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BULB DISCUSSION BOARDS => Modern Electric Lighting => Topic started by: Christmas Lamp on May 26, 2012, 11:09:22 am

Title: Srange Little Light Bulb
Post by: Christmas Lamp on May 26, 2012, 11:09:22 am
Its NOT a Fuse it gave Light Once.......
Thanks Guys
Title: Re: Srange Little Light Bulb
Post by: adam2 on May 28, 2012, 04:01:41 am
Fuse shaped filament lamps used to be common.
The main application was lighting the scales of meters on amplifiers or test equipment.
Making the lamp the same size and shape as a fuse made low profile mounting easy, usually in a fuseholder mounted on a printed circuit board.

Such lamps normally had flat ends, just like a fuse, but UNLIKE the picture above.
The lamp illustrated, with pointed ends, would appear to be a small festoon lamp, widely used on vehicles.
These come in a wide range of sizes, and the smallest will fit in a fuse holder, but they are intended for use in a dedicated holder in which the points of the lamp rest in small dimples or holes.
Title: Re: Srange Little Light Bulb
Post by: Christmas Lamp on May 28, 2012, 06:39:38 am
Thank You Adam...
Unfortanally The Filament Has gone in This one.... Keeping it Though as I Kinda Like it....  :-D
Title: Re: Srange Little Light Bulb
Post by: adam2 on May 30, 2012, 06:54:02 am
Most types are still readily available, if you want a new one.
Motor spares suppliers or ebay are worth trying.
Title: Re: Srange Little Light Bulb
Post by: Hemingray on June 24, 2012, 10:27:54 am
These are still common. Any auto parts store will have them.
Title: Re: Srange Little Light Bulb
Post by: Christmas Lamp on June 24, 2012, 10:45:50 am
Thanks Guys  :-)
Might be a Silly Question  :oops: But what do I need to Make One light up if I can get one? I've Never had One like this before....
Title: Re: Srange Little Light Bulb
Post by: adam2 on June 25, 2012, 07:33:12 am
A battery or transformer of a voltage to match the lamp.
They are usually 12 volts, but 6 volt and 24 volt versions exist.

Presuming that you obtain a 12 volt lamp, any small 12 volt transformer with a wattage at least equal to the lamp wattage will serve. They are commonly 3 watts, in which case a 12 volt transformer with an output of at least 3 watts is needed.
These lamps are often used in vehicles and therefore designed for about 14 volts, although by convention they are called 12 volt.
Title: Re: Srange Little Light Bulb
Post by: Christmas Lamp on June 25, 2012, 10:32:21 am
OK Thank You for the Info but What Lamp Fitting Would it Need? Sorry for the dumb Questions.....
 :oops: :oops: :oops:
Title: Re: Srange Little Light Bulb
Post by: adam2 on June 26, 2012, 04:02:52 am
A supplier of replacement parts for vintage vehicles might have a fitting.
Or a supplier of internal lights for boats or caravans, these often use festoon lamps.

Or improvise, it is fairly easy to make something out of two short pieces of thick copper wire held in a terminal block.

Or solder wires to the ends of the lamp, it is a pity to spoil a vintage lamp thus, but for a cheap and readily available modern one, why not.
Title: Re: Srange Little Light Bulb
Post by: Christmas Lamp on June 26, 2012, 04:41:05 am
Thanks Adam2....  :-)
I'll Try That and I'll post if I find anything
 :-)

If you were wondering how I knew it gave Light....
It was I think behind a Panel that lit up.... Found it on the floor uder Lighted Panel whitch was Ripped to Peices......
Title: Re: Srange Little Light Bulb
Post by: adam2 on September 26, 2012, 04:46:34 am
And BTW "festoon" lamps are so called for historical reasons.
Modern(ish) festoon lamps have a metal cap at each end and are inserted into a suitable lamp holder.

The original festoon lamps had a simple loop of wire at each end, sealed through the glass envelope.
They were intended to be wired in series with short lengths of wire from one lamp to the next, and FESTOONED around a Christmas tree or other decorative article.

The customer would have to engage a "wireman" to wire up their Christmas tree.
Rather different from from todays practice of simply plugging in ready made lighting sets, and of course the supply voltage would be exposed on all the connections.
Voltages tended to be lower in the olden days, but it still seems a bit risky, both from the electric shock risk, and the fire risk from leakage currents passing through the tree etc.