# Ray-O-Vac sportsman replacement bulb?



## Juggernaut (Feb 19, 2008)

I have just acquired two Mint vintage 1970 Ray-O-Vac 6 volt sportsman lanterns still in their boxes. They use the rectangular 6 volt battery not the square type. I am absolutely in love with them, but I’m afraid to use them much because I don’t know where to get replacement bulbs for them. They use a sealed glass bulb around 5 inches wide. I’d like to know what a suitable replacement bulb would be since I can’t find them anywhere. I was thinking that either the new ray-o-vac K301 lantern may use the same bulb or perhaps one of the sealed bulbs from a “Big Beam” lantern would work. The two lights I have , have got two different bulbs in them , one is clear while the other is hazy and dimpled looking. This gives me the idea that at some point some one replaced the factory bulb with a aftermarket one. So it would seem some where there is a replacement bulb for this light. My other question was any one have any Idea how long these bulbs last and how long would one of these monstrous batteries run for?


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## lctorana (Feb 19, 2008)

Two choices:

1) The GE 4546
This is 4.75V @ 0.5A, with 6000MSCP
With an Eveready 1231 (SHD black), Eveready claims 60 hours run time.
With an alkaline lantern battery, you should get more than double that.
Claimed bulb life is 100 hours, but that's definitely very conservative.

2) The GE 4547
This is 4.8V @ 1.25A, with 20000MSCP
If brightness matters more than runtime.

Beyond that, there are 8, 20, 30, 50, 100 etc. -watt hotwire bulbs, which leads into my hobby...


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## Juggernaut (Feb 19, 2008)

Thanks for the help. Of course now I just what to push things as usual.:naughty: Would it be possible to use a 8 watt (1.33 AMP) 6 volt PAR36 screw Terminals Base H7550 Miniature Halogen light bulb, form: http://www.servicelighting.com/catalog_product.cfm?prod=MB77550.
It runs at the same volts as the battery and looks like it would fit. Does any one know if this bulb has good throw? And what would my run time be reduced to, they also have a 6251 OSRAM 6volt 5 watt BA9s. I was looking at the later because it’s only $2.50


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## Burgess (Feb 20, 2008)

Hello Juggernaut --


Welcome to CandlePowerForums !

:welcome:



_*Claimed bulb life is 100 hours, but that's definitely very conservative.*_


FWIW, our #4546 sealed-beam lamp lasted for Years and Years and Years !


Being a cautious and conservative Flashaholic, 
i bought a *spare* replacement #4546 lamp at the same time as our lantern.


That was in the 1960's. 


We used this lantern *extensively* for many Years.


Lots of rough treatment, too.



And i NEVER needed to replace the Original Lamp. :twothumbs


Pretty darn impressive. :kiss:


(of course, your mileage may vary) 

_


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## lctorana (Feb 20, 2008)

Juggernaut said:


> Thanks for the help. Of course now I just what to push things as usual.:naughty: Would it be possible to use a 8 watt (1.33 AMP) 6 volt PAR36 screw Terminals Base H7550 Miniature Halogen light bulb, form: http://www.servicelighting.com/catalog_product.cfm?prod=MB77550.
> It runs at the same volts as the battery and looks like it would fit. Does any one know if this bulb has good throw? And what would my run time be reduced to, they also have a 6251 OSRAM 6volt 5 watt BA9s. I was looking at the later because it’s only $2.50


 
I knew as soon as I left out the H7550, you'd ask about it.

So yes, you can use it.

And yes, it will have good throw.

But NO, it is NOT the same voltage - it is a 6V bulb, against the 4.75V and 4.8V of the 4546 & 4547.

With a 6v zinc-carbon or alkaline battery, the H7550 will be seriously underdriven.

What this means, in practice, is that the H7550 is designed for 6V SLA use - it wants 6V *at the bulb under load*.

But if you want to press on, by all means don't stop there.

Try a 4515 or H4515 (6.4v, 30W) overdriven by 8.4V via a 1ohm NTC.
This is my "Roar of the Big Jim"

Next step up is a H7604 (12.8V 50W) overdriven by 16.8V via a 2.2 ohm NTC.
This is my "Tractor Beam"

Next step up is a Q4509 (13V 100W) overdriven by 16.8V via a 1 ohm NTC and a headlight relay.
Haven't built or christened this one yet!


BTW, what do you want the bayonet bulb for? Does your RoV have a taillight? If so, I would expect that to be a MES flasher bulb rather than a BA9s, but I could be educated...


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## Juggernaut (Feb 20, 2008)

I’m going to go out on a limb here and feel really stupid “I just got in to this flashlight stuff” So how do you overdrive? What is a “1 ohm NTC”, :shrugbviously that’s the part that overdrives but how? Where does it get installed, and were do you buy them?


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