[Amps] General question on filament life: comments

[Steve Thompson]

TexasRF at aol.com wrote:
>  
> Wonder if any study has been given to the life of these lamps when the turn  
> on current is limited. In other words, would the "about ready to fail" time be 
>  increased by providing some turn on current limiting protection? Maybe the 
> turn  on cycles wears the lamp out more than the actual on hours?
I'm sure I recall a piece by Bob Pease of NatSemi in his 'Pease 
Porridge' column in Electronic Design where he talked about adding surge 
limiter thermistors to lighting circuits and extending bulb life 
enormously. I miss that column a lot these days. I can't remember ever 
changing a bulb that's on a dimmer where it's always wound up from zero.

Steve