UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Powered By Google Custom Search Vintage Radio and TV Service Data

Go Back   UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum > Specific Vintage Equipment > Other Vintage Household Electrical or Electromechanical Items

Notices

Other Vintage Household Electrical or Electromechanical Items For discussions about other vintage (over 25 years old) electrical and electromechanical household items. See the sticky thread for details.

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools
Old 23rd Dec 2010, 6:59 pm   #81
Zelandeth
Heptode
 
Zelandeth's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, UK.
Posts: 931
Default Re: Vintage Christmas Tree lights

Hmm, I've got a set somewhere that must date back a good 30 years or so now that I think about it. Hasn't been used in a few years and is missing a couple of lamps as I recall - will dig it out when I get back home for Christmas tomorrow (IF I get home for Christmas tomorrow given the road conditions up here...) and get a few pics up...see if I can find some spare lamps in a box somewhere too.
Zelandeth is offline  
Old 24th Dec 2010, 2:07 am   #82
trevwgb
Tetrode
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Haywards Heath, West Sussex, UK.
Posts: 81
Default Re: Vintage Christmas Tree lights

Hi all
I have an interesting string of 20 red lights backed with "holly" They were rescued from the house of an elderly friend in her 80s. No idea how old, but the wiring is very thin - much thinner than the standard green wire of the 1950 sets ( like many of you I have also restored my boyhood Mazda set from the late parents home ). I also run these sets from a dimmer + a thermistor to avoid the inrush current. As others have pointed out they look fine at well under the maximum voltage.
With the holly lights, given the thin wire, I have incorporated a .35 amp fuse which I hope would go before the wire! Anyone any ideas re the holly lights
Happy Christmas all.
Regards
Trev
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_1964.JPG (2).jpg
Views:	467
Size:	34.3 KB
ID:	44259  
trevwgb is offline  
Old 24th Dec 2010, 10:34 am   #83
PaulR
Dekatron
 
PaulR's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Southport Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 3,221
Default Re: Vintage Christmas Tree lights

They look more like somethat were around in the late 60s, early 70s. I think the standards of construction were at a low point then. I remember our first set of 20 having very thin wire and iffy soldering so thet they regularly came unsoldered and the wire was pushed in held in place with a match stick.

Paul
PaulR is offline  
Old 24th Dec 2010, 12:39 pm   #84
Baggrus
Pentode
 
Baggrus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Wigan, Greater Manchester, UK.
Posts: 163
Default Re: Vintage Christmas Tree lights

I remember my parents having a set just like that too .. also contained square lantern bulbs .. I think over the years odd bulbs had been replaced with a random selection .

Nice link with some lovely diagrams of the more unusual types of bulbs.
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/20...light-history/
Baggrus is offline  
Old 24th Dec 2010, 2:47 pm   #85
harvestgold
Hexode
 
harvestgold's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Worcestershire, UK.
Posts: 282
Default Re: Vintage Christmas Tree lights

I couldn't resist buying this a few years ago, and I later bought a set of ancient Osram lights which use these bulbs - I haven't needed to use any of the spares yet though!
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	Ekco Lamps.jpg
Views:	520
Size:	43.3 KB
ID:	44272  
harvestgold is offline  
Old 24th Dec 2010, 4:01 pm   #86
Dave Moll
Dekatron
 
Dave Moll's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: West Cumbria (CA13), UK
Posts: 6,118
Default Re: Vintage Christmas Tree lights

Now all you need is six more bulbs to fill the gaps.
__________________
Mending is better than Ending (cf Brave New World by Aldous Huxley)
Dave Moll is online now  
Old 24th Dec 2010, 11:17 pm   #87
Tazman1966
Nonode
 
Tazman1966's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: St Albans, Herts, UK.
Posts: 2,193
Default Re: Vintage Christmas Tree lights

Just got pipped at the post on a lovely old set using these bulbs on eBay tonight . Hopefully another set will come up soon. These were the first set of lights we had when I was a kiddie waaaay back when

PS. Thinking about it they were just like the ones in Simon's (Hybrid Tellies) post above.
__________________
All the very best,
Tas

Last edited by Tazman1966; 24th Dec 2010 at 11:19 pm. Reason: Added a PS
Tazman1966 is offline  
Old 25th Dec 2010, 12:26 am   #88
Biggles
Rest in Peace
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Hexham, Northumberland, UK.
Posts: 2,234
Default Re: Vintage Christmas Tree lights

