xmas lights voltage/wattage
 

A seasonal question certainly...
As usual, dragging the xmas lights out of their box for their annual
outing - some of the bulbs are blown and the spares have long since gone
walk about. The boxes have also been chucked so can`t find what the
voltage/wattage is either :-(
How do you normally calculate what wattage/voltage bulbs to use? I went to
B&Q and had a whole host to choose from, 12v, 2.4v, 1.1W, 0.96W etc....
I`ve got three sets, one looks to be mains voltage (no transformer), the
other is low voltage (24v), but not sure what wattage bulbs are needed. One
other set is multi function, but can`t tell if its low voltage or not .
Where do I start?

Steve

xmas lights voltage/wattage
 

"steve" wrote in message ...
A seasonal question certainly...
As usual, dragging the xmas lights out of their box for their annual
outing - some of the bulbs are blown and the spares have long since gone
walk about. The boxes have also been chucked so can`t find what the
voltage/wattage is either :-(
How do you normally calculate what wattage/voltage bulbs to use? I went to
B&Q and had a whole host to choose from, 12v, 2.4v, 1.1W, 0.96W etc....
I`ve got three sets, one looks to be mains voltage (no transformer), the
other is low voltage (24v), but not sure what wattage bulbs are needed.
One
other set is multi function, but can`t tell if its low voltage or not .
Where do I start?

Also I forgot to mention that all the manufacturers seem to have slightly
different connector sizes.
I tried some replacement bulbs I thought would be generic from B&Q but they
didn`t even bl**dy fit !

Grrr - hating xmas already
Steve

xmas lights voltage/wattage
 

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
steve wrote:

"steve" wrote in message
...
A seasonal question certainly...
As usual, dragging the xmas lights out of their box for their annual
outing - some of the bulbs are blown and the spares have long since
gone walk about. The boxes have also been chucked so can`t find what
the voltage/wattage is either :-(
How do you normally calculate what wattage/voltage bulbs to use? I
went to B&Q and had a whole host to choose from, 12v, 2.4v, 1.1W,
0.96W etc.... I`ve got three sets, one looks to be mains voltage (no
transformer), the other is low voltage (24v), but not sure what
wattage bulbs are needed. One other set is multi function, but can`t
tell if its low voltage or not . Where do I start?

Also I forgot to mention that all the manufacturers seem to have
slightly different connector sizes.
I tried some replacement bulbs I thought would be generic from B&Q
but they didn`t even bl**dy fit !

Grrr - hating xmas already
Steve

If you take a bulb out and look at it through a strong magnifying glass, it
may have the voltage and wattage stamped on it.

If a set runs off the mains - with no transformer - the bulbs are invariably
connected in series - usually either 20-off 12v bulbs or 12-off 20v bulbs.
If you divide 240 by the number of bulbs, that will tell you the voltage of
each bulb. Unfortunately, it doesn't tell you the wattage - which determines
the filament resistance. If you fit a bulb which has the wrong resistance,
the voltage won't be shared out properly across all the bulbs. If you've got
a multi-meter with a sensitive resistance measuring facility, measure the
resistance of a good bulb, and try to get a replacement with the same
resistance. [Measured cold, of course - which won't be the same as the
running resistance but should give a comparison].
--
Cheers,
Set Square
______
Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is Black Hole!

xmas lights voltage/wattage
 

Had this problem myself last week - What I did with my 40 bulb (6 volt bulbs) set was to
take
a small sample, say 3 bulbs, run each of them of a variable bench supply at an accurate 6
volts
(measured at the bulb) and with an ammeter in series and measure what the current being
drawn is. Mine were all about 125 mA, which also gives the wattage by calculation.
Be careful not to measure the fuse bulb, and be sure to have one in circuit to avoid the
domino effect.

Then a trip down to the shed armed with this electrical info to see what the bases look
like
and the choice is made. Our Tesco had a good selection of spares (99p for 5).

Alternatively there is an (expensive) website, www.sparebulbs.com which has an online
catalogue if you know the part number (usually on the box).

Nick




"Set Square" wrote in message
...
In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
steve wrote:

"steve" wrote in message
...
A seasonal question certainly...
As usual, dragging the xmas lights out of their box for their annual
outing - some of the bulbs are blown and the spares have long since
gone walk about. The boxes have also been chucked so can`t find what
the voltage/wattage is either :-(
How do you normally calculate what wattage/voltage bulbs to use? I
went to B&Q and had a whole host to choose from, 12v, 2.4v, 1.1W,
0.96W etc.... I`ve got three sets, one looks to be mains voltage (no
transformer), the other is low voltage (24v), but not sure what
wattage bulbs are needed. One other set is multi function, but can`t
tell if its low voltage or not . Where do I start?

