The Decade Bulb: Incandescent light bulbs that last longer than LEDs

[@ElectronicTonic156]

Thanks for the shout-out! I found that in general, due to the filament's nonlinear response, if you halve the voltage, then actual power becomes 1/3 of the rating. Conversely, if you double voltage, then you triple the power. 54W @ 120V goes up to 162W @ 240V. I have a Chicago Miniature Lamp Works catalog ©1969 which gives a lamp-life derating equation: Actual Life = Rated Life * (Rated Voltage / Applied Voltage)^12. If you plug in the values for the 60W lamp, the calculated result is pretty close to what's on the box. The catalog cautions this equation is only an approximation, and there is greater percent error as you deviate further from rated voltage. But if we ignore any error from doubling the voltage, then the 60W lamp would only last for about 3 hours at 240V.

[@grmlab4510]

It's good to see you around Eric. Would love an update on your Everlasting Night Lights.

[@teslapower220]

Shouldn't it be 4x instead of 3x? Weird... P = V I = V^2/R. V --> 2V ==> P --> 4P. I guess R must be temperature dependent and increases at the higher temperatures corresponding to higher powers, and therefore it drops down to 3x instead of 4x.

[@teslapower220]

Following up on my previous comment, if P --> 3 P at V --> 2 V ==> R --> 1.33 R. Since at high temperatures the resistance of metals scales linearly with temperature R ~ T, it implies T --> 1.33 T. Black body radiation law gives P ~ T^4 at high T, so then P --> (1.33)^4 P = 3.13 P, pretty close.

[@AlexanderCrump]

In general, for conventional incandescent bulbs, excluding halogens, bulb life is extended to about 2.5 times for 130 volt bulbs operated at 120 volts.

[@bearchow1929]

Incandescent light output varies as the 9th power of the voltage, lamp life varies as the 12th power of the voltage. In other words, lamp life increases dramatically for even small reductions in voltage and minimal reduction in light output. Now on the subject of LED lamps: I seem to be replacing them almost as often as incandescent. Not a fault of the technology but rather the companies selling the are building pieces of junk.

[@billp7748]

I’ll admit, I’m one of those people who only thinks about lightbulbs when I have to replace them but when Kevin posts a video on lightbulbs, I watch and learn. Thank you sir.

[@Veso266]

His name is Kevin?

[@Lunar_Capital]

As a lighting enthusiast I can assure you I think of this stuff on a daily basis 🤣🤣

[@devikwolf]

Me: "Who cares about incandescent light bulbs?" Vwestlife: *incandescent light bulb video* Me: "Guess I do, now."

[@beau-urns]

This stuff sticks with me though. I honestly bet a LOT of little things i learn in these videos pop up at arbitrary times in my day to day

[@BillAnt]

It's also a good idea to think before replacing it, usually incandescent bulbs use more power than LED for the same light output (lumen). I've been using Panasonic and Cree brand LED's, and both have lasted over 5 years now saving quite of bit on my electricity bill.

[@bikutoso]

So when it's connected to 240V it starts playing music?

[@AgentOffice]

Looks like it, Easter egg 🥚

[@croquette_fr]

Yeah, it looks like it's made for elevators (that why they say with vibrations, bla bla bla...). But as you said, I never guessed that elevator music came from the bulbs.

[@AgentOffice]

@@croquette_fr vibrations can mean music

[@superotterboy7937]

When you started trying to look inside at the filament, I immediately saw Big Clive using his "Xray" hammer to look inside. Was happy to see he got a mention in the end! xD Great video! I find these bulbs and marketing tactics fascinating!

[@superotterboy7937]

@@NY411Info The very one! Hammer of the Gods! Lol

[@KRAFTWERK2K6]

Lightbulb: *lasts 10 years* Phoebus Cartel: "I'm gonna end this man's career!"

[@Rainer67059]

The damn Phoebus Cartel has stolen us incandescent lightbulbs in the long run.

[@hardrivethrutown]

Lightbulb: *lasts 10 years* Centennial bulb: "I'm gonna end this man's career!"

[@johngarritzcx6733]

Plus The manufactures are bu$te d 😠😠😠😬😬

[@mjouwbuis]

@@Rainer67059 nope, if this was to have become the normal bulb, environmental and practical measures would have lead to about the same 1,000h as with the cartel. Maybe if we would have been lucky, 3,000 hours. Nowhere near 10 years or 25,000h. Too bloody inefficient.

[@mjouwbuis]

@@Rainer67059 also: halogen bulbs.

[@kpanic23]

An incendescent light bulb is a resistive load. So according to Ohm's law, when you double the voltage, the power quadruples! You were actually pulling 216W off that transformer, so it's no wonder the fuse blew. The reason why it held up for so long might be that due to the overload the output voltage of the transformer dropped.

[@man_eating_monkey]

Except the resistance of the filament in an incandescent bulb is not constant - it increases as it gets hotter. Light bulbs are classed as non-Ohmic for this reason.

[@SevenHealer]

I am not very sure so does that mean that it has to have a load on it all the wil blow circuitry

[@NozomuYume]

@@SevenHealer It means the resistance will increase with heat until the radiant energy loss balances with the number of amps you can pass at that voltage. i.e. amperage when the bulb is cold is higher. When he puts the bulb designed for 120v on the 240v power, that heat exceeds the melting point of the filament and it blows.

