FAULTY Flicker-Flame Light Bulb? Amazing in slow-motion!

[@pvic6959]

I love that you understand this stuff so much that you can tell when some random flickering is flickering with the wrong randomness

[@brainiac75]

Hehe. Well, I just compared with other bulbs I have seen in this form factor ;) Actually just ordered some more for a larger sample size. Hope to show how this one stands out. Or maybe the relative low voltage in my house is the issue... We'll see when the new ones arrive.

[@Roads_of_Europe]

​@@brainiac75 Perhaps you need a variac so you can pump up the voltage to the rated voltage needed. Those variacs are actually very useful and not that expensive.

[@pvic6959]

@@brainiac75 That will be a cool comparison!

[@BritishEngineer]

It’s called an education in electrical engineering.

[@MadScientist267]

​@@BritishEngineerMixed with the idea it does not behave anything like a flame would... we're kinda in common sense territory still right here.

[@albertoallegri4202]

I remember a video from "tecnology connection" talking about those lamp , finally we have a video that give an answer to all the doubt regarding those strange and beautiful lamp😁

[@brainiac75]

Hope I got it right then ;) Usually, I have some scientific papers written by actual scientists to rely on. For some reason, I can't find any papers on these lamps? Maybe the scientists are in doubt too x) Thanks for the early watch and comment, Alberto!

[@vinnysworkshop]

​@@brainiac75By the way, Technology Connections is a great channel with a delicious sense of humor, even if the video is an hour long and the topic is a cheap mini fridge.

[@albertoallegri4202]

​@@brainiac75​ I'm sure you got it😎 Yeah, regarding this specific application of neon lamp also this other guy didn't find much except few old patents that were not so detailed and sometimes were conflicting regarding the tipe of coating used on the electrode... 🤷‍♂️ Anyway, great video as always! 😁

[@DerMarkus1982]

Same here! Instantly had to think of Alec's contribution to the topic! I'm curious what new information/aspects might lurk in *this here* video!

[@playgroundchooser]

Technology Connections is so freekin good. An hour long video on why you need to change you dishwasher detergent? You bet! Why us Americans have such crappy electric plugs? Why not! A whole saga on car's blinkers? Damn straight I'm watching that!

[@Doramius]

Brian, I love and subscribe to your videos. Keep them coming. I will say KZbin has not been kind in its algorithm, as the last video directly shown to me was 6 months ago, and I'm subscribed with the Notification bell turned ON. Thank fully this one did show up and I did a mini binge. Just letting you know not to get discouraged by KZbin, and you are a gem to the scientific community. Armatures and professionals alike.

[@sulfie46]

Never seen one of these flicker flame bulbs on such a large scale! Exciting!

[@brainiac75]

I tried looking for some more samples for sale in Danish shops. Did not find any... They are available online though. Just 8 more for larger sample size :D Thanks for the early watch and comment!

[@Koopai386]

I must tell you how much I love your content. These days, you only find brainrott, but you're actually doing quite the opposite. I would like in your future videos to also tell us where you get these items for your videos.

[@claromaro]

My timing of launching KZbin has never been better

[@brainiac75]

Great timing indeed :D Thanks for the early watch and comment!

[@marcellkiss6545]

I have never heard of such bulbs but now i want to buy one :))

[@brainiac75]

They are quite nice. Useless for lighting a room, but they are interesting to watch, last for what feels for ever, don't mind getting turned on and off quickly and often, and use next to no electricity. I can't find them for sale in physical stores anymore in Denmark but they are widely available online. And inexpensive too - considering how tricky they can be to optimize. Well, OK, mine isn't optimized well... Thanks for the early watch, Marcell!

[@DanielGBenesScienceShows]

@@brainiac75 We have a drawer full of these bulbs and use them in our small Dept. 56 Dickens Village houses that we set up at Christmas to replicate fireplace light. @marcellkiss6545 I hope you can get a few! They really are charming.

[@mukundtechtips]

@@brainiac75 in india we keep that bulb near the god photos !