Also I forgot to mention that all the manufacturers seem to have
slightly different connector sizes.
I tried some replacement bulbs I thought would be generic from B&Q
but they didn`t even bl**dy fit !

Grrr - hating xmas already
Steve

If you take a bulb out and look at it through a strong magnifying glass, it
may have the voltage and wattage stamped on it.

If a set runs off the mains - with no transformer - the bulbs are invariably
connected in series - usually either 20-off 12v bulbs or 12-off 20v bulbs.
If you divide 240 by the number of bulbs, that will tell you the voltage of
each bulb. Unfortunately, it doesn't tell you the wattage - which determines
the filament resistance. If you fit a bulb which has the wrong resistance,
the voltage won't be shared out properly across all the bulbs. If you've got
a multi-meter with a sensitive resistance measuring facility, measure the
resistance of a good bulb, and try to get a replacement with the same
resistance. [Measured cold, of course - which won't be the same as the
running resistance but should give a comparison].
--
Cheers,
Set Square
______
Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is Black Hole!

xmas lights voltage/wattage
 

"steve" wrote in message ...
"steve" wrote in message ...
A seasonal question certainly...
As usual, dragging the xmas lights out of their box for their annual
outing - some of the bulbs are blown and the spares have long since gone
walk about. The boxes have also been chucked so can`t find what the
voltage/wattage is either :-(
How do you normally calculate what wattage/voltage bulbs to use? I went to
B&Q and had a whole host to choose from, 12v, 2.4v, 1.1W, 0.96W etc....
I`ve got three sets, one looks to be mains voltage (no transformer), the
other is low voltage (24v), but not sure what wattage bulbs are needed.
One
other set is multi function, but can`t tell if its low voltage or not .
Where do I start?

Also I forgot to mention that all the manufacturers seem to have slightly
different connector sizes.
I tried some replacement bulbs I thought would be generic from B&Q but they
didn`t even bl**dy fit !

Grrr - hating xmas already
Steve

Hi

For old mains sets,
20 bulbs -- 12v 1w
40 bulbs -- 6v 1w

I dont know what you mean by multifunctional, but it if does tricks
it'll be low voltage. For unknown low voltages, just start with the
highest V rating of bulb, replacing it with the next lower voltage
till it lights properly.

Regards, NT

xmas lights voltage/wattage
 

Why "Xmas" not "Christmas"?

Why are some people so damn lazy when writing words?!

xmas lights voltage/wattage
 

In article ,
PJO wrote:

Why "Xmas" not "Christmas"?

Why are some people so damn lazy when writing words?!

Damnably or damned. Either you accept the colloquial use of language here
or you don't.

--
*For every action, there is an equal and opposite criticism *

Dave Plowman London SW 12
RIP Acorn

xmas lights voltage/wattage
 

PJO wrote:
Why "Xmas" not "Christmas"?

Why are some people so damn lazy when writing words?!

I quote from the The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language:
Fourth Edition, 2000:

SYLLABICATION: X·mas

PRONUNCIATION: krsms, ksms

NOUN: Christmas.

ETYMOLOGY: From X, the Greek letter chi, first letter of Greek Khrstos,
Christ. See Christ.

USAGE NOTE: Xmas has been used for hundreds of years in religious writing,
where the X represents a Greek chi, the first letter of , “Christ.” In this
use it is parallel to other forms like Xtian, “Christian.” But people
unaware of the Greek origin of this X often mistakenly interpret Xmas as an
informal shortening pronounced (ksms). Many therefore frown upon the term
Xmas because it seems to them a commercial convenience that omits Christ
from Christmas.

Terry D.

xmas lights voltage/wattage
 

I consider myself told and informed.

I strongly suspect though that many people using Xmas are also unaware of
the Greek origin of the X and use Xmas as a commercial convenience that
omits Christ from Christmas !!

I'm sure you'd agree Terry?



"Terry D" wrote in message
...
PJO wrote:
Why "Xmas" not "Christmas"?

Why are some people so damn lazy when writing words?!

I quote from the The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English
Language:
Fourth Edition, 2000:

SYLLABICATION: X·mas

PRONUNCIATION: krsms, ksms

NOUN: Christmas.

ETYMOLOGY: From X, the Greek letter chi, first letter of Greek Khrstos,
Christ. See Christ.

