Incandescent Lightbulbs
Feb 4, 2023 11:58:45 #
I'm glad that I have a supply of incandescent lightbulbs. Remember when a 690 Watt bulb used to be considered medium brightness? Now, I have LED all through my house, and each one uses about 1W of electricity.
However, the incandescent bulb still has its uses, especially in providing heat. Imaging a lava lamp powered by an LED.
In my case, though, I need a "hot bulb" to thaw a pipe in the bathroom. The supply pipe for the downstairs toilet is in an outside wall, and with the temperature below zero, it froze again. I kept flushing it every so often, but I guess that wasn't often enough. I have a hole cut in the sheetrock so I can easily insert a bulb and place it right under the pipe. That thaws it within an hour. I should put heat tape on that pipe.
I think you still need an incandescent bulb in an oven. How about inside a fridge or microwave?
However, the incandescent bulb still has its uses, especially in providing heat. Imaging a lava lamp powered by an LED.
In my case, though, I need a "hot bulb" to thaw a pipe in the bathroom. The supply pipe for the downstairs toilet is in an outside wall, and with the temperature below zero, it froze again. I kept flushing it every so often, but I guess that wasn't often enough. I have a hole cut in the sheetrock so I can easily insert a bulb and place it right under the pipe. That thaws it within an hour. I should put heat tape on that pipe.
I think you still need an incandescent bulb in an oven. How about inside a fridge or microwave?
Feb 4, 2023 13:00:10 #
therwol
Loc: USA
jerryc41 wrote:
I'm glad that I have a supply of incandescent ligh... (show quote)
I just bought 8x250 watt heat lamp bulbs at Home Depot. My bathroom fans use them to heat the bathrooms. I bought extra because I'm sure they'll be going away at some point.
Feb 4, 2023 13:06:37 #
therwol wrote:
I just bought 8x250 watt heat lamp bulbs at Home Depot. My bathroom fans use them to heat the bathrooms. I bought extra because I'm sure they'll be going away at some point.
I'm hoping that they keep making some types.
Feb 4, 2023 13:19:19 #
why use a bulb for the pipes? that is a terribly inefficient way to prevent or defrost a pipe, even a heat lamp was not designed for that purpose. You can buy something designed specifically for that.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Frost-King-6-ft-Electric-Water-Pipe-Heat-Cable-HC6A/202262328
https://www.amazon.com/WRAP-Pipe-Heating-Cable-Built/dp/B0002YWMM8/ref=asc_df_B0002YWMM8/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=167155689281&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9790103077482315141&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1022406&hvtargid=pla-304692291586&psc=1®ion_id=373786
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Frost-King-6-ft-Electric-Water-Pipe-Heat-Cable-HC6A/202262328
https://www.amazon.com/WRAP-Pipe-Heating-Cable-Built/dp/B0002YWMM8/ref=asc_df_B0002YWMM8/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=167155689281&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9790103077482315141&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1022406&hvtargid=pla-304692291586&psc=1®ion_id=373786
Feb 4, 2023 13:30:40 #
toxdoc42 wrote:
why use a bulb for the pipes? that is a terribly ... (show quote)
Right, as I said above, a heat tape is in my future.
A neighbor had heat tapes on his roof to prevent ice dams. One summer, he noticed that his electric bills were unusually high. The thermostat failed, and the tapes were always hot.
The pipe is thawed now - a little over an hour.
Feb 4, 2023 15:19:05 #
jerryc41 wrote:
I'm glad that I have a supply of incandescent ligh... (show quote)
My fridge has led lights; not sure about my microwave. I think the light under the micro may be a neon.
Feb 4, 2023 15:57:50 #
Billbobboy42 wrote:
My fridge has led lights; not sure about my microwave. I think the light under the micro may be a neon.
Interesting. The light in my microwave hasn't worked right since it was new. Sometimes it will light, but most of the time, it just sits there in the dark. I can see no way to get at the bulb, and there is nothing in the manual about changing it. Is that odd, or what?
Speaking of LEDs, you can replace the interior lights in your car with LEDs. They are much brighter, and they pull less from the battery.
Feb 4, 2023 17:34:34 #
A couple years ago I saw a news clip about somewhere wintry (like maybe Minnesota).
They installed new LED traffic lights to save money.
After the first big snowstorm, all the lights filled with snow so they couldn't be seen and they didn't generate enough heat to melt the snow.
They had to change them all out.
They installed new LED traffic lights to save money.
After the first big snowstorm, all the lights filled with snow so they couldn't be seen and they didn't generate enough heat to melt the snow.
They had to change them all out.
Feb 5, 2023 05:16:28 #
jerryc41 wrote:
I'm hoping that they keep making some types.
Heat tape is the safest!!
Feb 5, 2023 07:48:06 #
When cities changed to led traffic lights there was an unintended consequence. While saving money on electricity they created another small (?) problem. Since LED lights generate less heat than incandescent bulbs snow accumulated on them and blocked the light. It has never been fixed in my city and it's sometimes a crap shoot coming to an intersection.
Feb 5, 2023 08:14:49 #
Manglesphoto wrote:
Heat tape is the safest!!
I have access to barely a foot of the pipe, so even with a short wire, it could be awkward. I know you're not supposed to overlap it. I had insulation all around the pipe, but I should remove it from the area close to the inside of the house.
Feb 5, 2023 08:28:01 #
Feb 5, 2023 08:33:45 #
photon-collector
Loc: Tampa Bay Area, Florida
jerryc41 wrote:
I'm glad that I have a supply of incandescent ligh... (show quote)
A few years back, I had the water freeze at the water meter. I ran an extension cord and ran a portable hair dryer in the meter box. It defrosted quite quickly.
Feb 5, 2023 08:36:56 #
starlifter wrote:
Move the pipe?
I thought of that, but it would require a huge amount of work to move it a couple of inches closer to the inside wall. I took the wall down a few years ago and put insulation between the pipe and the outside wall. It's right down on ground level at a corner of the house on the side that gets the wind from the north. It really couldn't be much worse unless it ran outside the house. The pipes in the upstairs bathroom are in roughly the same position, but they never freeze.
Feb 5, 2023 08:54:01 #
Had a similar issue in an old house bathroom extension when the forecast was for sub-zero (Fahrenheit) I would just turn the tap on enough for the water to dribble out. As long as there was some flow the pipe wouldn’t freeze. Later doing renovation in the bedroom I pulled off the plaster and lath inside walls and found daylight- no insulation between the old siding and the inside walls, they were hardier folk in 1895 when the house was built.
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