Alternatives to 220v Laguna Bandsaw Light?

[Andrew More]

Just bought a Laguna 18 BX, and decided to not get the $200 light kit. I'm wondering what options I might have for a 220v LED light that might be a bit less expensive. I've considered pluging into 110v in the wall, but this is on a mobile base, and I'd like to use the plug on the back if possible. I've already ordered a nice battery powered light from Lee Valley, which might be the solution going forward.

For those not familiar with the saw, it's a 220V machine, and the plug on the back is also 220V, 6-20p I believe, so a standard light will not work.

I also believe that the 220v to 110v adapters sold on Amazon are a potential safety hazard, since 6-20p doesn't have a neutral, instead featuring two hots and a ground. Running current through the ground works, but is a safety concern.

[Tom M King]

Does the power cord have a neutral in it? 3 wire, or 4 wire? It's 240v/120v here now, since the early 1930's. You may have better luck searching for a 240v led light.

[Dan Friedrichs]

Andrew, did you get the "LED Chameleon" light? (I'm guessing that's the one you're asking about, since it's ~$200).

If so, it natively runs on 240V ("100-240V LED Driver, 110V plug included"). Cut the 120V plug (5-20P) off and install a 240V plug (6-20P) and you're good to go.

Since the bulb is an LED, it needs to convert either 120V or 240V to low-voltage DC. The power electronics necessary to do that are easy to make "universal input" (90-264VAC) to allow one design to be used anywhere in the world, so that's what's typically done. The plug just needs to be changed to physically match the geography its used in.


EDIT:

D'oh! You said you decided NOT to get that light. Nevermind!

My point about LED lights generally having universal input power supplies is still valid, though - I suspect if you looked closely most run on both voltages.

[Andrew More]

Does the power cord have a neutral in it? 3 wire, or 4 wire? It's 240v/120v here now, since the early 1930's. You may have better luck searching for a 240v led light.
The power cord to the machine also lacks a neutral, using a conventional 6-20p outlet. This is the same outlet type used by my table saw, jointer and planer, so I think the lack of neutral is pretty common for 220v equipment, but I'm uncertain as to why that might be. I've been told the other "hot" is used as a return path.


Andrew, did you get the "LED Chameleon" light? (I'm guessing that's the one you're asking about, since it's ~$200).

No, I did not get that one, I'm looking for an alternative to it. Thanks!

[Dan Friedrichs]

No, I did not get that one, I'm looking for an alternative to it. Thanks!

Sorry, you replied just as I realized that and was editing :)

Many LED bulbs with integrated drivers are also universal-input compatible. For instance, here is a "regular" bulb that can run on either 120 or 240 (or 277V for that matter):
https://www.bulbs.com/product/8-5A19-LED-27K-120-277V

[Zachary Hoyt]

I have a $2 desk lamp hanging on the back of one bandsaw and a $2.50 desk lamp on the other one. I hang them from the middle of the back of the upper wheel. If it was me, unless you intend to move it a lot I would just get a little extension cord and use that just for the lamp, or get a battery operated light and hang that on the back of the saw.

[Andrew More]

Many LED bulbs with integrated drivers are also universal-input compatible. For instance, here is a "regular" bulb that can run on either 120 or 240 (or 277V for that matter):
https://www.bulbs.com/product/8-5A19-LED-27K-120-277V

So, if that is the case, I can buy any conventional lamp with a A19 base, and use this bulb, after making the change you noted about adapting the plug? Is there any issues with the lack of a neutral path, or the fact that the current is split into two legs? My understanding is that other countries run 220V, but that the voltage is all on a single leg, with a neutral, instead of our two legs of 110 V with each 180 degrees out of phase.

[Marc Fenneuff]

I bought an led worklight for my bandsaw, it came with a 120-240VAC plug-in transformer. I cut off the transformer and used a 120-240VAC “waterproof led” transformer from Amazon. It had leads for the input and output.

[Justin Pfenning]

Andrew, I also recently purchased the 18BX, but skipped the $200 light. I was hoping to get something really bright for a lot less than $200. I need to ask my electrician at work to verify, but I believe 220vac is just 2 legs of 110vac with a ground. If that is the case, you can use a standard 110vac light, and just hook the ground wire to the ground prong, and the hot wire to one of the hot legs (not both hot legs). This should give us 110vac. You will still need to use the 220vac plug, but one prong will be unused. I’ll ask tomorrow and report back here.

