Brass Base Light Bulbs?!?

[royroy]

My local specialty bulb supplier told me ages ago that part of the problem I was having with flickering on one setting of a 3-way lamp bulb was that the aluminum base in use by most manufacfurers caused dissimiliar metal corrosion and that is what screwed up the bulbs. I had been sanding the connections periodically to maintain good contact. Anyhoo, I was using a 3-way 50-200-250 brass base Bulbrite bulb which he sold me, which cost no more than any other 3 way and which really seemed to help the problem. All of a sudden he can't get them. He believes that Bulbrite discontinued that size. Anyone know, is my improved performance purely a fig-newton of my imagination, and if not, where I can get 3-way brass bulbs of the desired size TIA

[Pop Rivet]

I don't know, but it does make sense. Also aluminum doesn't have the "memory" to resist deforming (meaning it loosens easier, letting air into the contact areas) that brass has. A quick shot of WD-40 helps any way you look at it though.

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[Jeff Wisnia]

If you can't get brass based bulbs get some Stabilant from Mike Wright, a college classmate of mine circa 50 years ago. The stuff is pure magic for improving and maintaining electrical conductivity. It works especially well on disconnect switches for things like air conditioners.

I used to have disconnect switch blades and cartridge fuse contacts contacts burning up on me every few years because of age related conductivity decreases. Once I cleaned them and wet them with Stabilant I never had another one let go. And, a little goes a long way. About one drop per 60 amp cartridge fuse clip is all it takes.

He makes and sells Stabilant in Canada, but ships lots of it to the USA.

If you contact him tell him I said hello.

Jeff

[A]

I used a battery terminal anti-corrosion silicone grease to very lightly wipe the threads of a bulb - this was more to allow the bulb to easily unscrew from the socket than for conductivity.

I suppose it had the side benefit of preventing further corrosion between the bulb base and the socket threads.

[barry martin]

RpyRoy:

R > Anyhoo, I was using a 3-way 50-200-250 brass base Bulbrite bulb which R > he sold me, which cost no more than any other 3 way and which really R > seemed to help the problem. All of a sudden he can't get them. He R > believes that Bulbrite discontinued that size. R > Anyone know, is my improved performance purely a fig-newton of my R > imagination, and if not, where I can get 3-way brass bulbs of the R > desired size

If you are unable to get the appropriate bulb how about either a dimmer socket (screws into the base, bulb screws into the dimmer) or a touch-switch adapter? Be sure both can handle the bulb's amperage draw which is under 3A (or 250W). You would use a single 250 W bulb and adjust the brightness.

(There are several types of touch-adapters. One style screws in to the lamp fixture's socket like the dimmer would. Generally requires the fixture or shade had sufficient metal to touch fo adjusting brightness. Another type plugs in to the wall socket; the lamp cord plugs in to it. Works best/easiest if the lamp fixture has a metal column.)

- ¯ barry.martinþATþthesafebbs.zeppole.com ®

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[Don Klipstein]

If the bulb is usually on "low", then a dimmer has a significant energy efficiency disadvantage to a 3-way bulb.

I don't know where to get a 250W single wattage bulb other than a reflectorized floodlight or something even more specialized, but I can tell you that when dimming a "standard" 200W one to the brightness of the

50W filament of a 50-200-250 one, the amount of power consumed by the bulb will be somewhere around 85 watts.

- Don Klipstein ( [e-mail])