Re: [Phys-l] three-way bulb

[Bernard Cleyet <bernardcleyet@redshift.com>]

"... or in series with each other"

You mean parallel, don't you?  The one's I have (and no longer use) are labeled 30, 70, 100; 50, 100, 150; 100, 200, 300 [mogul base], etc.

AL, I suspect, is not an experimentalist; otherwise he'da taken one apart.  Often one may carefully prise the base off w/o breaking the bulb using a thin screwdriver or knife.  Better an old one using soldered (Cu not Al) base.  Otherwise cut the screw connection and scrape away the bottom of the base connections.  If this fails, break the bulb and observe.  Do it soon; it's a dying technology.

"You can observe a lot by watching."  [Y. Berra]

bc, disassembler of Leclanchés, lamps, vacuum cleaners, radios, etc.  by 
fourth grade.





Herb Gottlieb wrote:

> The base of the bulb is divided into three parts which connect
> to three terminals in the 3-way bulb socket. Rotating the switch 
> of the 3-way socket connects either the 50W or 100W bulb filaments
> separately, or in series with each other
>
> Herb
>
> On Tue, 04 Apr 2006 21:32:46 -0400 "Anthony Lapinski"
> <Anthony_Lapinski@pds.org> writes:
>  
>
> > I'm just finishing my unit on electricity, and have three 
> > semi-related
> > circuit questions dealing with everyday phenomena.
> >
> > 1. A three-way bulb has two filaments, often 50 W and 100 W, which 
> > can be
> > connected separately or together. How is the base of such a bulb 
> > made, and
> > how are the filaments wired in it?
> >
> > 2. I recently read that an electric blanket (with three heat 
> > settings)
> > works in a similar fashion, but that the two resistive elements are
> > identical. I am trying to visualize the circuit diagram. Are these
> > elements wired in parallel, with switches on each side of the 
> > branch, and
> > a separate wire connecting the resistors? This would allow each 
> > resistor
> > to operate independently (in parallel) or together (in series).
> >
> > 3. An auto rear window defroster operates on 12 V. I believe the 
> > elements
> > are connected in parallel, and run across much of the back window. 
> > Does
> > anyone know the resistance of a given element, so I can get the 
> > total
> > resistance, current, power, etc? Or is it different for each car?
> >
> > Thanks in advance for your insights and answers!
> >
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> >
> >
> >    
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