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Registered Member #1221
Joined: Wed Jan 09 2008, 06:17PM
Location: Odense, Denmark
Posts: 196
Hullo
I recently recieved this rather strange lightbulb from my grandmum (she was cleaning up her house and found alot of weird things, including this lightbulb aperantly).
Its not very effiecent at producing light, at least if were talking *visible light*, it just kind of glows redish / orange, and it doesnt have a filament wire like normal bulbs, its got those spirals instead that is not electricialy connected instead. I dont think its blown because its not any thrash laying around within the bulb or any sign that its contruction as changed from what was intended.
All this got me wondering but i found myself unable to answer what the purpose of this bulb might have been. I've got very limited infomation about it, its suposed to run on 220-230volts (which is normal in denmark) and it says P5650E on the socket and "Dope" on the glass bulb itself.
So i took a couple pictures of it and figured I'd ask you lot about it: any idea what the point is with this strange lightbulb?
Registered Member #162
Joined: Mon Feb 13 2006, 10:25AM
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 3140
Popular around the 60's and 70's were 'infra red heat lamps' cured all sorts of ailments. They actually do help for a (prolapsed) 'slipped' disc. Did for me anyway.
Registered Member #543
Joined: Tue Feb 20 2007, 04:26PM
Location: UK
Posts: 4992
Neon bulbs of this kind were commonly used as children's nightlights and photo darkroom 'safelights'
One can also find them with glowing religious symbols - the cross for example - and glowing stars. Very inventive novelty neon bulbs containing glowing wire flowers were also produced.
Current consumption was a watt or two, and a resistor was built into the base as the neon strike voltage was much lower than the mains, even in America. This enabled the bulb to be plugged into an ordinary light socket without further complication.
A neon valve connected in series with a resistor produces a constant voltage across the gas tube, much like a zener diode, which was the basis of most high voltage regulators in the thermionic era. You will find the same with your bulb, though the voltage regulation is likely to be poor, as its electrodes were not designed for this purpose.
Registered Member #2028
Joined: Mon Mar 16 2009, 08:13PM
Location: Norway
Posts: 319
My grandmother has one of these too, it is used as a christmas decoration. The electrode if that is the correct word, is shaped like a candle flame, and the glow is unstable and constantly moves up and down the electrode. This makes it look like a flickering candle.
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Mysterious Lightbulb
