[TenTec] Way Off Topic, But...

[James Boswell]

On 12/3/2015 9:18 PM, Kim Elmore wrote:
> This is way off topic and not radio related, but there are some danged
> smart people that participate on the reflector, so here goes...
>
> It's the holidays and we've put up Christmas lights (mostly incandescent
> series strings) and I'm seeing some very weird affects when I try
> replacement bulbs. Specifically, when I plug in a replacement bulb of
> ostensibly the correct voltage, it flashes like a strobe and is
> immediately burned out. I tried some higher voltage bulbs, up top 12 V
> and the same thing happens! All I can think of is that the cold
> resistance of the filament is much higher in the replacements than in
> all the other bulbs so that far more voltage appears across the new bulb
> than the others and so the filament vaporizes. Is this what's going on?
> It's very frustrating, to say the least...
>
> 73 & MX,
>
> Kim N5OP
Kim,
	Have you tried to replace the bulb, then apply power? Something to 
consider, the Chinese Christmas lights have no standardization, just 
because the lamp base matches, the working voltage can be different.
	It has been my experience, as a rule the cheap Christmas light strings 
either work or not, and changing the light bulbs have not corrected the 
problem as the socket is the fault. In the past I have carefully stored 
a strings of lights and the next year, part or the entire string fails 
to work. I ohm-out each light bulb, yet the string fails to light.
	This weekend I will try to set-up my Christmas lights and I hope they 
work. If I buy new lights, think I will try the LED lights and see if 
they last better. I hope this helps you out.

	Take Care, Merry Christmas, 73'S  KA5SIW


 >     James B. Boswell                           JBoswell at NRAO.edu
 >     VLA Engineering Services                   Office: 575 835-7427
 >     National Radio Astronomy Observatory       C.Phone 505 412-3732
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