[@westelaudio943]

I'd say it's a rebadged 100w or lower European type bulb. The filament resistance increases dramatically with temperature, that's why you can use a bulb for overcurrent protection... Maybe it was the inrush current damaging the fuse.

[@SevenHealer]

@@NozomuYume I mean that some led bulbs have a current regulator that changes based on a resistor

[@gabrieleorioli1760]

So, the trick was to import high-wattage bulbs from Europe. To be fair, I have had some incanescent light bulbs which lasted many years before burning out. I feel like I have been replacing more led lights than filament ones during the recent years.

[@PlasticCogLiquid]

LED sucks too, I hate that bright white headache inducing light they put off

[@gabrieleorioli1760]

@@PlasticCogLiquid There are many "shades" (temperatures) of white to choose from. While they will not reproduce the pleasing halogen glow, some might be more restful for the eyes than others. :-)

[@DripDripDrip69]

@@PlasticCogLiquid I love my 2700k RA98 LED

[@xaenon]

Gabriele Orioli I don't think it's that simple. At half voltage, incandescants burn much dimmer than seems to be the case here. I'm sure they did 'derate' the bulb to improve service life, but half-voltage doesn't sound right.

[@dh2032]

Yes, when they first came out the bleb. Will last 7 to 10, years, bulbs, that get used a lot about year at best

[@LakeNipissing]

Regarding running incandescent bulbs at half voltage, in *_1983_* we got a "forever" nightlight that uses two 7 watt nightlight bulbs arranged base to base in a 'cylinder' so the center contact of each bulb makes contact with the other, and the power from the plug is connected to the threaded part of each base, making the 120V, 7W bulbs get 60V each, being in series. There is no power switch or photcell. *This nightlight has been on 24 hours a day since 1983, and the original bulbs have never burnt out!* Since this has been operating non-stop for 38 years, those bulbs have been burning for 332,000 hours... and still going... and the glass hasn't darkened !!

[@Tag-Traeumer]

With half the voltage, they should last for 1 million hours, probably even longer.

[@F40PH-2CAT]

@@Tag-Traeumer That would take it to the turn of the century.

[@Tag-Traeumer]

@@F40PH-2CAT Certainly. I would bet on it.

[@LakeNipissing]

@@Tag-Traeumer I can believe it. If the bulbs have lasted this long, they likely will last almost indefinitely, since they are so "under-driven". Kind of like the 240V bulbs being marketed as 120-130V "Long Life" as demonstrated in this video by VWestlife.

[@Tag-Traeumer]

@@LakeNipissing Yes, it is hardly possible to predict the exact service life. At the half voltage filament temperature, very little tungsten evaporates. I saw a service life-voltage diagram on Wikipedia, it says a 1000 times longer service life with an open end at half voltage, that is over a million hours. Of course: who has been able to check that so far? :-) Like you, I connected two 230 volt 60 watt light bulbs (as TV background lighting) in series so that each one burns at half the voltage (here in Switzerland we have 230 volt mains voltage). In the past, normal spotlights always failed there quickly, now those connected in series have been shining for about 15 years, of course only a few hours a week, but I will certainly never have to replace them again, and the dimmed light is very pleasant.

[@sashadog4142]

I grew up in the same house as my father and slept in the same bedroom he did as a child, the light in that room was installed in the 60's and lasted all my childhood. No LED will match that performance.

[@DavidWonn]

I’m really glad they brought incandescent bulbs back in recent years. As someone who’s had numerous retina detachments, surgeries, and extreme photosensitivity, I absolutely detest certain LEDs and fluorescents with a passion.

[@rodrigobelinchon2982]

light quality is very important

[@rac001100]

Me too. LED lights are horrible.

[@emotionz3]

My favorite traditional bulbs are eco incandescent ‘halogen’ which produce a natural, simple glow like incandescent, and I presume these krypton bulbs are the same because it’s still a filament bulb.

[@ConvexSpade]

You may want to look into bulbs from Waveform Lighting. Their lights are the closest I've found to matching incandescents. They're also completely flicker-free, which I really appreciate. Great warranty, too.

[@Warp2090]

@@ConvexSpade Trutone christmas lights too

[@andreasu.3546]

Fun fact: If you replace the filament with AWG 10 wire, it will last forever. Unfortunately, it will only put out negligible amounts of light, and it will all be in the far infrared spectrum. But hey, that's called compromising.

[@KeksimusMaximus]

Have to grow a pair of infrared seeking eyes duh

[@KRAFTWERK2K6]

Well… as long as you don't get high amounts of UV, like with Halogen Bulbs.

[@AgentOffice]

Doubt it, it'll trip the breaker

[@andreasu.3546]

@@AgentOffice That depends on the length of the wire.

[@AgentOffice]

@@andreasu.3546 Maybe a mile long

[@grayrabbit2211]

some of the old school "vintage" style filament incandescent bulbs are terribly inefficient but last absolutely forever. I have them in my dining room and 15+ years later they still work fine. I also use a programmed dimmer with soft start/stop.

