Anyone else hate the new light bulbs?

[ultrarunner]

I must be getting really old?

 

[Sodo]

Lots of old light bulbs there, too - not that much different than a modern incandescent.

Lots different in their engineered lifespan. Old light bulbs even way back in 1980s were 2,000+ hours life and the modern incandescents are 1,000 hours

 

[k0ua]

If you want to talk about how long incandescent bulbs can last how about this one that has been burning continuously for over 110 years.

Livermore's mysterious lightbulb burns 110 years - SFGate


Centennial Light - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Sodo]

If you want to talk about how long incandescent bulbs can last how about this one that has been burning continuously for over 110 years.

Note that the 110 year lightbulb is about as bright as a candle. No surprise it lasted, it's not burning very hot.

Ways to make a bulb last long:

1) Reduce the voltage. If you run a 120v lightbulb at 100v it will last very long. I remember when you could buy little resistors that you put under the bulb and the bulb lasts 10 years. I suppose a lightbulb company buys out every resistor company and scuttles the product.
2) Design the bulb for 130v and sell it into a market where line voltage is 120v.
3) Or never turn it off, it will last longer, but not forever. But if you reduce the voltage...

I wonder if a guy could start a company to make those and sell the again, do you get bought out or forced out? Well incandescents are out….

 

[ultrarunner]

If you want to talk about how long incandescent bulbs can last how about this one that has been burning continuously for over 110 years.

Livermore's mysterious lightbulb burns 110 years - SFGate


Centennial Light - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I was just going to post this... very close to where I live.

No one wants to have it go out on their watch.

 

[grsthegreat]

thay make and sell lamps rated at 130 volts...have done so for many years.

Sylvania makes the ones i buy. There not much more $$ than the 120 volt ones, and last many times longer. The 65 watt incadescent floods i have downstairs are 4 years old, and all original lamps.

 

[k0ua]

thay make and sell lamps rated at 130 volts...have done so for many years.

Sylvania makes the ones i buy. There not much more $$ than the 120 volt ones, and last many times longer. The 65 watt incadescent floods i have downstairs are 4 years old, and all original lamps.

Yep, I have some 130 floods still in the house, I have lived in for over 11 years, I don't know how long they were in before I got here.

 

[k0ua]

Note that the 110 year lightbulb is about as bright as a candle. No surprise it lasted, it's not burning very hot.

Ways to make a bulb last long:

1) Reduce the voltage. If you run a 120v lightbulb at 100v it will last very long. I remember when you could buy little resistors that you put under the bulb and the bulb lasts 10 years. I suppose a lightbulb company buys out every resistor company and scuttles the product.
2) Design the bulb for 130v and sell it into a market where line voltage is 120v.
3) Or never turn it off, it will last longer, but not forever. But if you reduce the voltage...

I wonder if a guy could start a company to make those and sell the again, do you get bought out or forced out? Well incandescents are out….

The "little resistors" you spoke of were not resistors. They were diodes in the form of a wafer that you put in series under the base center contact. They rectified the AC wave form turning it into a half cycle DC waveform. I am sure they dimmed the bulb considerably, and likely may have caused a noticeable flicker as the entire bottom of the waveform would be chopped off. I don't think they were a very successful product as I haven't seen them for many years. You could try an axial leaded diode wired in series with the lamp socket if you would like to try to duplicate this product. A 600 Volt PIV 1 amp diode would be fine for a 60 watt bulb. I just don't think the results will be entirely satisfactory. But I could be wrong.

James K0UA

 

[ultrarunner]

The "little resistors" you spoke of were not resistors. They were diodes in the form of a wafer that you put in series under the base center contact. They rectified the AC wave form turning it into a half cycle DC waveform. I am sure they dimmed the bulb considerably, and likely may have caused a noticeable flicker as the entire bottom of the waveform would be chopped off. I don't think they were a very successful product as I haven't seen them for many years. You could try an axial leaded diode wired in series with the lamp socket if you would like to try to duplicate this product. A 600 Volt PIV 1 amp diode would be fine for a 60 watt bulb. I just don't think the results will be entirely satisfactory. But I could be wrong.

James K0UA

I put a couple of ACE Hardware life extenders in my neighbors outdoor motion floodlights and that was 15 years ago and the bulbs go on everynight and are still the ones I put in...

 

[k0ua]

I put a couple of ACE Hardware life extenders in my neighbors outdoor motion floodlights and that was 15 years ago and the bulbs go on everynight and are still the ones I put in...

How did they look brightness wise compared to the original.?