I\'m looking for the little buttons that you install...

[amdx]

I\'m looking for the little buttons that you install in a lamp socket to
dim the bulb.

It is a flat device with an internal diode.  It fits inside the socket
and makes contact with the bulb and the socket electrode.

I have searched and can not find them.

Anyone have a good search term I can try.

                                Mikek


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[Peter W.]

Not since the (very) early 1970s in the US. Can you say: \"Fire Hazard\"?

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

 

[Fox\'s Mercantile]

On 4/13/21 9:04 AM, amdx wrote:

It is a flat device with an internal diode.

I remember those.

--
\"I am a river to my people.\"
Jeff-1.0
WA6FWi
http:foxsmercantile.com

 

[ohg...@gmail.com]

On Tuesday, April 13, 2021 at 10:04:52 AM UTC-4, amd...@gmail.com wrote:

I\'m looking for the little buttons that you install in a lamp socket to
dim the bulb.

It is a flat device with an internal diode. It fits inside the socket
and makes contact with the bulb and the socket electrode.

I have searched and can not find them.

Anyone have a good search term I can try.

Mikek

I haven\'t seen those in years. I used to use them and they worked great. I used to put them in the high fixtures over hallway stairs in some rentals I had and the bulbs lasted forever - but they only work on incandescent bulbs.

 

[John Robertson]

On 2021/04/13 7:04 a.m., amdx wrote:

I\'m looking for the little buttons that you install in a lamp socket to

dim the bulb.

It is a flat device with an internal diode.  It fits inside the socket
and makes contact with the bulb and the socket electrode.

I have searched and can not find them.

Anyone have a good search term I can try.

                                Mikek

Here is a story from 1981 about these buttons - Bulb Miser and Light-Saver:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1981/05/31/light-bulb-energy-buttons-watt-about-saving-38/acb0c2c3-c3a6-4e67-abdb-0072dc20f578/

Perhaps that will help your quest! At least you now have the names...

John :-#)#

 

[John Robertson]

On 2021/04/13 11:55 a.m., John Robertson wrote:

On 2021/04/13 7:04 a.m., amdx wrote:
I\'m looking for the little buttons that you install in a lamp socket to

dim the bulb.

It is a flat device with an internal diode.  It fits inside the socket
and makes contact with the bulb and the socket electrode.

I have searched and can not find them.

Anyone have a good search term I can try.

                                 Mikek



Here is a story from 1981 about these buttons - Bulb Miser and Light-Saver:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1981/05/31/light-bulb-energy-buttons-watt-about-saving-38/acb0c2c3-c3a6-4e67-abdb-0072dc20f578/



Perhaps that will help your quest! At least you now have the names...

John :-#)#

And here are some Eagle Energy Buttons on eBay:

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1313&_nkw=Eagle+Energy+Button%2C&_sacat=0

John :-#)#

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[bilou]

On 13/04/2021 20:55, John Robertson wrote:

Here is a story from 1981 about these buttons - Bulb Miser and Light-Saver:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1981/05/31/light-bulb-energy-buttons-watt-about-saving-38/acb0c2c3-c3a6-4e67-abdb-0072dc20f578/


Perhaps that will help your quest! At least you now have the names...

John :-#)#

Thanks for the link
In France I have never heard of such devices.
May be because at that time most lamps sockets were bayonet type.
I tried the diode in a switch but 220v smaller filaments and 50Hz
lower frequency produced an annoying blinking.
I saw the diode used in drills and heating devices.

 

[Dave Platt]

In article <6075f0d1$0$3685$426a74cc@news.free.fr>,
bilou <bilou@sfr.fr> wrote:

On 13/04/2021 20:55, John Robertson wrote:



Here is a story from 1981 about these buttons - Bulb Miser and Light-Saver:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1981/05/31/light-bulb-energy-buttons-watt-about-saving-38/acb0c2c3-c3a6-4e67-abdb-0072dc20f578/


Perhaps that will help your quest! At least you now have the names...

John :-#)#


Thanks for the link
In France I have never heard of such devices.
May be because at that time most lamps sockets were bayonet type.
I tried the diode in a switch but 220v smaller filaments and 50Hz
lower frequency produced an annoying blinking.
I saw the diode used in drills and heating devices.

As I understand it - the Bulb Miser is a thermistor (positive
temperature coefficient). It reduces the current surge into a \"cold\"
incandescent bulb filament, reducing the chance of a burn-out at that
time, and thus extends the life of the bulb. It does reduce the light
output and raises the operating temperature of the socket.

The Light-Saver is one of a number of diode-type \"bulb savers\". As I
recall, these sorts of devices do reduce the filament temperature and
thus extend the bulb\'s life, but they have several disadvantages:

- Greatly reduced light output (by about half)

- Reduced efficiency. Since the filament is operating at a lower
temperature, a lower percentage of its output is visible than
during normal operation, and there\'s (relatively) more non-
visible infrared. You get less visible light per watt.

