Pip top bulbs and adulterations etc?

[chipp1968]

A friend brought round some interesting bulbs this weekend, most of them 110V.

Interesting wrappers etc all in a crate, this made me fetch out my collection of same voltage pip top bulbs. We tried them out using the variac. I didn't take any pics at the time, but here is a pic of an odd pip top candle bulb. The white glass sleeve is integral to the unit, but separate to the bulb itself and all cemented in the base. There were two sizes of these.

My bulbs were interesting shapes. Some standard tapered pip tops; one round one and a pip top of similar shape to a modern bulb but more quaint, this had a more modern style filament. The others were zig zag types. I also had tapered side types without pip.

The pipped one shown is one of two blown bulbs.

[chipp1968]

As I had two blown ones I thought I would try something, which was successful although I had a disaster with it too.

I sawed round the base and removed the bottom, then broke the seal inside and removed the innards. I then noticed the top of the bulb had cracked around the pip. Anyway I had a LED mains lamp with unfortunately blue LEDs, which was surplus to requirements. Same housing as a mains halogen, so I smashed it open and took out the innards. I unsoldered the LED panel then unsoldered all the LEDs one by one and resoldered then in two strings.

I pushed this inside the vintage bulb and cemented in place with epoxy filler. Wired the other end of original bayonet cap and due to size of electronics I used epoxy to make up the extra needed in between. The top of the bulb then fell off. I glued it back on with glass glue. Unfortunately it can't be strong, so I may spray in with some coats of lacquer, unless anyone has a suggestion.

As the LEDs are directional, it's bright from some angles and not others.

[chipp1968]

Out of interest, some months back I wired a nice light fitting above the kitchen table and put a coolie shade on it, then remembered a bulb I had purchased at B&Q some time ago but found nowhere to use it.

I can't find any at B&Q anymore which is annoying. There were expensive. They are/were pipless but of a larger tapered side bulb with a ziz zag filament like the early lightbulbs. If I had realised this earlier I would have got a few of them. It makes a lovely light and it doesn't get hot like a normal light bulb. Nor did the vintage ones we tried yesterday, by the way.

Anyway when I fitted it to the light it played on my mind how good it would look with a pip. So I got some glass glue and stuck a triangle shaped shard of glass onto it!

[EF80TVVALVE]

I have been looking for some in 240v and found these
http://www.bltdirect.com/product.php?pid=20909

thanks

[chipp1968]

That looks like the modern one I got from B&Q, I think they were about £10 there. New pipped bulbs are available in the USA but at 110V.

[Ekco-Scott]

My bedroom light bulb is from 1912 or so. As you say they don't really get that hot and I love the light they give out.

[twocvbloke]

I have one of those bulbs from B&Q, paid over the odds for it I think, but it's neat to have something like it to play with now and then.

Unfortunately, I got an ES based one, so have limited the use for it to a couple of lamps, and the pic below (one of those plastic ES lamp kits that B&Q sold) was just for fun (using a damaged Kirby ClassicIII nozzle, with a dimmer stuck into the bottom, cos those bulbs look better when running on a lower voltage), and is not in existence any more.

They had regular shaped bulbs too, but with a large looped filament, that looked pretty good too, but I only had money for one bulb, so I picked the zig-zag.

[bobsterkent]

I was always told that these were called Squirrel cage bulbs, is this right?

[chipp1968]

Yes.

I have found them on line with that name. Out of interest, does anyone know if B&Q are still selling them in other stores? I have only tried Yeovil. Unfortunately they can have a stock of something for quite a while then drop it.

I had this problem with some very fancy mouldings I had bought a lot of for work. See my pics on profile of gothic cabinets. They then dropped them, fortunately after I had finished.

[electroanorak]

I have some Robertson carbon filament lamps, 135 watt. I have quite a few lamps in my collection. I will have to post some pic's at some time.

Daniel.

[bobsterkent]

The last time I bought one I got it at a ships chandlers supplies. I was told they were used on boats as they can take a hefty bash and not fail.

[Heatercathodeshort]

It's a long time since I unpacked my vintage lamp collection but thought it only right to take a few pictures this evening as some interest is shown in these early lamps.
Hello Chipp, I would keep taking a look over your shoulder, frequently. Those nasty men in white coats can't be very far behind you. I have been giving them the run around for years.
1 BTH/Mazda 110v 80W
2 5watt WW2 'black out' lamp
3 'Only a Rose' March 1930. [Austria]
4 Osram/GEC cage filament.
5 Popes Electric Company [UK] 250v 32 'Candle Power' !

More to come. Regards, John.

[Heatercathodeshort]

6 Top pip opal lamp. Picture of Queen Mary on glass. Coronation 1911.
7 Orion 230v 15w. Strange etched glass. 1930's.
8 Clear 'Mushroom' INSULAR maker. UK.
9 Top pip opal lamp. Picture of George v on glass. Coronation 1911.
10 Early 'Daylight' lamp. Blue stained glass. Not lacquered.

[Heatercathodeshort]

11 Early 'cage'.
12 Robertson/GEC carbon heater. 130w.
13 Orion 1931.
14 Unknown 'cage' top pip.
15 Red 'Traction Lamp' Tram?

[Heatercathodeshort]

Just two remain of the ones I have selected.

16 Is a very early carbon filament lamp that I removed from an outside toilet at Alpha Road Kingston. The ancient cottages were being demolished and I discovered this one while 'prowling around' in the mid 60's.

I used to carry a few new bulbs with me on house calls. It was amazing how many of these lamps were still burning well into the 70's in older customers houses. I would swap them over with my spares!

17 Marked Robertson, also 'Property of the Osram/GEC Lamp Works'! (Carbon Heater).
Hope you enjoy the pics. I was running the lamps via a variac supplying around a quarter full voltage to get decent pictures of the filament design. No.16's filament 'twangs' as you increase the voltage. Great fun.

Regards,
John.

[McMurdo]

How lucky to have a collection like that John!

[chipp1968]

They are very nice John. The Royal ones are very nice indeed! Where did they come from?
I have one of those long heater ones but mine has evacuated unfortunately and lost its pip.

[Heatercathodeshort]

Hello Chipp,

The two Coronation lamps were presented to me by an elderly lady customer. I used to have a few vintage lamps on display above the lamp sales area and they attracted a surprising amount of interest. I stocked a huge range of new lamps and customers came from a wide area to buy the difficult ones.

The tall carbon 'lamp' is not strictly a light bulb at all. It is a heater lamp used in early electric fires and heating/ballast work in industry, hence the etched label 'Property of the Osram/GEC Lamp works'. The Robertson 130W carbon heater was discovered in a factory that was being demolished on the Kingston By Pass in 1977 (Venner Time Switches).

Glad you like the pics Kevin! It took a while to take them.

Regards,
John.

P.S. Just two more odd balls. The second is a massive CRYSELCO opal enlarging lamp removed from a room sized enlarger that was falling to bits at the tip. The first, also from the Cryselco stable etched 'Sign lamp'. I think they were employed in dozens in those old style scintillating signs seen in places such as Piccadilly Circus.

[kalee20]

Lovely collection John. I have three Robertsons carbon-filament lamps (210V, 16cp). No pip on top - a bit too modern.

Originally Posted by Heatercathodeshort

No.16's filament 'twangs' as you increase the voltage. Great fun.

If running on AC, just bring a magnet up towards the bulb - that'll make it twang even more!

[Heatercathodeshort]

Originally Posted by chipp1968

I have pne of those long heater ones but mine has evacuated unfortunately and lost its pip

Time to come clean. You nicked it to stick on the pipless one.. J.