I was replacing some lights in my car's HVAC control box, and I used 12v 60ma bulbs (link), and after reinstalling it in the car (bulbs are working), I was doing some Googling and noticed that some people are using 14v 95ma bulbs. Lets say that a voltage or current spike occurred and pushed 14v ~95ma, am I in danger of damaging the electronics/PCB, other than blowing the bulbs?
Accidentally soldered in 12v 60ma bulbs in a 14v 95ma circuit – dangerous
12vincandescent
Best Answer
It is unlikely that you will damage the electronic module because your bulbs draw less current than the proper bulbs. However, they will not last as long as bulbs of the proper voltage rating.
The problem is that the DC voltage in a 12V automobile sits right around 13.8 Vdc when the engine is running. Bulb lifetime varies by about the 12th power of the change - that means that a small change in voltage makes a huge difference in bulb life.