[@russwilliams4777]

Fasicnating! 😻 I'd love to see a side-by-side comparison with a properly-working bulb - do they consume different amounts of power, how does the high-speed look, etc? Was this a one-off manufacturing defect, or is it a fundamentally-broken design?

[@brainiac75]

Me to! Just found time to order some more online (could not find any for sale in Danish shops...). Fingers crossed that they will have bent tips or at least a more normal performance. Thanks for the early watch!

[@e1woqf]

@@brainiac75 Would you like to make a video about it? It would be very much appreciated!

[@Richardincancale]

One of the more interesting features of neon indicator bulbs is that they are light sensitive! I noticed one night in a crappy hotel that the indicator light for the aircon was flickering (due to age) during the day, but at night it was off totally. Using just the light from my iPhone screen to illuminate it was enough to start it up again. These bulbs need either quite a high voltage to ionise the Ne or some external source to ionise it. Apparently some Ne lights that were used for early counters to drive Nixie tubes included a little bit of radioactive gas mixed in to ensure reliable and rapid ionisation. Others have an incandescent bulb beside the Ne bulbs to help them to fire!

[@GothGuy885]

these bulbs always facinated me as a kid, and still do 😀😍

[@jayglenn837]

What would happen if you ran DC power through it instead?

[@tfrowlett8752]

I have a couple of these in my collection, including one of those novelty lamps you buy at souvenir shops. Mine has a Yin and Yang symbol in the middle and it has a steady glow.

[@MarinusMakesStuff]

Maybe you can use a laser to heat up both metals near the tip to 'bend' them? It should pass through the glass and only heat the metal right? I think you just have to make sure it hits the tip on the inside in-between both pieces which poses a challenge.

[@brainiac75]

I think I will keep it as is. It is interesting in its own right. But I have ordered some more bulbs. Hopefully they have bent tips or at least a more 'normal' performance. Would like to see a properly working one in 1000 fps slow-motion... Thanks for the early watch and comment!

[@tommiller1315]

I guess these neon lamps were first introduced well over a hundred years ago, long before the output of LED's was discovered. My main fascination is how the need to remove gasses from thermionic valves (maybe?), led to the discovery of the noble gasses with their own spectra and then to produce such pure neon etcetera that the modern analyser does not detect additional elements.

[@reubenwoodley96]

Nice comment @tommiller1315. I want an antique one now - do you think such a thing could be found there days? I searched the net, but without much luck.

[@tommiller1315]

@@reubenwoodley96 Oldest item I found, (in the USA) is this item number:276435457385 on the bay. Circa 1950 at a rough guess. They look very similar to current models though.

[@bountyhunter4885]

​@@reubenwoodley96 Amazon has them

[@tommiller1315]

@@bountyhunter4885 Didn't think Amazon sold antiques.

[@nikkiofthevalley]

​@@tommiller1315There's more than just Amazon. There's plenty of marketplaces online where people sell stuff they don't want anymore.

[@tuopeeks]

There seems to be a lot going on in these flicker lamps. I've noticed, as these age, they often slow down and eventually the discharge becomes fairly static on one area. Always thought the electrodes emissive surface must be degrading too.

[@mernokimuvek]

You dont see argon glow because there is no positive column discharge here. Only negative glow around the cathode. Most of the light before warmup in a SOX lamp comes from the positive column discharge, which is more pinkish from argron and the area around the electrodes is more orange from neon.

[@trinidad2099]

I feel that you could possibly fix this bulb using one of your large magnets, and a suitable high powered laser. Set up the bulb in a sturdy holder, place a strong magnet near it to deflect the electrode, then focus a strong laser on the electrode bonding wire and heat it to allow the deflection to become permanent. Would be fiddly (focusing through curved glass, mounting, laser power control), relatively dangerous (magnets, specular reflection risks), but would make for a really interesting bit of content!

[@joshacollins84]

I think this definitely warrants more testing! This was very interesting.

[@DJStompZone]

Great video! I would definitely be interested in seeing a test of your hypothesis on the effect of ionizing radiation on the breakdown voltage! A strong emitter of UV could be interesting to test as well. I wonder if you could find a set of conditions that would reproduce the intended flickering effect, despite the defect.