USAGE NOTE: Xmas has been used for hundreds of years in religious
writing,
where the X represents a Greek chi, the first letter of , "Christ." In
this
use it is parallel to other forms like Xtian, "Christian." But people
unaware of the Greek origin of this X often mistakenly interpret Xmas as
an
informal shortening pronounced (ksms). Many therefore frown upon the term
Xmas because it seems to them a commercial convenience that omits Christ
from Christmas.

Terry D.

xmas lights voltage/wattage
 

On Wed, 10 Dec 2003 16:02:54 -0000, PJO wrote:

I consider myself told and informed.

And me.

I strongly suspect though that many people using Xmas are also
unaware of the Greek origin of the X and use Xmas as a commercial
convenience that omits Christ from Christmas !!

And I bet most pronouce it ex-mas as well. Still hate the term and
avoid using it.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

xmas lights voltage/wattage
 

In message , Terry D
writes
Many therefore frown upon the term
Xmas because it seems to them a commercial convenience that omits Christ
from Christmas.

Which is all it is really

--
geoff

xmas lights voltage/wattage
 

In message , PJO
writes
Why "Xmas" not "Christmas"?

Why are some people so damn lazy when writing words?!


What does it matter?

I take it you're not a serial text messager then
--
geoff

xmas lights voltage/wattage
 

PJO wrote:
I consider myself told and informed.

I strongly suspect though that many people using Xmas are also
unaware of the Greek origin of the X and use Xmas as a commercial
convenience that omits Christ from Christmas !!

I'm sure you'd agree Terry?

Agreed :-)

Terry D.

xmas lights voltage/wattage
 

I still cant seem to find replacement bulb for my multi-function Christmas-tree bulbs.

Naturally, the original box and instructions have long been thrown away.
There is a label stuck around the wire saying " replacement bulb: 7volt 8.4watt"

Is there any look-up table to convert this to one of the new codes "eg: w5" which appear to be the
new way bulbs are identified?

Brendan
--
Rayleigh, Essex (51:34N 0:36E 30m asl)
Castle Point Astronomy Club http://www.cpac.org.uk



"Nick Smith" wrote in message
...
Had this problem myself last week - What I did with my 40 bulb (6 volt bulbs) set was to
take
a small sample, say 3 bulbs, run each of them of a variable bench supply at an accurate 6
volts
(measured at the bulb) and with an ammeter in series and measure what the current being
drawn is. Mine were all about 125 mA, which also gives the wattage by calculation.
Be careful not to measure the fuse bulb, and be sure to have one in circuit to avoid the
domino effect.

Then a trip down to the shed armed with this electrical info to see what the bases look
like
and the choice is made. Our Tesco had a good selection of spares (99p for 5).

Alternatively there is an (expensive) website, www.sparebulbs.com which has an online
catalogue if you know the part number (usually on the box).

Nick




"Set Square" wrote in message
...
In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
steve wrote:

"steve" wrote in message
...
A seasonal question certainly...
As usual, dragging the xmas lights out of their box for their annual
outing - some of the bulbs are blown and the spares have long since
gone walk about. The boxes have also been chucked so can`t find what
the voltage/wattage is either :-(
How do you normally calculate what wattage/voltage bulbs to use? I
went to B&Q and had a whole host to choose from, 12v, 2.4v, 1.1W,
0.96W etc.... I`ve got three sets, one looks to be mains voltage (no
transformer), the other is low voltage (24v), but not sure what
wattage bulbs are needed. One other set is multi function, but can`t
tell if its low voltage or not . Where do I start?

Also I forgot to mention that all the manufacturers seem to have
slightly different connector sizes.
I tried some replacement bulbs I thought would be generic from B&Q
but they didn`t even bl**dy fit !

Grrr - hating xmas already
Steve

If you take a bulb out and look at it through a strong magnifying glass, it
may have the voltage and wattage stamped on it.

If a set runs off the mains - with no transformer - the bulbs are invariably
connected in series - usually either 20-off 12v bulbs or 12-off 20v bulbs.
If you divide 240 by the number of bulbs, that will tell you the voltage of
each bulb. Unfortunately, it doesn't tell you the wattage - which determines
the filament resistance. If you fit a bulb which has the wrong resistance,
the voltage won't be shared out properly across all the bulbs. If you've got
a multi-meter with a sensitive resistance measuring facility, measure the
resistance of a good bulb, and try to get a replacement with the same
resistance. [Measured cold, of course - which won't be the same as the
running resistance but should give a comparison].
--
Cheers,
Set Square
______
Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is Black Hole!