[roger wiegand]

Andrew, I also recently purchased the 18BX, but skipped the $200 light. I was hoping to get something really bright for a lot less than $200. I need to ask my electrician at work to verify, but I believe 220vac is just 2 legs of 110vac with a ground. If that is the case, you can use a standard 110vac light, and just hook the ground wire to the ground prong, and the hot wire to one of the hot legs (not both hot legs). This should give us 110vac. You will still need to use the 220vac plug, but one prong will be unused. I’ll ask tomorrow and report back here.

AFAIK using the grounding wire as the neutral is never OK.

For my saw I bought a generic gooseneck machine lamp and put a 240V LED spotlight into it. I had to cut off the NEMA 5-15 120V plug and swap it for a NEMA 6-15 240V one to plug into the outlet on the machine, using the two conductors for the 240V and retaining the grounding wire as a ground. .

[Dan Friedrichs]

Andrew, I also recently purchased the 18BX, but skipped the $200 light. I was hoping to get something really bright for a lot less than $200. I need to ask my electrician at work to verify, but I believe 220vac is just 2 legs of 110vac with a ground. If that is the case, you can use a standard 110vac light, and just hook the ground wire to the ground prong, and the hot wire to one of the hot legs (not both hot legs). This should give us 110vac. You will still need to use the 220vac plug, but one prong will be unused. I’ll ask tomorrow and report back here.

While that will work, it is not safe. The ground conductor should never carry current (except in a fault condition). What you describe is the reason "neutral" exists separate from "ground".

[Dave Sabo]

I settled on this:

https://www.rikontools.com/product/12-202


I can buy three of them for the cost of the laguna - and I can move them to other tools if I want. Being rechargeable, they won't last all day. It easily lasts me a sawing session though. YMMV.

The beam is adjustable form wide to spot, and it stays put.



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[Dan Friedrichs]

So, if that is the case, I can buy any conventional lamp with a A19 base, and use this bulb, after making the change you noted about adapting the plug? Is there any issues with the lack of a neutral path, or the fact that the current is split into two legs? My understanding is that other countries run 220V, but that the voltage is all on a single leg, with a neutral, instead of our two legs of 110 V with each 180 degrees out of phase.

Yes. If it were my saw, I would be totally comfortable doing that.

You raise an interesting point, though, which is that you will have 120V (to ground) on both contacts within the lamp socket. Typically lamp sockets are wired using a polarized cord such that the neutral is on the outer ring, and the hot is on the bottom contact. This is to prevent accidental contact with the more-accessible screw ring. But, of course, plenty of cords are not polarized, or receptacles wired incorrectly, or receptacles pre-date polarization, or you could just stick your finger into the socket and touch the bottom contact, etc. So it's not foolproof.

E27 (240V) sockets seem to have a plastic screw ring with embedded contact to further mitigate this risk.

[Bill Dufour]

Many e26 led bulbs are 110-220 volts. Just use one of those or a e27 in a standard Edison base fixture.
Bill D.
random link to 110-220 bulb on ebay now.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/293594872264?hash=item445b9e39c8:g:u9QAAOSwdb5eAtp u

[Bill Dufour]

Another choice is two 120 volt bulbs in series from a 240 volt supply.
Bill D.

[David Publicover]

I have an 18BX and also passed on the $200 Laguna light. Right now I use a $29 rechargeable LED light with a magnetic base. It works ok for my needs.

[Justin Pfenning]

While that will work, it is not safe. The ground conductor should never carry current (except in a fault condition). What you describe is the reason "neutral" exists separate from "ground".

Dan, I understand what you are saying, but there all kinds of devices that use polarized 2 prong plugs sold today. For example, our iron, our cable box, and our box fan, all purchased within the last 5 years, have 2 prong polarized plugs. How would my idea be any different than these? I hope this doesn’t sound like I’m being short or disrespectful, because I’m not. I just want to understand the difference.

[Greg Funk]

Dan, I understand what you are saying, but there all kinds of devices that use polarized 2 prong plugs sold today. For example, our iron, our cable box, and our box fan, all purchased within the last 5 years, have 2 prong polarized plugs. How would my idea be any different than these? I hope this doesn’t sound like I’m being short or disrespectful, because I’m not. I just want to understand the difference.They all return current though the neutral not the ground as I believe you suggested earlier. The ground is only used if there is a fault. If you connect one side of the light to the ground and there is a fault (open circuit) in the ground return you can end up energizing the ground wire which is an obvious safety hazard.