[@Subgunman]

I have read that the electrode are doped with several elements which will more than likely affect how the lamp operates. Might look into this issue.

[@NicholasthefanMan]

0:50 what about epileptic seizures

[@sqeekykleen49]

Wow Barak, we both got a lil gray....😮 Wives will do that.😊

[@Broken_robot1986]

I just got my flicker bulb, Goodwill find. The color is so pretty i would like to have 3-4 on display.

[@rollbot]

amazing! i never would have guessed. it absolutely is the opposite of what i would 'think' it would do logically. thanks for sharing!

[@lkahfi]

I wonder what your video has all danger included

[@snowdaysrule]

Sometimes these bulbs have electrodes with an oxide coating applied to the surface to alter their emissivity. Like the inner surfaces may be coated to insulate them to keep the discharge only on the outside of the electrodes. And the flat, nearly parallel spacing is key too, as it provides an environment where many equipotential points are available for the arc to strike.

[@JustPyroYT]

Yeeeeesss a new video ❤

[@brainiac75]

Like your never-fading passion, JustPyro ;) Thank you as always.

[@SeanBZA]

You could try gently tapping the bulb so that the electrodes spread apart slightly, so giving a gap larger at the top that might change discharge. Or surgery to remove the lamp base, and lower the resistor value a little, so that you get a higher current. Will need a new base, easy to get from a blown LED lamp, and a little 5 minute epoxy to make it adhere to the glass base.

[@user-scienceislove]

thank you mr pashen

[@tomdchi12]

I’ve never heard anyone describe the light from low pressure sodium lamps as “lovely” before.

[@glynnetolar4423]

Neon has been used for years as a cheap power on indicator. One of it's weaknessrs is over time they outgas and start to flicker and fail. They also will discharge at about 100V.

[@brainiac75]

Yeah, need to follow up on this video with examining the small neon indicator bulbs. Have ordered some more flicker-flame lamps too for larger sample size. Hopefully with bent tips this time ;) I do have some of the small neon lamps in on/off switches on multi-plug extension cords. One of them has been on continuously for many years (close to a decade) with no flickering visible yet. Looking forward to seeing one start to flicker :D Quite amazing at how low voltage (AC) they can make them discharge considering the high neon content. Thanks for the early watch and comment!

[@EgonSorensen]

Favorite NERD video creater - EXCELLENT!!! Thanks Brian, sharing is CARING about science and other things too :ø)

[@brainiac75]

Thank YOU for watching my videos, Egon! Det er vigtigt for en niche-kanal som min :D Much more to come in the future.

[@EgonSorensen]

@@brainiac75 - KZbin er et super social media - og DU er BARE DEN BEDSTE til at formidle videnskab :ø) - Jeg er vild med når du udgiver nye videoer - og uanset hvad, så :ø) BRAINIAC75!!!!! Algorithm for the win! :ø) ... og faktisk så er det sandt! Dine videoer er super underholdende og oplysendede. Tak for at tage tid og energi for at 'educate' :ø)

[@Friedbrain11]

Ok...240V and 240Vrms are not the same. You need to fix your math. Otherwise, it is an interesting vid and the bulb electrodes being improper is what caused the problem.

[@AshlynnTheFennec]

somehow i missed this video, watching it now......keep up the great work, we love your stuff in my house and i am sure many agree

[@RonaldoSilva-tn8in]

Lâmpada de chama 💡🔥😉

[@ChosenFate_]

Isn't this... correct? Like it's supposed to NOT jump in the middle, but on the outside. It's literally the only way it can function as intended

[@b4ph0m3tdk9]

We got an Impressive educational video from that faulty lamp. Anybody else would just have trown it out.

[@teopacheco9918]

We have one on our Home Altar down stairs that I have always curious about. It has been working scenes my Childhoods days. Now I'm 32 and it is still working 24 hours a day no switch install for turning it off

[@DragonHide94]

Thats a cool visualization of AC current pushing and pulling in a circuit.

