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From: jin@hropus.UUCP (Jerry Natowitz)
Newsgroups: net.consumers,net.sci
Subject: lightbulbs
Message-ID: <446@hropus.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 10-May-86 11:50:59 EDT
Article-I.D.: hropus.446
Posted: Sat May 10 11:50:59 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 14-May-86 06:27:05 EDT
Organization: Bell Labs, Holmdel, NJ
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Xref: linus net.consumers:4716 net.sci:520

How many cats does it take ... (:-)

Couple of questions on light bulbs for you folks out there:

1) What is the spectrum (at least as filtered by the bulb) of the
blue flash that a dying light bulb (or the filament thereof) produces?
As a child I used to think that the bulbs gave off X-rays when they
died (I have no idea where that belief came from).

2) I use Bulbsavers on some of my light bulbs.  Bulbsavers are stick-on
thermisters, a device that changes from a high electrical resistance
to a very low resistance when they heat up.
The theory (well proven by my experience) is that the bulbs last longer
because the thermister reduces thermal shock to the filament caused by
the rush of current that normally occurs when turning on a light.
I have read that the light output of "thermistered" bulbs is decreased
even at normal operating temperature and have noticed a "yellow shift"
in the spectrum.

My question is: how much of a decrease in light output do these things
cause and what change in the light spectrum does occur?

BTW, it takes a few seconds for a thermistered bulb to light up.  It's
quite funny to see the puzzled reaction of people used to instant light
when they turn one of these suckers on.
-- 
		Yours in hair,
		Bear
		ihnp4!houxm!hropus!jin