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In article ,
wrote:
Since you seem to have much knowledge about bulbs, I got another
question. When I drop a trouble light using a standard indecescant
bulb (or even a heavy useage bulb made for trouble lights), the bulb
often gets much brighter than it was originally, but usually they burn
out shortly after. Is this extra brightness because particles fall
off the filament and it gets thinner, or is there another reason?
I have seen lightbulbs do this, although not yet seen a trouble light do
this (I am not around trouble lights in use enough to see this).
If the filament has any sharp turns, part of the filament can get
shorted by mechanical shock. This results in the remainder of the
filament getting full line voltage.
I have seen this happen with nightlight bulbs and christmas bulbs with
multiple-support filaments with sharp turns at the supports, and also with
chandelier bulbs with V-shaped filaments.
I give a possibility that other styles of filament could become
partially shorted if stretched out of shape from an impact.
I do consider it possible that if a portion of a filament gets severely
stretched with the remainder of the filament unstretched, then the
stretched portion will run cooler, have reduced resistance, and allow the
filament to get excessive current and possibly total light output could
increase. I have seen filaments unevenly stretched by impacts/shock that
were obviously very uneven in temperature.
- Don Klipstein )
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