[@carstuff4u942]

My father was an electrician. He said dimmer switches make standard light bulbs last many more years than normal. He always said the instant on and off, is what kills them. Using the dimmer switch eases the voltage to it. Also, you're right, using a bulb at a lesser voltage than designed will make it last longer.

[@warrax111]

"Also, you're right, using a bulb at a lesser voltage than designed will make it last longer." but also run less effectively. So you burn more energy to get same light. If you need less light, just use less wattage incandestent bulb, you'll get best effectivity. Otherwise, you pay more for electricity , than you save on "not buying new bulbs, because they lasts longer". Long lasting bulbs have point only on places, that are hard or irritating to get and exchange them.

[@Intelwinsbigly]

​@@warrax111 You do realize that some people don't really care about the extra cost of using incandescent bulbs? Right? You do realize that for people living in cold regions, there is no such thing as waste heat? Riiiiight?

[@warrax111]

@@Intelwinsbigly I use inca. bulbs, dont need to explain me anything. I also use them for heat in winter. But it's no problem to exchange them, once a year or two. It usually take me up to 2 minutes. I dont see a problem in it, and I would not buy long lasting, but less effective bulbs.

[@warrax111]

@@Intelwinsbigly for 2 minutes of work per year, I burn 30% less electricity. Like... for what are trying to convince me, that you are lazy pig ass, that rather than find 2 minutes of work per year, you will burn 30% more electricity. Like... for 2minutes of work, to exchange bulb? Also, it's difficult to regulate heat through bulbs. If you need only heat, then light is wasted.

[@Intelwinsbigly]

@@warrax111 Love how you still forget the northern latitudes. Apparently I'm a lazy ass for not changing out my bulbs when my average summer day is 65F.

[@TheRailroad99]

power rises the the square of the voltage, so it's not just 108W, it's 216W! (Probably a bit less because the bulb will draw less current when the filament get hotter, so more like 180-200W) Othereise a nice video, I really hate those cheap "filament" LED bulbs, they claim to save the environment but die after a year of usage in a closed fixture. Edit: Hey, I just noticed you have a new profile pic...

[@frankowalker4662]

Ha ha, Sell a 240V bulb in 120V countries and say it's long lasting. Genius. Love the new profile pic BTW.

[@xaenon]

I don't think that's the case. The basic concept is solid - derate a bulb for extended service life and improved resistance to shock, and in operation that would indeed result in less light output, but you're assuming that Europe uses 200+ watt light bulbs (there is a minor error in his math and I think there might be a significant flaw in his test). They probably just used a slightly longer filament in a common, US-standard bulb to increase resistance, reduce current, and cause the filament to 'burn' a little cooler.

[@raymondmartin6737]

Thanks for shedding some light about these bulbs, Ray

[@ModMokkaMatti]

I didn't know his name was Ray.

[@life5161]

Leave to V Westlife to give us a GREAT video about light 💡bulbs. Not sure why, but this channel helps relieve my crippling depression and addiction issues. Thank U Sir for the temporary relief 🙏

[@ted-b]

Tyrell: "The light that burns twice as bright burns half as long - and you have burned so very, very brightly, Roy."

[@AneeshSeeYay]

Nice to hear your soothing voice Kevin.

[@Krankie_V]

The whole idea of incandescent bulbs having such a short life is actually the result of a long standing conspiracy between bulb manufacturers from way back when electric lights were first starting to become popular. There were actually fines for companies for producing bulbs which lasted too long. It's ridiculous but it's true.

[@HimmelsDaemon]

When it comes to people doing things, if one dismisses things as ridiculous they will end up being wrong. Or said another way - When it comes to people doing things, there is nothing too ridiculous.

[@sprint955st]

That event formed the basis of all built-in obsolescence we enjoy today

[@iscander_s]

Actually, no. At least it isn't the only reason of bulb's short life. Manufacturers can easily produce an incandescent bulb that will shine for 100 years, simply by using thicker filament, but by using a thicker filament your lightbulb will consume more power and produce less lumens, then other more "short lived' lightbulbs. It's an equilibrium, where you have to sacrifice something to gain other.

[@Krankie_V]

@@iscander_s of course it's not the ONLY reason the life is limited, but that's why it's as short as it is. Research the Phoebus Cartel and you'll see the conspiracy is all too real.

[@Wyatt_James]

@@iscander_s indeed, you can't beat physics. Halogen cheats it in a way by reversing the tungsten evaporation, allowing the bulb to either last much longer or run more efficiently.

[@libertyrevolutionary1776]

I can still find regular incandescent bulbs just about anywhere... however, I have come to enjoy the halogen bulbs... They're cheap, take less energy than incandescent, but put out the clean warm white light of incandescent... unlike most LED or CFL bulbs.

[@audiobuff77]

I'll take the halogen bulbs over CFL or LED.

[@Wyatt_James]

I've got a box of 10 similar bulbs from Sunbeam. They're called "The Mighty Bulb" and are rated for 10,000 hours. Mine are 100-watt bulbs rated at 800 lumens. They make pretty good hand warmers in the winter! As far as life goes, incandescents generally double in life for every 5% under their nominal voltage (compound) and vice versa. I run my Christmas lights on a dimmer for this reason. My grandma also has some other boxes of the mighty bulbs in other wattages.

