Alen Mogul Headlamp ID & Replacement

[doublereefed]

Greetings,

Hoping someone might recognize this headlamp from my Allen Mogul and be able to help me identify the bulb. It has no identifying marks, and I wasn't able to ID it by searching online. I thought it might be a Maglite lens and bulb, but couldn't find any Maglite lamps that matched.

Thanks!

-Richard

[Greg_Lewis]

That's the old Mercer headlight. It pre-dates Maglights. Perhaps Dave (Trainman) will chime in here with the bulb specs. You might check to see if an MR16 would fit in there and replace the bulb and reflector in one unit.

[Greg_Lewis]

I just checked and an MR16 is just a little too big in diameter to fit. An MR11 would. I modified my Mercer headlight to take a peanut-size halogen bulb in the original reflector. But I also found the original bulb and socket in my parts department. If you want it, PM me with your address and I'll send it to you. The bulb is either a 330 or a 382 indicator lamp. You should be able to get them locally at a decent professional electrical or electronics supply. McMaster has them. (By the way, the threaded portion in your pic of the bulb is just a collar. The bulb pushes out the back.)

Regardless, I'd put a PWM dimmer in the circuit and run any bulb just a little below its rating so as to extend its life and give it a little more yellow cast as well. You can get those dimmers off Ebay for about four bucks.

[BAdams]

All Electronics would be another source for the 382's:
https://www.allelectronics.com/item/lp- ... amp/1.html


Brook

[doublereefed]

Thanks everybody for the replies. Super helpful!

I didn't realize that the threaded fitting was a sleeve. The bulb is clearly marked 382 as an identifier once the sleeve is removed.

The bulb ran hot for the PO, it melted out the plastic side number boards. I think I will go with an LED so it runs cooler, plus I need to put another LED in the lamp body to backlight the number boards. I found some #382s in 6-24V, so will play with the voltages. These bulbs are small enough that I think I will use them for the cab, and a backlight for the injector overflow. Will have to see how they look at 6V.

The white LED will be too white probably, a yellow cast would indeed be nice. Maybe have to work on a sleeve or something.

Again, thanks for getting me pointed in the right direction. This forum is so great at that!

Best,

-Richard

[Greg_Lewis]

For the number boards, don't forget grain of wheat and grain of rice bulbs. Being incandescent, you won't have that LED look. I find even the LEDs that are allegedly corrected to look more natural really don't.

[makinsmoke]

Jim Hinds in Houston sells led lighting mainly for the HO guys, and they are pretty picky about the incandescent look to the headlights.

He sells led’s with the proper tint.

I know he comes to the C&IG, so I’m betting he’s been asked at least once about led lights for big stuff.

I will try to find his website.

[Harlock]

The white LED will be too white probably, a yellow cast would indeed be nice. Maybe have to work on a sleeve or something.

Look for an LED bulb that is 2700 to 3200 degrees kelvin color temperature. The lower the better. That is the color range of tungsten bulbs and kerosene / candle / carbon flames. In the parlance of the LED bulbs you buy for your house nowadays, that is 'warm white', with halogen bulbs and candles being on the far warm end.

there are places like Mouser electronics where you can find bulbs with color temperature specifications. Unfortunately Mouser has such a large selection and a lack of photos that it is often difficult to tell what you are getting if you are not intimately familiar with LEDs. Everyone should be more like McMaster, with a full drawing for nearly every part they sell!

Failing that, you can get a quarter or half orange theatrical gel to warm it up, at the cost of overall light level reduction. Don't ever use yellow gel, it will give it a sickly cast.

Best,

-Mike

[Bob Chamberlain]

Jim Hinds, that makinsmoke talks of does great work. He goes by the name Richmond controls out of Texas very knowledgable on lighting for locomotives

[NP317]

Check one of the older LED suppliers:

https://www.superbrightleds.com/

I've had good luck getting what I need from them.
RN