The Incandescent lamps (light bulbs) is probably one of the most important discoveries ever! Without it we would have no electric lights. Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931) intended to make light from an electric current. Edison experimented with various materials as filaments. If the thread is crossed by electric current, will to heat and begin to glow. Edison first tried it with the platinum. Then he burned some of the fibers and held it out so it gets more time to burn. He found that the filament will burn much longer if he brings them into a vacuum flask.
In 1879 he took a burned bamboo fiber as a filament, and reached 40 hours burn time. As he treated his carbon filaments with hydrocarbons, it reached a few hundred hours of burn time. So that his light bulb gradually improved. And what we need now is to supply electricity for incandescent lamps.
In 1881 held at Paris Edison presented dynamo to generate electricity, which is driven by a steam engine. This made it possible to generate the electricity for its light bulbs. It was taken in 1882 in New York’s first public power station in operation, Edison has assisted in its construction. Allow the incandescent lamp gradually spreading out in the households.
Various Incandescent lamps
The incandescent lamp in the 20th century
At the beginning of the 20th Century were increasingly used as a filament made of tungsten and tantalum metal threads. Today, the filament is made of tungsten or tungsten alloys. Tungsten has a very high melting point of about 3400 degrees C. Once the wire traversed by an electric current, it will heat up and begins to glow. The resistance of the wire will increase along with the increasing temperature. It is therefore very important that the lamp can be operated with voltages which suitable to them! A low voltage lights are not harmful, because of low current. It’s just going to reduce the luminosity from a light bulb.
Lights, now available for different voltages and in different sizes like 230 Volts AC and battery powered flashlight and like in motor vehicles.
Incandescent lamp Bases
incandescent lamps are available with different bases. The following table shows the standardized socket for lamps.
| Signed | Diameter | Use |
|---|---|---|
| E 5.5 | 5.5 mm | Lamps for Model railway |
| E 10 | 10 mm | Bulbs for flashlights |
| E 14 | 14 mm | Candles lamps up to 60 Watt andCompact fluorescent Lamps |
| E 27 | 27 mm | 15-200 watt light bulbs, compact fluorescent lamps |
| E 40 | 40 mm | Incandescent lamps over 200 watts, sodium vapor high-pressure lamps |
Edison base socket E5,5, E10, E14, E27, E40
Furthermore, also known as bayonet sockets are used, which was introduced by Joseph Wilson Swan and hence also called the Swan socket. They are secure against loosening caused by vibration and is often used for light bulbs in the areas of automotive and machinery.
| Signed | Use |
|---|---|
| BA7s | Interior lighting of car |
| BA9s | Lights for signal lights or parking lights on car |
| BA15s | Incandescent lamps in automotive applications such as turn signals, tail light, license plate or rear fog lamp |
| BAU15s | Colored light bulbs in automotive applications such as indicator |
| BA15d | Incandescent lamps in automotive applications, such as brake lights |
| BAX15d | BA15d like, but with staggered poles |
| BAY15d | BA15d like, but with staggered poles |
| BAZ15d | BA15d like, but with staggered poles |
| P13, 5 | Bulbs for flashlights |
Bajonettsockel BA9s, BA15s, BA15s, BAZ15d