Bulbs for a Mars light

[FyredUp]

My son snagged a 2 bulb Mars? light from a dumpster and it needs bulbs. It is like those that Chicago ran for years as spotlights on many rigs. Aluminum housing, 2 bulbs as big as headlights, and runs on 120 volts. Any help would be appreciated.

[firepiper1]

Did you mean 12 volts? We used round, sealed beam headlights to replace the bulbs in an old Mars light. Try NAPA or another auto parts store.

[FyredUp]

Did you mean 12 volts? We used round, sealed beam headlights to replace the bulbs in an old Mars light. Try NAPA or another auto parts store.

No, they are 120 and it was set up to run off from a generator.

[zfdtruckman]

Try the guys at Circle-D. I believe the bulb you are looking for is the same as what's used in this light.
http://www.circle-d.com/164g.shtml
It uses a 500 watt 120 VAC Par 56 bulb. I just checked a bulb in my parts shelf and it is a GEQ500/PAR56/WFL. It is as big as a headlight, has a ceramic insulator on the back with two blade connectors.

[rpierce]

Could it be a Mars light off a train? I know they run them on the front around here. 120 Volt would make sense for a train.

[BoxAlarm187]

I was thinking the same thing, sounds like the Mars train application. The Mars lights were originally designed for the railroad industry, so it's not such a stretch to consider that.

I've been around fire apparatus and warning lights for a long time, and have yet to see a "true" Mars light with dual bulbs.

[zfdtruckman]

Yep, Mars did a lot of railroad applications. If the light is like the one on my previous post with CFD Engine 125 with the light housing just behind the cab, it should have the bulb I described. This is was what CFD used on most of their engines and squads with generators prior to the quartz lights we are familiar with today and was available in two or three bulb housings. Some of them may not be Mars but are similar. It should be a sealed beam quartz bulb PAR 56 running on 120 VAC.

FyredUp: let me know what you have, I can send you a bulb and see if it works for you.

[FyredUp]

zfdtruckman: That is EXACTLY the light I am talking about. It is a 2 Bulb Mars light. Thank you.

To the rest of you: This was a very common light used on fire apparatus into the 70's. It is incredibly bright. But it is also big and bulky. My son snagged this out of a dumpster and he has big plans for it.

[BoxAlarm187]

Ok, I know exactly which light you speak of now, I only glanced at the Chicago photo. Not a Mars light in the traditional sense (such as on the face of the rig), but the "light bar" style light. Classic warning equipment....

[DFDMAXX]

Pics please!

[TowerLadder8369]

Pics please!

And maybe even a video if you get it hooked up to a power source

[FyredUp]

Pics please!

I will try to get one of the three light Mars Flood on our Mack pumper this weekend. The 2 bulb one my son snagged is miising both bulbs and is apart right now. Once I have bulbs for it I will post a pic of that.

[rpierce]

When you said Mars light I too was thinking that it went on the front. I never knew that they made a scene light. Please post some pics of it when you get a chance.