Re: Making an X-10 lamp module immune to dimming

["Robert Green" <ROBERT_GREEN1963@xxxxxxxxx>]

Oops - sorry for the truncation:

. . . And the even more interesting stackable car from MIT:

http://www.inhabitat.com/2007/11/13/transportation-tuesday-mits-stackable-ci
ty-car/

And this interesting tidbit:

"Why does a gas lantern use a silk mantle? How does it produce such intense
light -- BW, Santa Clara, CA

The mantle of a lantern is actually a ceramic ash. The silk itself burns
away completely and leaves behind only of the oxides of materials that were
incorporated in the silk mantle when it was manufactured. The principal
oxide formed when the standard Welsbach mantle is burned is thorium oxide,
with a few percent of cerium oxide and other oxides. This use of thorium
oxide or thoria, is a rare example of a radioactive element (thorium is
radioactive) permitted in common household use. Thoria glows brightly when
heated because it can tolerate extremely high temperatures without melting
and because it is a very effective emitter of thermal radiation at
temperatures of roughly 2200° C."

But wait, there's more (don't you just love research on the net - you always
learn at least three more things than the thing you were looking for.  I
found this interesting because I know we've had reports like this here.

Subject: What does it mean when the lights brighten when a motor starts?

 This usually means that the neutral wire in the panel is
 loose.  Depending on the load balance, one hot wire may end up
 being more than 110V, and the other less than 110V, with
 respect to ground.  This is a very hazardous situation - it can
 destroy your electronic equipment, possibly start fires, and in
 some situations electrocute you (ie: some US jurisdictions
 require the stove frame connected to neutral).

 If this happens, contact your electrical authority immediately
 and have them come and check out the problem.  If you say "loose
 neutral", they will come.

 Note: a brief (< 1 second) brightening is sometimes normal with
 lighting and motors on the same 220V with neutral circuit.  A
 loose main panel neutral will usually show increased brightness
 far longer than one second.  In case of doubt, get help.

OK.  Enough electrivia.  Back to reading up on triacs.

--
Bobby G.