- Radio frequency interference. The rectification effect creates
sharp edges in the current waveform, and this creates RF energy.
AM and other radio reception can suffer (buzzing, reduced
sensitivity, etc.).

- Asymmetric load on the mains. If you have a bunch of these in
use at the same time, and if the diodes all line up the same way,
the circuit will draw more current on one half of the AC waveform
than on the other. This can lead to humming and buzzing in
transformers.

Neither of these sorts of \"bulb savers\" are good for use with either
fluorescent or LED bulbs.

An alternative to these (if you really do insist on an incandescent
bulb) is to buy a bulb made for limited-service locations (e.g. outdoor
fixtures) which has a \"130-volt\" filament rating. When run on the
lower voltages that are normal, the filament runs \"cool\" and lasts
a lot longer than a standard bulb. You still have to accept the reduced
efficiency (lower light output per watt).

 

[Ralph Mowery]

In article <bgdhkh-tlk.ln1@coop.radagast.org>, dplatt@coop.radagast.org
says...

An alternative to these (if you really do insist on an incandescent
bulb) is to buy a bulb made for limited-service locations (e.g. outdoor
fixtures) which has a \"130-volt\" filament rating. When run on the
lower voltages that are normal, the filament runs \"cool\" and lasts
a lot longer than a standard bulb. You still have to accept the reduced
efficiency (lower light output per watt).

I never did understand the 130 volt rated bulbs. I don\'t know of any
130 volt services in the US. However the voltage has been creeping up
over the years. Went from 115 to 120 and mine usually runs around 125
as measured by a meter with better than 1 % accuracy.

I do know some bulbs are rated for \'rough service\' with heaver filaments
but have not looked to see the voltage rating.

 

[amdx]

On 4/13/2021 10:42 PM, Ralph Mowery wrote:

In article <bgdhkh-tlk.ln1@coop.radagast.org>, dplatt@coop.radagast.org
says...
An alternative to these (if you really do insist on an incandescent
bulb) is to buy a bulb made for limited-service locations (e.g. outdoor
fixtures) which has a \"130-volt\" filament rating. When run on the
lower voltages that are normal, the filament runs \"cool\" and lasts
a lot longer than a standard bulb. You still have to accept the reduced
efficiency (lower light output per watt).



I never did understand the 130 volt rated bulbs. I don\'t know of any
130 volt services in the US.

 It\'s like running a 120V bulb on 110 volts, it has an extended life.


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[amdx]

On 4/13/2021 10:42 PM, Ralph Mowery wrote:

In article <bgdhkh-tlk.ln1@coop.radagast.org>, dplatt@coop.radagast.org
says...
An alternative to these (if you really do insist on an incandescent
bulb) is to buy a bulb made for limited-service locations (e.g. outdoor
fixtures) which has a \"130-volt\" filament rating. When run on the
lower voltages that are normal, the filament runs \"cool\" and lasts
a lot longer than a standard bulb. You still have to accept the reduced
efficiency (lower light output per watt).



I never did understand the 130 volt rated bulbs. I don\'t know of any
130 volt services in the US.

 It\'s like running a 120V bulb on 110 volts, it has an extended life.


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[amdx]

On 4/13/2021 9:04 AM, amdx wrote:

I\'m looking for the little buttons that you install in a lamp socket
to dim the bulb.

It is a flat device with an internal diode.  It fits inside the socket
and makes contact with the bulb and the socket electrode.

I have searched and can not find them.

Anyone have a good search term I can try.

                                Mikek

 After reading there are two types, I definitely want the diode style,
but I may not need it any longer.

I order some 15 watt bulbs, they may have the right light output. I have
a sauna, and 60 Watts is just to bright for the proper ambience.

Thanks for all the information.

                                             Mikek


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[amdx]

On 4/13/2021 9:04 AM, amdx wrote:

I\'m looking for the little buttons that you install in a lamp socket
to dim the bulb.

It is a flat device with an internal diode.  It fits inside the socket
and makes contact with the bulb and the socket electrode.

I have searched and can not find them.

Anyone have a good search term I can try.

                                Mikek

 After reading there are two types, I definitely want the diode style,
but I may not need it any longer.

I order some 15 watt bulbs, they may have the right light output. I have
a sauna, and 60 Watts is just to bright for the proper ambience.

Thanks for all the information.

                                             Mikek


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[Ralph Mowery]

In article <s573uf$eap$1@dont-email.me>, amdx@knology.net says...

I never did understand the 130 volt rated bulbs. I don\'t know of any
130 volt services in the US.

 It\'s like running a 120V bulb on 110 volts, it has an extended life.

I am well aware that reducing the voltage slightly will extend the life
of filament bulbs, but as far as I know there is no 130 volt service in
the US, so why mark the bulbs as 130 volts ? Just mark them as extended
life or something like that.

 

[Ralph Mowery]

In article <s573uf$eap$1@dont-email.me>, amdx@knology.net says...

I never did understand the 130 volt rated bulbs. I don\'t know of any
130 volt services in the US.