[@smakfu1375]

There are a lot of people waxing poetic about the simplicity and reliability of incandescent bulbs. In my (46 year) life, was that they were unreliable, fragile, brutally hot (even at low wattage) and even the name brand store-bought bulbs had a fairly short lifespan. It's not that they couldn't be better, but they were generally engineered to a price-point, with turnover a factored component of their lifespan. As they could be, compared to CFL and LED bulbs, disposed of quite easily, and they were cheap, people really didn't expect them to last all that long. Quality current generation LED bulbs last a very long time, even under continuous use. I have several lights in my basement office that I keep running 24/7, 365 a year, and the current set of 5 LED bulbs were last replaced when I had the office painted in 2017, which puts them at around 35,000 hours each, well in excess of their rated 15,000 hours. The previous set of LED bulbs lasted 6 years, were still working, though they had gotten dimmer. None of these were dollar-store brand bulbs, so I do think you get what you pay for, when it comes to led bulbs. As for CFL's, I'm glad they've been mostly superseded by LED bulbs. I absolutely hated everything about CFL's. They lasted fairly long, but I've had a lot more random failures with CFL's versus LED bulbs. They're also a nightmare to cleanup if you break one - you have to air out the room, carefully clean everything up, put things in baggies. The light they put out is never quite right, temperature wise; and they're slow to warm up. Thanks to their obnoxious disposal requirements, I now have a box of them awaiting proper disposal. The CFL, with the exception of a few specific applications, was worse, in virtually every way, compared to incandescent bulbs. The carbon foot-print of producing a CFL, combined with dangerous production waste byproducts, vastly exceeded any real energy savings potential of the bulb itself and, as a result, they weren't better for the environment. A horrible technology that should never have been a consumer product (except for the fact that some idiot government hacks decided it'd be a good idea).

[@Intelwinsbigly]

Someone doesn't operate their bulbs at reduced load...

[@BixbyConsequence]

We used to use this type of bulb in our kitchen ceiling fan that used to shake ordinary bulbs to death in a month or two. They did survive much longer -- about a year. Used them until CFLs came out. The CFLs lasted about a decade and by the time they went, LED bulbs were reasonbly priced.

[@Warp2090]

CFL's last a VERY long time just like regular flourescent lamps. Even cheap CFL's.

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

Actually they made an incandescent lightbulb that lasted over 60,000 hours @ 60w. Those were the lightbulbs that they used in traffic lights. But they were not the lightbulbs that they would sell to consumers. I remember buying some at America scientific that used to sell products like that.

[@pepsiru1es92]

I'm so glad I still have a decent stockpile of incandescents. I saw a dusty and banged up package of GE 60w bulbs at a small convenience store in the mall a few months back and immediately bought them without regard to the price. No tag, guy asked me if $4.49 seemed fair, I have never paid for something so fast. Cool video, thanks for sharing.

[@michaeldhondt368]

If you can find the carbon filament bulb they last much longer than any bulb produced. There are some carbon filament bulbs that have been burning over 100 years 24/7. Those led bulbs never last as long as the box says they will.

[@MrDuncl]

About 25 years ago, before halogen bulbs were common I bought some 240V long life candle bulbs as with six in my lounge I seemed to be replacing an bulb every month. They weren't frosted and you could see that they had about five filament supports compared to the normal two so they were obviously different to normal bulbs. Like you I noticed they were noticeably dimmer than normal bulbs but they did last much longer. Something Kevin didn't mention was places where the bulbs are difficult to change. A hall I used to go to had incandescent bulbs in fittings about 20 feet from the floor and half of them were always blown. The shortest lamp life ever must have been when a colleague accidentally fitted a 24V bulb (intended for a military vehicle) in his 240V desk lamp. It went off like a photo flash :-)

[@devikwolf]

Probably the only channel on KZbin which can look at garbage cassette players, incandescent light bulbs, a toy radio transmitter, weird 90s computer tchochkies, and 20-year old alkaline batteries which still hold a charge, and then string together 15 miles of digital audio cable, and make each of these fairly mundane things exciting and interesting.

[@wrrrrrrrrrr]

I have a literally 31 yo incondescent bulb (100W) in my cellar still working after all this time. crazy how durable they are compared to all the newest LED and compact lamps I have to replace at least a couple of times a year.

[@F40PH-2CAT]

My father in law has a 60W bulb in a basement backroom that has been there since they moved into the house.....in 1974. Even though it's low hour, I'm afraid to turn it on!

[@BastiElektronik]

Sure. The ceiling light in my dads kitchen has had the same 60W bulb since 1985, it still works even though it's lit for around one hour per day. And we have 240V here

[@SevenHealer]

The reason why the LED bulb blow out so quickly is because that the manufacturers make it so that the LEDs are given too much current so that they generate more heat and die faster if you're able to open up the LED bulb you'll see that there's a resistor you can change the value of the resistor you'll be able to reduce the amount of current that is needed and you will extended the lifetime of it . I have did it before and the LED bulb that I have in my room has lasted me 3 years and still going. There is a KZbin called bigclive that made a video on this.

