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My exciting dim bulb tester!

Jailtime

Jailtime

Standin' on a corner
I followed this wiring diagram - http://antiqueradio.org/dimbulb.htm. If you want that cool little bulb socket, just break the metal strips that tie the receptacles together so that they are isolated. I used a high impact plastic box for durability and safety. :D

It's only about $15 in parts from Home Depot, and really handy for troubleshooting audio gear. Build one!
 

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same

:D

I'm spending some time in my summer home on the farm and dug out an old unit that's been broken since the 80s. I'm doing a lot of home renovation and have a pile of electrical stuff gathered up from the nooks and crannies of the farm. A lot of vintage parts for sure. I needed a dim bulb tester and was all set to wire up some stuff and then I found the bulb plug in socket and ended up making the exact one you did.

I have one like the one shown on the antique radio page at the other home. It takes up a lot of bench. I really like the single box one. It drops in the drawer when I don't need it. SO much handier.

BTW, I see you have one outlet marked "OUT". Since the bulb is in series with the load, I don't believe it matters which outlet is which.
 
Hey, I resemble that!...

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I may re-do this with a GFCI though.
 
Jailtime said:
I followed this wiring diagram - http://antiqueradio.org/dimbulb.htm. If you want that cool little bulb socket, just break the metal strips that tie the receptacles together so that they are isolated. I used a high impact plastic box for durability and safety. :D

It's only about $15 in parts from Home Depot, and really handy for troubleshooting audio gear. Build one!
Click to expand...

Nice job, can we see with the top off?
 
That's pretty darn cool!

There are a few "Dim Bulbs" around here that should be tested.
:D

Best Regards,
TerryO
 
I thought about the same type of enclosure. But I worry that if the bulb lights up it might melt or damage the "UUT" power cord if left unattended.

If you get a triple wide box, you could move the bulb further from the UUT outlet.
 
Really cool unit! I like the portability of the design. The GCFI outlet sounds like a good idea.

With the future availability of incan bulbs in question, I am wondering if a redesign is in order to facilitate future use. Would a dimmer knob be applicable? I can't recall if the dimmers control voltage or amperage, I think it's voltage. You would have to add gauges and a single indicator light, though.
 
Not sure a gfci would work. They sometimes act funny when connected to weird loads... Worth a shot though.

I have a plan for a custom bench power center with switched & timed outlets for the hot tools, switched dim bulb outlet with an extra switch to either add more bulbs in parallel for more current without changing the bulb, or switching to full power. I also just acquired a variac, so I also want an outlet for that one with a volt meter attached. Add a power strip for whatever else... And a a couple spots for speaker jacks to the bench speakers and RCA plugs that well have a CD player on the other end for final testing... Should be fun!

For now it's just in my head... (the plan, not the dim bulb - I think)
 
Last edited:
4seatPilot said:
Not sure a gfci would work. They sometimes act funny when connected to weird loads... Worth a shot though.

I have a plan for a custom bench power center with switched & timed outlets for the hot tools, switched dim bulb outlet with an extra switch to either add more bulbs in parallel for more current without changing the bulb, or switching to full power. I also just acquired a variac, so I also want an outlet for that one with a volt meter attached. Add a power strip for whatever else... And a a couple spots for speaker jacks to the bench speakers and RCA plugs that well have a CD player on the other end for final testing... Should be fun!

For now it's just in my head... (the plan, not the dim bulb - I think)
Click to expand...

I had the same concerns but have read that GFCIs work just fine, besides, I'd rather be safe.

Your power center idea sounds grand. I do like the portability of the units discussed in this thread though. A plug-in 3-way socket would be ideal.
 
12ax7 said:
I had the same concerns but have read that GFCIs work just fine, besides, I'd rather be safe.

Your power center idea sounds grand. I do like the portability of the units discussed in this thread though. A plug-in 3-way socket would be ideal.
Click to expand...

Three way socket... Good idea. I might use that!
 
My Home Depot special:

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I want to redo it though. I have the switch wired to power the hot side of the lamp, and after using it for awhile I think it would be more useful to rewire it so the lamp is always hot, and the switch just bypasses the lamp. Saves having to move the UUT plug off the fixture to a live outlet when I want to bypass the current limiting, and everything I use it on has its own power switch anyway so I never use the one on the fixture to turn power on and off.

John
 
Vulture said:
Really cool unit! I like the portability of the design. The GCFI outlet sounds like a good idea.

With the future availability of incan bulbs in question, I am wondering if a redesign is in order to facilitate future use. Would a dimmer knob be applicable? I can't recall if the dimmers control voltage or amperage, I think it's voltage. You would have to add gauges and a single indicator light, though.
Click to expand...


no, it completely depends on some characteristics of incandescent bulbs.
 
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