 It\'s like running a 120V bulb on 110 volts, it has an extended life.

I am well aware that reducing the voltage slightly will extend the life
of filament bulbs, but as far as I know there is no 130 volt service in
the US, so why mark the bulbs as 130 volts ? Just mark them as extended
life or something like that.

 

[Peter W.]

I never did understand the 130 volt rated bulbs. I don\'t know of any
130 volt services in the US. However the voltage has been creeping up
over the years. Went from 115 to 120 and mine usually runs around 125
as measured by a meter with better than 1 % accuracy.

Many primary-feed industrial locations ran at 480/277 for lighting and motors. I remember when I was in school our drafting studio was in a former factory right on the Schuylkill in Center City. Wallplate voltage was 130V, lighting was 277, and even the ceiling fans and exhaust fans were 480V. What made it even more interesting was that the primary service to the building was 4-wire, 2-phase converted to three-phase using \'Scott-Connected\' transformers, AKA \'Scott-T\' transformers. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott-T_transformer

In the studio, there were all kinds of warning stickers on the receptacles stating that they were at an actual 130V. And for those of us with drafting lights, lamps were supplied.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

 

[Peter W.]

I never did understand the 130 volt rated bulbs. I don\'t know of any
130 volt services in the US. However the voltage has been creeping up
over the years. Went from 115 to 120 and mine usually runs around 125
as measured by a meter with better than 1 % accuracy.

Many primary-feed industrial locations ran at 480/277 for lighting and motors. I remember when I was in school our drafting studio was in a former factory right on the Schuylkill in Center City. Wallplate voltage was 130V, lighting was 277, and even the ceiling fans and exhaust fans were 480V. What made it even more interesting was that the primary service to the building was 4-wire, 2-phase converted to three-phase using \'Scott-Connected\' transformers, AKA \'Scott-T\' transformers. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott-T_transformer

In the studio, there were all kinds of warning stickers on the receptacles stating that they were at an actual 130V. And for those of us with drafting lights, lamps were supplied.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

 

[John Robertson]

On 2021/04/14 9:10 a.m., amdx wrote:

On 4/13/2021 9:04 AM, amdx wrote:
I\'m looking for the little buttons that you install in a lamp socket
to dim the bulb.

It is a flat device with an internal diode.  It fits inside the socket
and makes contact with the bulb and the socket electrode.

I have searched and can not find them.

Anyone have a good search term I can try.

                                Mikek


 After reading there are two types, I definitely want the diode style,
but I may not need it any longer.

I order some 15 watt bulbs, they may have the right light output. I have
a sauna, and 60 Watts is just to bright for the proper ambience.

Thanks for all the information.

                                             Mikek

Hi Mikek,

As a side note, Acorn TV (on Amazon Prime here in Canada) is
broadcasting Brokenwood mystery series (from New Zealand - great fun!)
and season 7 episode 2 (my wife and I watched last night) was about a
sauna...

Who knew these things were so dangerous! And when I was growing up one
of our family friends (ex-Fins) loved saunas and introduced us to them.

As for lighting, LED bulbs probably not a good idea so I understand
incandescent (circuits not affected by heat as much). I trust the bulb
is in a sealed enclosure to avoid corrosion...

John :-#)#

 

[John Robertson]

On 2021/04/14 9:10 a.m., amdx wrote:

On 4/13/2021 9:04 AM, amdx wrote:
I\'m looking for the little buttons that you install in a lamp socket
to dim the bulb.

It is a flat device with an internal diode.  It fits inside the socket
and makes contact with the bulb and the socket electrode.

I have searched and can not find them.

Anyone have a good search term I can try.

                                Mikek


 After reading there are two types, I definitely want the diode style,
but I may not need it any longer.

I order some 15 watt bulbs, they may have the right light output. I have
a sauna, and 60 Watts is just to bright for the proper ambience.

Thanks for all the information.

                                             Mikek

Hi Mikek,

As a side note, Acorn TV (on Amazon Prime here in Canada) is
broadcasting Brokenwood mystery series (from New Zealand - great fun!)
and season 7 episode 2 (my wife and I watched last night) was about a
sauna...

Who knew these things were so dangerous! And when I was growing up one
of our family friends (ex-Fins) loved saunas and introduced us to them.

As for lighting, LED bulbs probably not a good idea so I understand
incandescent (circuits not affected by heat as much). I trust the bulb
is in a sealed enclosure to avoid corrosion...

John :-#)#

 

[amdx]

On 4/14/2021 11:32 AM, Ralph Mowery wrote:

In article <s573uf$eap$1@dont-email.me>, amdx@knology.net says...
I never did understand the 130 volt rated bulbs. I don\'t know of any
130 volt services in the US.
 It\'s like running a 120V bulb on 110 volts, it has an extended life.



I am well aware that reducing the voltage slightly will extend the life
of filament bulbs, but as far as I know there is no 130 volt service in
the US, so why mark the bulbs as 130 volts ? Just mark them as extended
life or something like that.

 OK.

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