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.?

 

[ultrarunner]

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

They are floods mounted above the garage door to light the drive when they come home at night... brightness was never a problem...

I'm thinking the device might be a thermister that reduces the "Shock" when power first hits the element?

Bulb-Miser Alternatives

 

[k0ua]

They are floods mounted above the garage door to light the drive when they come home at night... brightness was never a problem...

I'm thinking the device might be a thermister that reduces the "Shock" when power first hits the element?

Bulb-Miser Alternatives

Apparently the diode version of a bulb save is still available but the Thermistor version might be a little hard to find according to the article.

 

[ultrarunner]

Apparently the diode version of a bulb save is still available but the Thermistor version might be a little hard to find according to the article.

One more link...

Shock absorbers that help electric light bulbs last longer - CSMonitor.com

I bet if I was to clean out the shop I would find a couple stashed away...

Must be getting old since the story linked is from 30 years ago.

 

[ultrarunner]

On a separate note...

I bought a couple of CREE LED bulbs at Home Depot...

Was visiting a friend and saw the same bulbs on his table and commented that I didn't know he shopped Home Depot and then learned his nephew is an engineer at CREE and everyone in the family received LED bulbs for Christmas...

 

[k0ua]

On a separate note...

I bought a couple of CREE LED bulbs at Home Depot...

Was visiting a friend and saw the same bulbs on his table and commented that I didn't know he shopped Home Depot and then learned his nephew is an engineer at CREE and everyone in the family received LED bulbs for Christmas...

What is your opinion of the Cree bulbs so far?

 

[k0ua]

I just used one of your links to buy some 60 watt 130 volt incandescent's for our outdoor fixtures. Less than a dollar each even with the shipping.

 

[ultrarunner]

What is your opinion of the Cree bulbs so far?

Have not tried one yet... bought them last night at the checkout stand at Home Depot...

They have 40 and 60 equivilents...

TBN is the reason I decided to give them a try.

I did by a 4 pack last year at Cosco... bulbs have to warm up and very low wattage... all of them are in outdoor wall fixtures controlled by a switch... adequate for my use.

 

[MotorSeven]

I bought an LED floodlight to try, haven't put it in yet.

One? I have 8 of them, a pair on each corner of the house. I have them set to come on with motion and it's been a year and I love them. The light is a slight bluish tint but very bright.

 

[MotorSeven]

The Cree bulbs are rapidly gaining ground. Have any of you tried those 2,000 lumen Cree flashlights on fleabay? I have one, paid $20 for it and it's aluminium, adjustable beam, two rechargeable batteries and a charger.

First off I don't believe the lumen claim because side by side against my old trusty Streamlight Stinger LED that is 200 lumens the Cree is only slightly brighter. But I can say the thing is indestructible since my SIL gave one to my granddaughter to play with 6 months ago. That one has been dropped, thrown and otherwise abused to no end and has not missed a beat.

There are hundreds on the bay, here is one:
2000 Lumen CREE XM L T6 Zoomable LED Torch Lamp Flashlight 18650 Chargers | eBay

 

[charlz]

Last year I bought some LED flashlights as Costco that were made by Feit Electric. They have a sliding zoom feature and are awesome, use 2 C batteries. The zoom feature really reaches out there. Walking through Costco the other day I saw similar ones but Duracell branded. A quick search shows this Ebay page that claims they are the same as the Feit. I think they were more like $25 for two in Costco though and not the $58 this auction is asking for.

2 x Feit Electric 500 Lumen Flashlight LED Batteries Wrist Strap Included CREE | eBay