[@BastiElektronik]

@@SevenHealer yeah, what also works is just to remove the plastic dome. I found that all the lamps I did that to ran *much* cooler. The temp dropped from 65°C (149°F) to around 30. (86). I mean they are definitely more dangerous running open, but if you don't have children, thats perfectly acceptable

[@dancoulson6579]

In theory LED is perfect. But in practive, they're implemented poorly. Usually the fault lies with the driver circuitry, not the LED itself. However, I've come back to appreciating incandescent for their simplicity, and reliability. I drive a classic car, and it's nice not to be blinded with hideous instruments and control panels backlit with LED.

[@KOZMOuvBORG]

There also used to be "country lights" for sale (seen in 90s). Intended for rural areas and built more robust to deal with voltage irregularities, apparently more common outside cities and towns then

[@eliaschnl]

Ikea sells 1€ LED bulbs and just for fun I decided to modify one of them. Of course following Clive's method of removing a current sensing resistor. This cuts the power in half, reducing heat output but also improving lumens per watt rating.

[@KRAFTWERK2K6]

And also preventing the Caps from drying out too soon due to the strong heat under normal conditions :) Because i doubt they put low ESR capacitors into these bulbs.

[@rickduncan692]

Thanks vwestlife, for making a video about incandescent lightbulbs again! I have a bulb branded ‘Super Bulb’ that says it’ll last ten years. I’ve yet to test it to its full potential tho

[@Arachnoid_of_the_underverse]

Just to add it wasn't the transformer with no headroom, it was the fuse supplied with it .Bearing in mind you have some losses in the transformer as well as the load.

[@AndyBHome]

I need a music credit! The music on this channel is always so good that we really just automatically need to know everything we can about these great tunes!

[@marcberm]

Aww! Isn't innocent little Linus from back in the day just the cutest thing ever?! 😊

[@jackkraken3888]

Now he;s a rugged man, he even found a beard to wear!

[@marcberm]

@@jackkraken3888 😂🤣

[@hughjanus6975]

Ahh the old ncix Linus clip, good times.

[@AMDRADEONRUBY]

As ever I'm here thanks Kevin for your quality videos.

[@flyingmoose]

I’ve run some 220v bulbs on 110v. They take 1/4 the power and should theoretically last about 4,000 years.

[@KeksimusMaximus]

Incoming call: Harvard FBI Illuminati Mr. God

[@frankprovasek5394]

A standard 40 watt incandescent bulb gives 480 lumens of light. These give less than HALF (230) so you have a dim bulb that lasts a long time. TWO of these running 25,000 hours use 2000 kilowatt-hours - $300 worth of electricity (at 15¢/kWh) A 4½ watt 480 lumen LED bulb uses 112 kWh during its 25,000 hour life, less than $17 worth of electricity. The 1,887 kWh saved is equal to 56 gallons of gasoline (33.7 kWh per gallon)

[@vwestlife]

Like I said, these are meant for hard-to-reach locations and harsh environments in which a CFL or LED would not survive or wouldn't even work at all.

[@skepticalgenious]

Very formative. I preciate your de-ductive reasoning skills. It was simple enough even I could understand

[@RBLevin]

Years ago there was a brand of krypton bulb that was shaped like Superman's emblem.

[@albear972]

Ooooooh! Those have *KRYPTON* technology! Don't tell Superman about that.

[@albear972]

@Future Pants Millennial? me? LOL! I'm far from that. And you know what? I love it when people like you assume because they make asses out of themselves. Yep, I said it like that.

[@beerrox711]

@Future Pants it was more of a dad joke actually

[@plan7a]

It's the green and red ones especially which need to be watched out for, LOL. (Imagine if they were colour changing! Certain super hero: 'Oh, I feel terrible; oh, I feel fantastic; oh, I feel...' LOL.)

[@albear972]

@@beerrox711 Damn dude! You burned me. I got moated. First time I have ever heard one of my comments on YT being a "dad joke" Even though I'm old and have never been a dad. Tactful insults are funny. That's why you got a 👍 from me.

[@beerrox711]

@@albear972 i didn’t notice you said I burned you…. I didn’t mean to, I just meant your joke didn’t read like something a kid would write…

[@kodessa]

Seeing that Jory clip of GTFOMD makes me feel old AF.

[@Xenon777_]

When LED first came out, they were often given with ridiculous lifetime ratings such as 50k, 70k, 100k, 150k, hours. Once all of the old technology had been phased out the LED lifetime ratings became more realistic and many now have lifetimes listed on them such as 10k hours (like yours). I have had CFLs with greater lifetimes than LED. I have also experienced quite a high number of LED failures in the house and seen much greater lifetime from fluorescent lamps / tubes. Fluorescent lights typically last longer 24/7 compared to running 12 hours on / 12 hours off. On one of the lighting forums I'm on someone has a fluorescent tube running 24/7 and it's hit 120k hours and it's still working! Even smaller tubes have seen good lifetime and blown some of the LED fittings out the water in terms of their lifetime. Such as over 50k hours from a pair of high quality F8T5 fluorescent tubes. LED can last well if they are driven properly with good cooling but as for the LED bulbs. Manufactures purposely drive the LEDs hard which makes them run hot and this reduces lifetime.

