John Lark>
>> >>
>>
>>>I've got a problem. I happen to carry the distinction of being the one
>>>responsible for changing lights. Much as that's a problem in itself, the
>>>biggest problem is.....the front porch light (surprisingly, it's not a
>>>stairway light, eh?), which happens to be a hanging, upside-down, enclosed
>>>fixture. And they put two screws in the thing, so it's almost impossible
>>>for a single person to replace the bulb thus inserted. Really quite
>>>remarkable how no one thought of this.
>>>
>>>Besides modifying it, which I may consider because it's just that bad, in
>>>the mean time I need something that'll last. We've already tried the "ten
>>>gajillion hour" CFLs, which died in all of, you know it, three months. I'm
>>>guessing something high voltage (130V+?) and incandescent. Any
>>>recommendations?
>>>
>>>Tim
>>
>> A 230 volt incandescent, or a 120 volt one with a diode in series.
>>
>> I find that, in general, CFs last a long time if run continuously, but
>> die when cycled. So a 5 or 7-watt CF might be left on 24/7 and last
>> longer and use less net power than an incendescent run at lower
>> voltage.
>>
>> There are some screw-in LEDs available now. I asume they're reliable.
>>
>> John
>>
> I do not think the diode will help much as the filament will be
>thermally cycling over a much wider range, and the EM self-stress may
>also shorten expected life.
My experience is that diodes do help a lot.
Keep in mind that the filaments in blinking marquee lights have a much greater temperature swing than the filament of a lamp in series with a diode.
- Don Klipstein ( snipped-for-privacy@misty.com)