I've never tried this but would one of those "voltstick" type non-contact voltage detectors which light up in the presence of mains power work on series connected light strings? In theory you could just run it along the wire until it didn't light up, therebeing the faulty bulb.
Alan.
Biggles is offline  
Old 25th Dec 2010, 12:31 am   #89
Guitarist28
Heptode
 
Guitarist28's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Hockley, Essex, UK.
Posts: 575
Default Re: Vintage Christmas Tree lights

Hi All,
I bought the set of 4 lights including a old set of cones - I'll see what these are like when the finally arrive.

Merry Christmas to all the forum members

Regards

Rob
Guitarist28 is offline  
Old 25th Dec 2010, 1:35 am   #90
Herald1360
Dekatron
 
Herald1360's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Leominster, Herefordshire, UK.
Posts: 16,526
Default Re: Vintage Christmas Tree lights

Quote:
Originally Posted by harvestgold View Post
I couldn't resist buying this a few years ago, and I later bought a set of ancient Osram lights which use these bulbs - I haven't needed to use any of the spares yet though!
I reckon there's two sorts of bulb in there- or maybe different dates from the same maker. Some of them are the sort of straight edged tight pointed variety, the rest have a generally softer sort of outline. ISTR that generally the first sort were British made, Mazda or some such and the softer outline types were the "Empire Made" variety.
__________________
....__________
....|____||__|__\_____
.=.| _---\__|__|_---_|.
.........O..Chris....O
Herald1360 is offline  
Old 26th Dec 2010, 9:04 pm   #91
julie_m
Dekatron
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Derby, UK.
Posts: 7,735
Default Re: Vintage Christmas Tree lights

@ Biggles -- it would work if the break was in the live wire. With both wires being the same colour at the plug end, it's even money which one it's actually in; the live could go all the way to the far end, and return to neutral via the filaments in series. No matter where you hold the voltstick, it will be in range of the (intact) live wire!

Or not, the other 50% of the time; in which case, there would be a point somewhere along the chain where the voltstick stopped reading.
__________________
If I have seen further than others, it is because I was standing on a pile of failed experiments.
julie_m is offline  
Old 26th Dec 2010, 9:50 pm   #92
petertheorgan
Hexode
 
petertheorgan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Bromley, Kent, UK.
Posts: 332
Default Re: Vintage Christmas Tree lights

I have to say that all my christmas lighta are either on 5 amp 2 pin plugs or BC adaptors so when checking them out ite easy to make either side "live "
anyway , hope you all had a good christmas
Peter
petertheorgan is offline  
Old 26th Dec 2010, 10:02 pm   #93
Dave Moll
Dekatron
 
Dave Moll's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: West Cumbria (CA13), UK
Posts: 6,118
Default Re: Vintage Christmas Tree lights

I seem to be missing something here. I was reading Biggles' post as saying that the volt stick would indicate what was live and what wasn't. If everything except the return lead is live, then the last bulb is O/C - or wherever else the break is it will be live one side but not the other. If there is more than one bulb out, this method would find the one nearest the live end.
__________________
Mending is better than Ending (cf Brave New World by Aldous Huxley)
Dave Moll is online now  
Old 26th Dec 2010, 11:08 pm   #94
Lucien Nunes
Rest in Peace
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: London, UK.
Posts: 2,508
Default Re: Vintage Christmas Tree lights

I think this is referring to strings where all bulbs are connected in one leg of the cable and the return leg doubled back and run along it. If that is the live side then the part of the string between plug and fault will have one live core and that between fault and loopback two live cores, either section being capable of lighting the voltstick. However it is easy with a genuine Voltstick to identify whether one or both intertwined cores are live due to its small pickup area and predictable sensitivity.