[@eDoc2020]

I think the real reason LED rated lifetimes have decreased is because the quality has gone down. Old ones had heavy metal heatsinks with fins, new ones run a hyperbolic 300A through each die which is on a thin piece of aluminum. For an idea of how long LEDs _can_ last, just look at clocks or other indicators. My digital alarm clock from 1992 surely has a total of over 25 years of runtime, which would be around 220 thousand hours.

[@AttilaTheHun333333]

@@eDoc2020 You are comparing an LED Display with very low voltage with LEDs for illumination purposes...of course they will last longer.

[@Xenon777_]

@@eDoc2020 Yeah old LEDs can be working after 30 years 24/7 if driven properly. The COB LEDs are optimised for white light output and will typically have a lower lifetime.

[@eDoc2020]

@@AttilaTheHun333333 Sadly even the modern white indicators don't seem to last very long before they noticeably dim.

[@SuperPickle15]

@@eDoc2020 don't forget the electronics driving old LEDS was much more robust, most leds bulbs today are driven by a single current limiting chip and a fat capacitor. And the cap is so cheap it's likely to fail. which causes more current into the leds and eventually burn out, if the cap doesn't just pop first.

[@margosgon-]

In norwegian, the word "feit" is used as a rude way to call someone fat

[@milfordcivic6755]

Incandescent bulbs last a really long time these days. I haven't replaced a bulb in 3 years in my house.

[@Vinnay94]

@@tripplefives1402 You need a ballast though, it's not plug n play.

[@grayrabbit2211]

With the newer LED bulbs being made so poorly, I wonder if they really are any better for the environment once you factor everything that goes into manufacturing them, from are materials to transportation of parts, etc. Especially since they have such a short life.

[@Matticitt]

Cheap LEDs, maybe not. But to claim all new LEDs are poorly made is disingenuous and incorrect.

[@grayrabbit2211]

@@Matticitt show me a quality LED bulb I can buy right now that is made well enough to reach the quoted life on the package. My office's property management division would love to know.

[@SuperPickle15]

@@grayrabbit2211 frankly i have only had a few cheap $1 led bulbs fail after several years of service. And many of them are on 12+ hours a day. I could never claim that for incandescent.

[@Warp2090]

They are not better for the environment

[@Warp2090]

@@Matticitt Buying a new quality LED bulb is almost impossible

[@Tag-Traeumer]

Incandescent light bulbs use more energy, but they produce the best and most beautiful light. Here in Switzerland, and also in the European Union, light bulbs have been banned by our stupid government.

[@mtbiker6219]

I am still using incandescent bulbs they wont hurt my eyes like stupid led’s does

[@Tag-Traeumer]

@@mtbiker6219 I still use incandescent light bulbs too, the damn stupid ban forced me to stock up on them. With the few that break, my stock of light bulbs in the basement will last several times as long as I live. 😄

[@savedemperor8024]

But they are still sold in Europe at least in my country as "special" or for "industrial purposes" bulbs

[@Tag-Traeumer]

@@savedemperor8024 Good to know. So far I haven't seen any offers for it, you would probably have to look specifically for it. Good thing I have enough Incandescent light bulbs of all kinds, even too many, but they can be stored indefinitely.

[@yugen042]

Yes, stupid governments trying to save energy and protect the environment. As though personal preference in light quality is more important than that.Yeesh. With that being said, you can get very efficient energy saving bulbs in the EU that are basically incandescent in quality and function similarly, they still use 3-5x the energy than LEDs though. I also prefer warm light, and you can definitely get that and overall similar to incandescent quality from modern LEDs, just don't buy the cheapest ones. LEDs are overall vastly superior to incandescent, its not worth sticking with hyper inefficient technology over minor preferences.

[@twocvbloke]

And that transformer of yours, that 100 watts is most likely Peak output, meaning it can run for a short while at that before it goes bang, it's probably more suited to 50-70 watts continuous, depending on the, er, "quality"... :S

[@TheComputerGuy96]

I was just re-watching your video about the AT-LP60 vs. AT-LP60X comparison today, where you used that transformer near the end. Nice coincidence!

[@tancar2004]

I wish I'd known these existed. My first job 20 years ago I serviced and repaired power equipment for the old landline telephone system. My specialty was the generator that would ring make the telephone ring. To test them we'd let them run overnight in a makeshift tester that used 60 watt incandescent bulbs to simulate a load. Simple but very effective, in the morning i look at the lightbulbs and if any are out or are dim or bright I knew there was a problem. When the lightbulbs burned out I replaced them out of pocket with the cheapest things I could get at the drugstore. I could have bought 2 packs of these and they would have lasted longer than the 7 years I worked there.

[@JordanU]

I've always been bothered by the gimmicky advertising on the LED bulbs. The lifespan in years is extremely misleading. 3 hours/day is far less than a typical use case, especially in the winter when it's dark by 5:00. The 7 hours/day rating is far more reasonable. For the last few years I've been using almost exclusively the halogen "incandescent" bulbs from The Home Depot, sold under the EcoSmart brand. They're about a dollar per bulb. I find them to be a satisfactory replacement for my dwindling supply of incandescent bulbs.