[Justin Rapp]

i have a 14bx and grabbed 2 LED llghts from Amazon. I have 110 outlet for the lights and 220 for the bandsaw. Works great, and $17.00

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PVFRBXT/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

[Alex Zeller]

It's a nice looking light that Laguna is very proud of. But $200 is a little too much for me. I got a light very similar to this LIGHT (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088H89397/ref=sspa_dk_detail_1?pd_rd_i=B07RYR9NCV&pd_rd_w=j6xG4&pf_rd_p=57cbdc41-b731-4e3d-aca7-49078b13a07b&pd_rd_wg=fyCFC&pf_rd_r=WBDZ2BWRB7R323N8Z5ZY&pd_rd_r=0583589a-280a-41c6-b2a7-d77d8696fe30&s=hi&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFXRExLVVQxMzdQTVcmZ W5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAwNTk0NTgyREoxSkdVSTRQN1Q0JmVuY3J 5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA2NTk1ODBBUVBZTFA3RU0wUEQmd2lkZ2V0T mFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWxfdGhlbWF0aWMmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmV kaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl&th=1) for my Grizzly. My grizzly has a key switch so I tied it to that. I got the one that screws onto the saw vs a magnetic base. I have it screwed to the top of the saw above the upper door. I ran the power cord along the top of the saw so I could run the wire inside the spline down to the contactor. Some of these lights have a transformer at the end of the cord that's also the plug. This one doesn't, which is why I got it. I got a surface mounted receptacle that dropped into a hole I drilled above the spline to plug it into. I tied it to one leg of the 240v and the neutral. When I turn the key switch off the light shuts off. The light has a switch on it too but I just leave it switched on.

[Rod Sheridan]

As Dan indicated using an Edison base lamp on 240 volts in North America will pose a safety hazard due to the lamp shell being at line potential.

On my bandsaw I use an IKEA LED desk lamp that has a 120 to 250 volt driver and 12 volt wire to the lamp.

The lamp is a flexible gooseneck type that I clip to a magnet to mount it on the saw….Regards, Rod

[Maurice Mcmurry]

Another choice is two 120 volt bulbs in series from a 240 volt supply.
Bill D.

Thats where my mind went. I know it works with incandescent. I am curious about that for LEDs. Wont the capacitors in the LED bulbs become part of the circuit? Would the diodes act as a rectifier creating DC between the two LEDs?

[Andrew More]

Thanks for all the help guys. Decided to go with this LED lamp (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PQQDV4H/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)that claims to be able to handle 110 to 250V. I've still got questions about where the power goes, but I think it will be fine with a plug adapter (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078SNBT4L/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1), which will run it down the other line. It's about 1/3 the price of the Laguna model, and seems oddly similar...... If it doesn't work, I can use it somewhere else, and if it melts down, at least it wasn't a ton of money at risk.

[Dan Friedrichs]

That should work. FYI, unless you linked the wrong plug adapter, the polarity is wrong - I think you need the 120V female.

As to where the power goes - it's the same as for the 240V motor on the saw, right?

[Erik Loza]

I have an 18BX and also passed on the $200 Laguna light. Right now I use a $29 rechargeable LED light with a magnetic base. It works ok for my needs.

This ^^^

I bought a gooseneck LED lamp on amazon for about $40. Magnetic base, dimming feature. Runs off AA’s but runs forever if you use lithiums. Lots of simple options to solve this issue. Hope this helps.

Erik

[Andrew More]

That should work. FYI, unless you linked the wrong plug adapter, the polarity is wrong - I think you need the 120V female.
Doh! Good catch.

[Jim Becker]

I seem to remember another thread on this exact subject not all that long ago...but maybe I'm wrong.

I know that you've already decided on a solution, Andrew, but I'll also mention that there are some pretty good, battery powered, LED lamp solutions available that could easily be stuck onto something like a bandsaw. No cord and still bright, LED light.

[Andrew More]

I seem to remember another thread on this exact subject not all that long ago...but maybe I'm wrong.

Before I posted I did find one other thread from 2018 with this subject, which is where I got the idea for the Lee Valley battery powered, magnetic base model I also ordered. However, I feel like that thread was as inconclusive as this one has been so far, with the final outcome being a decision to avoid the problem by ordering a light that wasn't tied to the plug on the bandsaw, which is why I tried to focus this thread on that solution.

FWIW, I plan to report back on my success (or pics of the burnt out shop) so that other can follow (or avoid following) in my footsteps. I should get the light tomorrow, and the adapter plug on Friday.

[Roger Feeley]

I make a point of detensioning my bandsaw after use. That comes with some inconvenience. If i turn on the saw when it’s not under tension, the blade comes off the wheels. And I sometimes forget to detention when I leave.

So…I have two gooseneck led lights that are hooked up to a micro switch. The lights are on when the blade is under tension. That has been just enough of a reminder. I don’t turn the saw on without the lights. And when I turn off the lights, it’s easy to see if I need to detention.