Lucien
Lucien Nunes is offline  
Old 27th Dec 2010, 1:47 pm   #95
Hybrid tellies
Nonode
 
Hybrid tellies's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: 1966-1976 Coverack in Cornwall and Helston Cornwall. 1976-present Bristol/Bath area.
Posts: 2,965
Default Re: Vintage Christmas Tree lights

Quote:
Originally Posted by Guitarist28 View Post
Thanks, no intention that I was after yours - when this thread started it I made me think of some great family Christmas's that we had experienced as a family a long time ago. Yes, I am keeping my eyes peeled on ebay.
Totally agree these lights were bought by me as a schoolboy down in Cornwall and followed me through various house moves. And yes they do evoke some happy memories.
__________________
Simon
BVWS member
Hybrid tellies is offline  
Old 28th Dec 2010, 2:29 pm   #96
Guitarist28
Heptode
 
Guitarist28's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Hockley, Essex, UK.
Posts: 575
Default Re: Vintage Christmas Tree lights

These are the lights that I recently purchased - can anyone take a stab at the make and what type of bulbs that these would use in particular the ones for the flower/fairy sets?

Thanks

Rob

Click image for larger version

Name:	xmas lights.jpg
Views:	451
Size:	79.0 KB
ID:	44360
Guitarist28 is offline  
Old 28th Dec 2010, 8:56 pm   #97
Colourstar
Octode
 
Colourstar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Ilkeston, Derbyshire, UK.
Posts: 1,397
Default Re: Vintage Christmas Tree lights

I struck gold today in a local hardware shop! When I mentioned old Christmas tree light bulbs, I was shown a display card with about 15 spare bulbs attached. These were packaged individually in little cellophane bags and priced at 59p each. I think they must be 1980s vintage as they are not the true cone shape, but the more rounded variety and the colours included a fairly vivid pink and quite a bright shade of green. Beggars can't be choosers of course and I'll nip back and buy the lot later in the week. The nice couple in the shop told me I could have the whole card for a special price, so it would be rude not to!

Meanwhile, here are a selection of my existing treasures: Some interestingly shaped bulbs, including a very large Santa head, a nice 60s set of Pifco lanterns and also a highly unusual and ornate set of 10 (yes 10) chinese style lanterns. These are flashers and the coloured bulbs are of a shape I've not come across before. I've removed a shade so you can see one. Incidentally, the printed shades are actually made of fabric, not paper as you may expect.

Steve J
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	SANY1423.jpg
Views:	443
Size:	30.2 KB
ID:	44377   Click image for larger version

Name:	SANY1425.jpg
Views:	425
Size:	103.0 KB
ID:	44378   Click image for larger version

Name:	SANY1426.jpg
Views:	439
Size:	88.1 KB
ID:	44379  
Colourstar is offline  
Old 2nd Jan 2011, 12:56 am   #98
simonsradio
Tetrode
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Chippenham, Wiltshire, UK.
Posts: 90
Default Re: Vintage Christmas Tree lights

These have been in the family since before my time. I put an additional holder in the chain 20+ years ago to preserve bulb life. This is the first year the set has not been on the tree - and only 'cos I was out when it was set up and nobody else dared touch these lights . I had to buy some spare bulbs last year for the first time I can recall - I found some on eBay. The solder conections are starting to deteriorate but that is easily fixed as and when needed.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	SS100765.jpg
Views:	564
Size:	106.5 KB
ID:	44547  
simonsradio is offline  
Old 2nd Jan 2011, 1:38 am   #99
Guitarist28
Heptode
 
Guitarist28's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Hockley, Essex, UK.
Posts: 575
Default Re: Vintage Christmas Tree lights

Hi Simonsradio,
What a terrific set of lights, I imagine that you are very pleased with these.

Regards

Rob
Guitarist28 is offline  
Old 2nd Jan 2011, 1:44 am   #100
Herald1360
Dekatron
 
Herald1360's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Leominster, Herefordshire, UK.
Posts: 16,526
Default Re: Vintage Christmas Tree lights

Quote:
Originally Posted by Guitarist28 View Post
can anyone take a stab at the make and what type of bulbs that these would use in particular the ones for the flower/fairy sets?
Can't really see details, but the flower holders look like they might be LES (Lilliput Edison Screw) types. Count up the holders and divide the total into 240 to find what he bulb voltage should be- there should be something available to suit even if just ordinary clear bulbs.
__________________
....__________
....|____||__|__\_____
.=.| _---\__|__|_---_|.
.........O..Chris....O
Herald1360 is offline  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 1:35 pm.


All information and advice on this forum is subject to the WARNING AND DISCLAIMER located at https://www.vintage-radio.net/rules.html.
Failure to heed this warning may result in death or serious injury to yourself and/or others.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright ©2002 - 2023, Paul Stenning.