[@xxxthedestroyerxxx505]

1. That’s why most people go by hours on the box rather than years 2. Please stop using incandescent, it’s boosting your power bill and hurting the environment

[@JordanU]

1) Most consumers go by the big letters on the front of the box, not the fine print on the back. They use that kind of advertising because it works. 2) No, I will continue to use incandescent and halogen bulbs. I much prefer the quality of light output by a halogen bulb compared to an LED and will gladly pay the few extra dollars per month to run them. Putting failed plastic LED bulbs into the landfill along with the flashy plastic packaging they often come in is no favor to the environment either. Sure, they can be recycled, but just like reading the fine print on the back, hardly anyone does that. Pick your poison, there's no perfect answer.

[@johnrehwinkel7241]

Halogen bulbs *are* incandescent. They run at a higher temperature, so they're more efficient, and (naturally) have a higher color temperature, and avoid early burnout at the higher temperature by using the halogen cycle to replenish the filament

[@shadowflash705]

@@xxxthedestroyerxxx505 Cryptominers consume 70 times more power than all houses in the world with all the lightbulbs, fridges, and microwaves. Also your PC consumes more electricity than 5-10 average lightbulbs, especially if it's a desktop. Not to mention that "green" CCFLs and even LED lightbulbs do more harm than good when it comes to environment because they contain a lot of toxic stuff. Especially CCFLs - mercury. Also i don't see people who say that they care about environment getting rid of their cars. And cars contain hazardous materials and either release toxic fumes or need battery replaced once in a few years.

[@MrDuncl]

@@xxxthedestroyerxxx505 The irony is that in Winter people need to heat their houses so more efficient bulbs just mean they have to turn the heating up. In the U.K they have just announced that they will stop new homes being fitted with gas central heating after a certain date as it isn't environmentally friendly (unlike wind power generating electricity). Back to light bulbs, I will admit that the opposite is true in summer, especially if you are using air conditioning.

[@willie0704]

We have used the same bulbs in 5 of our outdoor path lights since 2000 when I installed them. I hooked 100 watt bulbs so that they run only 50 watts using a dimmer switch. There are 8 total lights but 3 of them have been replaced They come on at dusk and turn off at dawn.

[@pwolkowicki]

The third lightbulb conspiracy! (The second was when they forced us to swap to 'alternative' lightbulbs).

[@warrenmacdonald1372]

I like your "outro" Kevin. Oh, and the 12 and a half minutes ahead of it too.

[@bob4analog]

That does it, I'm going back to incandescent bulbs.. for some applications anyway. And incandescent bulbs don't cause RFI. (-;

[@mattcintosh2]

I have a couple of "Rough Service" bulbs in a ceiling fixture in my bedroom. The fixture is on a dimmer switch that doesn't work with CFL or LEDs. They are used for 4 to 10 hours a day depending on the time of year, but most times at 50% or less brightness. I haven't replaced them in 12 to 15 years or so.

[@mbox314]

When I worked at Sandy hook we had a building with a 130v bulb incandescent bulb that ran continuously for 5 years (about 43,000 hours) I believe the bulbs used in traffic lights were also 130v for the purpose of longevity.

[@jmi5969]

My apartment was remodeled around 2000 and many incandescents installed then are still working. The bulbs in the bathroom lasted for about five years, but those left in drier places are good after twenty years. Can't say the same about the LEDs and especially FLs (what a cheat!).

[@5roundsrapid263]

The early CFLs were good. I moved into my house and there were a few that were over a decade old. I bought more, and they lasted about a decade. They weren’t the “instant-on” versions.

[@fabiosemino2214]

@@5roundsrapid263 at my parents place we actually installed a couple of CFL spotlights something like 15/20 years ago, I might be exagerating the number but I honestly cannot remember when we removed the halogens ones, they are aren't the instant on version and they require a couple minutes to go full brightness. They have a pretty goog mileage since they are turned on at leat 3 hours a day 7 days a week while the big CFL globe in the dining room has to be changed every 3/5y

[@MrDuncl]

All the expensive (about £8 each) Philips LEDs I bought about seven years ago failed after three or four years with the same fault (annoying random flickers). however since they were used at least eight hours a day I worked out they did pay for themselves in electricity saved. Of course heat kills LEDs. I haven't had any problems with a Philips 13W LED bulb with massive heatsinks up the sides like the L Prize bulb. Now they don't bother and cook the LEDs.

[@worldcomicsreview354]

@@5roundsrapid263 The first (huge) CFL my parents bought when I was a kid lasted ages. It just got dimmer and dimmer, so was relegated from the hall next to the front door, into the utility room near the back door, then a shed.

[@vanceblosser2155]

I remember a long time ago they used to sell a device that twinned two bulb sockets from 1 and had the two bulbs wired in series to provide long life. As noted here, the light output was noticeably decreased. Also, Philips is one of the LED makers known to artificially shorten the life of their LED bulbs.

[@robertgaines-tulsa]

I use industrial light bulbs to warm spaces under sinks and toilets along exterior walls to keep them from freezing when it gets really cold in winter. I use industrial light bulbs because they are more dependable and last longer. A couple of bucks more is a small price to pay for potentially huge plumbing repair bills in the event that excessive cold causes pipes to freeze and burst. Last winter as we are in Oklahoma, we were in that deep arctic blast area. Luckily we kept our power and the light bulbs did the job of keeping the pipes from freezing. It does have the drawback that you need electricity, but hopefully they will strengthen the power grid so that more people keep their power during those deep arctic blasts.

