Ken Weitzel wrote:

Hi...

Perhaps a little off-topic, but I'll fix that up at the end

Have a clothes drier (two, actually) with those anti-bacterial bulbs
in them. Both burned out. They look like old fashioned Christmas tree
bulbs, but 110 v 10 w, dual contact bayonet bases. Glass looks like
plain glass, but smoky.

Anyone have any idea whether or not they are of value health-wise ?

Searched google and stores without success, anyone have any idea
where I might find replacements ?

And for topic, I can see the broken filaments, anyone have any idea
how I go about repairing them?

Take care.

Ken


These are UV bulbs, they have a quartz glass envelope which passes hard
UV. The bulbs themselves are a discharge lamp with a filament to heat up
and strike the arc. Instead of a vacuum, the inner atmosphere is low
pressure argon with a bit of mercury. The lamps are run in series with a
choke similar to that used with small fluorescent tubes to limit the arc
current, powering one without the choke will destroy it.

The idea of the lamp is it emits UVC which breaks down oxygen in the air
into ozone, a highly reactive (and toxic) gas which reacts with and
breaks down odor causing substances. It's what's responsible for that
fresh scent after a thunderstorm, and can be produced in large
quantities by Tesla coils and other HV sources. Do not breath it more
than necessary, it's not good for you but it is good for killing
bacteria. My hot tub has an ozone generator to help clean the water, it
uses a modern quartz UV lamp internally similar to a small fluorescent tube.