be as precisely focused as with the signal bulbs. But for display purposes you will not be able to see the difference. I have #1156's in my US&S and GRS searchlights - they work fine.

A 10 amp battery charger will power (3) #1156 lamps at once. However in RR service only one lamp is ever lit at a time as ExCon90 notes.

...FB

[GSC]

Will the existing sockets accept the push-turn-lock of the 1156 bulbs?

[FarmallBob]

Will the existing sockets accept the push-turn-lock of the 1156 bulbs?

Yes!

...FB

[Engineer Spike]

I have a friend with a live steamer sized line in his yard. He used to be a maintainer, and got a couple of signal heads that were retired. He hooked them up to a model railroad power pack.