[@DanielGBenesScienceShows]

@brainiac75 Great video! You should also look into the vintage ornamental gas discharge bulbs made by Auralux. They are similar to these but can have very complex scenes inside of them with parts that glow with different colors due to the color of the phosphors the different parts are coated with. We have quite a few of them in our collection including different colored flowers, Christmas and Halloween depictions, and even one with a Freemason symbol.

[@johnrehwinkel7241]

Normally the inner surfaces are chemically treated to discourage the discharge from there (by increasing the work function of the surface).

[@KnightOfIsrael1]

Hey could you test or research the gravity power machine by William Skinner in one of your video? It would be interesting to hear from you about the topic!

[@havocking9224]

So......glitch in Matrix, that is bugged even more? 🤔🤔🤔

[@bpark10001]

Sometimes you can repair bad lamp by carefully beating it to bend the electrodes. if you shine light on the lamp, it changes the flickering pattern.

[@wimwiddershins]

It would be interesting to vary the AC frequency and waveform into the bulb.

[@wetryanycheesedotcom]

I love that your brain works like this. I'd have gone "huh, bulb broke" and thrown it out. You saw it and got out the spectrometer!

[@mr_pckiller5258]

I have the opposite fault. Mine glows steadily on the electrode wires and the lower half of the "flame" and the top part sometimes flickers.

[@DoctorOnkelap]

did you measure the spectrum of one of the other llmps that is not misbehaving? Perhaps they ffilled the defective one with only neon while the others have the expected neon/argon mixture...

[@SianaGearz]

4:46 love the animation of the flames on the reverse side. Arguably a manufacturing defect - the manufacturing step where the leaves are stamped with an outwards curvature got accidentally skipped. It happens. It might even happen to a whole batch. As long as the bulb still appears to work, it will be sold, perhaps the reseller got them at a discount. One of those cases where failures are often more insightful than successes.

[@Manne-Frede]

I remember in December of 2015 at Holstebro hospital i saw a decoration light bulb kinda like the one in your video except the one there made kinda a flame that travelled upwards and then nothing and again upwards and nothing. It took about a second to go from bottom to top. It had a color kinda like the one in your video. I have only seen that kind of bulb there. I remember that it was fascinating to just look at. I dont think it was led because the plate in the middle was black like the one in your video

[@startedtech]

I think my favorite type of flickering flame bulbs are "balafire" bulbs, has a special filament and uses electromagnetism to make the filament "dance"

[@amanda_da_cat5981]

Can you show a working flicker flame bulb up close I'd love to see it!!!

[@zillboop4687]

Question, would exposure to a strong source of ionizing radiation change how that bulb would operate?

[@xubz]

Is the filament magnetic? Can you increase the gap slightly using magnets till the lamp works fine ?

[@DJResR420]

I have a soviet candle that only glows from the inside of the plates giving out ghostly flame appearence._

[@leonreynolds77]

You are correct it is faulty. I have gotten some like that one. And I have been unlucky enough to get one that doesn't even light at all because the gap is way too close between the plates. Ideally it should be like you said a nice straight gap with tapering outward at the tips like you said. 👍

[@richgoza1956]

I would like you to use that spectrometer in a sonoluminescence experiment. Look for helium.

[@BartdeBoisblanc]

Brainiac the blub should react if you expose it to UV light and also radioactive sources.

[@redstonecommander5190]

Each neon flicker flame bulb can run 3 W a bulb so it’s about as powerful as an LED meaning it can be ran continuously for almost an eternity

[@RafaCB0987]

Really cool to know how this kind of lamp work, I always found then really beutiful

[@anon_y_mousse]

It's a shame that you can't reach inside the bulb and bend the tips back out and see if it fixes it. If you could cut it open and somehow refill it with neon, that'd be neat.

[@analogdesigner-Jay]

If the electrodes were driven with RF, the plasma would be stable.

[@ThatOneWeeb420]

I've seen these as a kid over 10 years ago, it scared me that much I almost had a heart attack, apparently my parents installed it unannounced

[@aarongreenfield9038]

I used to take these things and connect them to a high voltage power supply, from one of those lightning globes for interesting/cool effect.

