In article , Tony wrote:
Don Klipstein wrote:
In ,
Smitty Two wrote:


SNIP to here to edit for space on making lightbulbs last longer

IIRC they used to make things for the bulb socket. One was a diode, the
other was a thermistor, I think. Are those still around and useful?

I don't know how available these are, but I don't find them useful.

I tested a thermistor that claimed to double the life of light bulbs,
for dimming that accounts for life extension. I found enough dimming to
account for a 50% life extension. This reinforces what I heard from
experts about most lightbulbs not actually suffering significant wear from
cold starts, but merely becoming unable to survive a cold start a little
before they become unable to survive steady operation.

It appears to me that use of a 130V version (available at Lowes last
time I checked) works at least as well, without wasting that small amount
of power creating heat in the thermistor to keep it fairly conductive.

Using 130 volt bulbs when your voltage is 115 - 120 also makes them run
less efficiently also.

This is true, but avoids the small amount of power waste that occurs
with a thermistor and a thermistor also dims the bulb.

Meanwhile, I do like to take the opportunity to repeat that Lowes has
130V bulbs with CC-6 / CC-8 filament design typical of 120V incandescents
that achieve less-bad lumens/watt. This means avoiding the additional
efficiency loss by using the less-efficient design C-9 filament used in
light bulbs of "vibration resistant" design.

- Don Klipstein )