Re: Insteon Observations

[G. Morgan <alarmpro@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Fri, 15 Dec 2006 21:24:59 -0700, AZ Woody <reply@here> wrote:

>Dave Houston wrote:
>> G. Morgan <alarmpro@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>
>>> Anyway,  I have never experienced what you describe (a circuit breaker
>>> trip) on failure of a bulb.  My common sense tells me the arc (air gap
>>> resistor) would be a great, sudden, resistance that would indeed draw
>>> a large current spike.  Part of me thinks the opposite is true - for
>>> which I have no basis!
>>>
>>> I was not aware that common bulbs had a fuse either, I thought the
>>> filament IS the fuse.
>>>
>>> My interest in this has nothing to do with Insteon devices, it has
>>> more to do with what I can do to protect the circuit for devices I
>>> install, if the theory is true.  It may explain some anomalies I've
>>> experienced with security devices.
>>
>> The tungsten-arc is for real. The built-in fuse is also. If you hear a "pop"
>> and see a bright flash, you're buying cheap bulbs. If you hear a "poof" and
>> notice a bit of a flicker before darkness descends, your bulbs are fused
>> (even if cheap).
>>
>> The inrush current for an incandescent is about 10 times the current once
>> the filament has warmed to its normal temperature. For a 100W bulb this
>> means an inrush at turn-on of +8A. The "fuse", if any, built in to the wire
>> leading from base to the filament should withstand the inrush but blow
>> before a 15A breaker is tripped by a tungsten-arc.


>Come on...  This is all like discussing how many angels can dance on the
>head of a pin...
>
>In reality, don't most folks buy light bulbs at Home Depot, Lowes,
>Target, Walmart, (or at their local food store if they ran short)!
>
>I doubt that 99.9999% of the folks would buy "fused bulbs" vs "unfused
>bulbs" but will buy what's on sale..  Do you all not have a life?


The fundamental question for me is whether or not light bulbs can
cause equipment damage.  And no, I have no life.



--

-Graham

(delete the double e's to email)