[@acceler9]

Sooo... What was the problem? Was it low neon levels, or perhaps a mild vacuum loss?

[@dinitroacetylen]

I thought that the electrodes are magnetised and the Lorentz force pushes the discharge out of the space between them.

[@danyf3116]

The bulbs I always bought were doing the same. Top to bottom. I thought this was the norm! lol

[@rriflemann308]

Your bulb possibly suffers from impact damage.

[@Platypus_Warrior]

A comparison with a similar normal bulb would be nice since you have to replace it

[@RodrigoM3llo]

I'd love to see it reacting to a nuclear explosion

[@ripinskimoinskidoinski]

what do you use for spectroscopy? I searched your channel to see if you outlined the tool you used.

[@Mario4445d]

Brainiac75 is going to get a 473nm laser before GTA 6

[@4dirt2racer0]

its probably better to either wait till the end, or do the patron thing early on in the video so u dont get ppl clicking away to another video early n u only getting a partial view for it

[@kaktus8958]

Please show it reacting to other sources, especially radiation ♡

[@pennyether8433]

Can you put something radioactive near it to test if it affects the path of the discharge?

[@ThePaalanBoy]

I guess the one i have is also faulty then, i can't remember any of these patterns

[@techtinkerin]

Probably been dropped, try tapping it the other way to make the gap bigger.

[@christian72141]

"the colour of the discharge is beautiful" :c

[@martine-e-dee]

The manufacturers should send you another one to try.

[@StepOrDieFR]

pour moi ces lampe fonctionne comme des néon a la différence que l'ont ne met pas de ballast en amont ce qui expliquerait que les électrode scintille a la même fréquence que les inversion de courant du secteur ^^

[@ingussilins6330]

Use direct current and see how dancing orange spot on electrode surface.

[@AllLoudNation365]

Beautiful 🧡🔥

[@chevyDboyMike]

I was expecting a repair or fix of the cathoids

[@BariumCobaltNitrog3n]

Well what is it SUPPOSED to look like?

[@Madpegasusmax]

nice bulb ,lucky to find one like that

[@RADIUM108]

Make a video on grow lights

[@Crawsome_Crustacean]

😮 love your videos brainiac ❤

[@brainiac75]

Glad you like them - and thanks for the very early watch and comment. Much more to come!

[@echo6804]

Hey ! I was wondering, if you increase the power does it light completely ? Does it change the behaviour of the lamp ?

[@echo6804]

I'd love to see another video about it ! Thanks for your videos:)

[@96giternean79]

What spectrometer do you use?

[@JustPyroYT]

Oh this was really interesting to watch! Looking forward to future Experiments! :)

[@Roads_of_Europe]

What a passion for the simple things in life. Great video. I always enjoy your videos with a very nice explanation.

[@GQuack]

While the video itself was interesting, the most interesting part was that I didn't even know that these kinds of lamps existed, besides the LED ones that mimic flickering flames. In any case, what I want to see is a working one of these, along with more experiments with it.

[@maz3808]

I love videos about lambs that are rarely seen or used by the public. Have you done a video about Deuterium Arc Lamps?

[@geralddejong]

Now I want to see a non-faulty one.

[@hatake_kakashi7359]

Bernard, bring me my snacks and notebook. Classes have started.

[@mimasweets]

How is it meant to look?

[@gabrielv.4358]

yeah, a reverse flame!

[@lewiskelly14]

Annoying editor note

[@richgoza1956]

Use a Tesla coil. 😁

[@Giuliana-w1f]

Would it light up completely if you overvolt it a bit?

[@brainiac75]

I think it is better to increase the current. Overvolting could cause a spark in stead of a glow discharge. But with the right voltage and current - just at the border of arcing/sparking - it should be possible to light up all of the electrodes. With that said, I think the shown lamp would light up in larger patches if provided with the nominal 240V. Come to think of it, I think my UPS can be set up to provide 240V AC... Definitely need to make a follow-up video or two for these lamps. Have ordered some more of them too :) Thanks for the early watch!