I have the same scheme on my Sawstop. Any time the saw is on, a light above the saw is on. This is mostly a reminder to me to turn off the saw.

[Michael Drew]

How long is the 18bx's extension cord? I ordered one and will be picking it up this weekend.

Too bad the machine isn't wired for a four wire feed. Then it would be pretty easy to convert the light outlet for 110v. And if your shop receptacle has a neutral in the box, swapping the three wire to a four wire is a piece of cake.

Now that I'm thinking about this, I believe I will wire my receptacle for a four wire feed and convert the saw's 220 receptacle to 110.

[Andrew More]

I have the same scheme on my Sawstop. Any time the saw is on, a light above the saw is on. This is mostly a reminder to me to turn off the saw.

Sorry, why would you turn off your SawStop? Or does the light turn out when the blade is not running?

[Justin Pfenning]

Do not follow my advice on using only one leg of the 220vac with the ground. I spoke to my electrician this morning, and he set me straight. As mentioned by several others here, the ground should not complete the circuit. On a 2 prong device, the hot and neutral carry the electrical load, with no safety ground. I think the best solution is an aftermarket LED light that will accept multi voltage inputs. Many of these are rated for 100-240vac with automatically adjusting transformers.

[Jim Becker]

Sorry, why would you turn off your SawStop? Or does the light turn out when the blade is not running?

The SS has a master on/off power switch that's easy to forget...the paddle is used to turn the blade on/off beyond that. So forgetting to fully turn it off means someone could bump the blade into action.

[Andrew More]

The SS has a master on/off power switch that's easy to forget...the paddle is used to turn the blade on/off beyond that. So forgetting to fully turn it off means someone could bump the blade into action.

Yes, I'm aware of that switch, I was just struggling to find a reason to turn it off completely, since the power drain is likely very low. However you raise a very good safety concern, particularly with kids, thanks!

[Marc Fenneuff]

I think the best solution is an aftermarket LED light that will accept multi voltage inputs. Many of these are rated for 100-240vac with automatically adjusting transformers.

I found some photos showing the transformer I used for my drill press light. The transformer was $15 for a 2-pack from Amazon. Requires a suitable LED light, obviously. I did need to add a resistor to drop the current slightly.

It's stuck to the bottom of the enclosure in this photo, wired directly to the 240VAC terminals on the VFD.

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475856

[Keith Pitman]

For what it's worth, I have one of these on my bandsaw: https://woodturnerswonders.com/products/galaxy-multipurpose-lathe-lamp

It's very bright and very small.

[Andrew More]

So I was able to successfully use this LED from Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PQQDV4H/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1). The bulb claims to be rated for both 110v and 220v, but the cord is setup for 110v, requiring this adapter plug (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075FTC9RT/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1). I plugged it into 220V, and no escaping magic smoke, flicker, or fires.

I also have the Lee Valley battery operated task light (https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/tools/workshop/lighting/71189-magnetic-mount-led-work-light?item=15J7701), which is also great. The magnet is surprisingly strong, and the goose neck stays where you put it.

[Dave Sabo]

The Amazon lite looks a lot like Laguna’s.

The Lee Valley one looks exactly like the Rikon lite I linked to back in post #12.

[Michael Drew]

So I was able to successfully use this LED from Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PQQDV4H/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1). The bulb claims to be rated for both 110v and 220v, but the cord is setup for 110v, requiring this adapter plug (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075FTC9RT/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1). I plugged it into 220V, and no escaping magic smoke, flicker, or fires.


I bought this light as well. I was about to mount it in the same location the Laguna light mounts, but the base dimension is smaller and the mounting holes do not line up..... How did you go about mounting it? I was thinking about making a wood adapter plate of sorts, but am lacking motivation.

[Andrew More]

I bought this light as well. I was about to mount it in the same location the Laguna light mounts, but the base dimension is smaller and the mounting holes do not line up..... How did you go about mounting it? I was thinking about making a wood adapter plate of sorts, but am lacking motivation.

That's a good question. Scrap piece of 2x4 cleaned up, and spray painted black. Mounted using the Laguna pre-drilled holes.

[Ben Schmidt]

Is that light you got on amazon significantly brighter than the one that Laguna makes?

[Andrew More]

Is that light you got on amazon significantly brighter than the one that Laguna makes?


I don't know, and I don't know how I could compare the two, since I don't have the Laguna light. I believe the spec are there for both lights, but you know, they're specs. :)

[Andrew More]

FWIW, here is the light installed with the block for an adapter.477376