[@westelaudio943]

Bulb filament resistance increases with temperature. So it should be less than 100W @ 220 Volts. Maybe the inrush current pre-damaged the fuse though.

[@mernokimuvek]

If it was a fixed resistor it would be 4 times the power. Double the voltage, double the current. Power=voltage times current. As the tungsten wire hets up the resistance increses, so it draws about 3 time the power at double voltage.

[@adamkovac90]

I really like the song which started at 9:00 of the video. Sounded like something from an old video game.

[@synthwave7]

I am using LED bulbs for years and they don't even last 1 year. Not impressed with LED bulbs.

[@stevenk628]

In my experience, LED bulbs seem to fail earlier than an incandescent bulb. I have had so many LED bulbs get really dim after like a year or two and then quit working altogether. Time to go back to the good ol incandescent bulbs

[@Warp2090]

Same here. And LED streetlights are awful, alot of them are brand new and are already flashing, flickering, buzzing, and turning purple

[@Spyd77]

In one of Big Clive's videos he shows how to modify led lights to undervolt them, and this multiplies its life. But lamp makers don't want lamps to have a long life, they need lamps to burn out easily so you need to buy more. As smart led bulbs are getting ridiculously cheap those days, it's not a bad idea to buy a powerful one (12 or 15W) and use it at 50 to 66% power to get a really long life out of it. Not only the leds get a longer life, but the power supply too, as I have seen way too much led light die because the tiny cheap power supplies on them failed.

[@elyeryan8838]

This is a 260-275 volt bulb rated as 230v. You can make your own "decade bulbs" just by running ordinary light bulbs at reduced voltage!

[@F40PH-2CAT]

Weren't incandescant bulbs designed to fail after a certain number of hours is to assure the need for frequent replacement? These were probably ideal for lighting subway tunnels. In New York the incandescant bulbs lighting in the subway were specially made with thicker filaments and were rated at 36 watts, and supplied with 30 watts/90 volts of power.

[@F40PH-2CAT]

@Future Pants That firestation bulb has been run at reduced power for decades to keep it intact.

[@MrDuncl]

@@F40PH-2CAT From what Kevin says the same as these.

[@tomkandy]

The reason for incandescent lightbulbs short lifespan is discussed *in this video* at 1:20 - longer life bulbs are much less efficient, so you end up spending more in electricity than you'd save in replacement bulbs. That 25,000h 40W bulb would use 1,000 kWh over its life costing about $125, vs. $75 for an equally bright 25W bulb with 2000h lifespan. $50 would more than cover the cost of 13 replacement bulbs at

[@warrax111]

@@tomkandy excatly, they counted it idealy. No consipiracy. 1000 hour bulbs have best overall efficiency for saving the money for replacement, and electricity bill. Also, it's not so annyoing to exchange them once a while in household... 200 hours lifespan would be too irritating, but 1000 hour is "ok". They set it good in my opinion, but lots of people just cannot understand it, they see only that irritating part, they need to replace it . The don't see, how much $ it saves on electricity. Also polution... that one lightbulb, generates much less enviroment waste, that that wasted electricity. Most of power in history was based on coal powerplants.

[@DanielQwerty]

The music after turning on the light on 240v was cool and was a cool idea to add to this video

[@irridesu]

There's one at a fire station that's like 120 years old and it still works

[@irridesu]

@@Jesus_Christ8 True, but it's still an amazing thing nonetheless

[@EsotericArctos]

The "Decade" bulbs have a different construction to standard 240V incandescent globes. The filament has a lot more support. The filament is more robust, hence why it is not as bright. This is also why it can handle 240V for extended times. The thicker, more robust filament can take the extra current. They are not exactly 240V bulbs just downrated to extend life.

[@billdagoe7371]

To take advantage of the 10 yr warranty you have to ship the $1 bulb to CA along with the receipt. I'd like to see what that would cost - Way way more than a dollar. So.....the warranty is worthless.

[@keithvincenttucker9923]

Every time I have to by lightbulbs, I have to resist the urge to rant about how much I miss Incandescent bulbs. Especially the in the days before they were made in China.

[@rasoirwolf]

LEDs survive -30 to 100F just fine in Garages and Attics, in high-vibration service in the garage too, that things been in that garage door opener in the cold Minnesotan Winter and the Hot Minnesotan Summer for 7 years now? IDK, maybe we just bought good LEDs

[@simonmacomber7466]

There was a brand of incandescent bulbs that came out in the late 1970s. They were "squared off" in shape and made with a much thicker glass. They were quite heavy. The were touted as "lasting forever." They were called "Turtle Lite," to the best of my memory. The company went out of business fairly quickly for two reasons. The first was that their light bulbs *worked* as advertised. They lasted long enough that people stopped buying the lights often enough to keep the company in business. The second was that the company was sued by other light bulb manufacturers, to cripple the company with the cost of lawyers, *and* victimized by a collusion between companies to prevent Turtle Lites from being sold. I _still_ have a Turtle Lite burning in my home.

[@vwestlife]

Unfortunately, searching for it is impossible due to all the light bulbs designed to keep turtles and other reptiles warm.

[@simonmacomber7466]

@@vwestlife I've been able to find a few on auction sites. Before they went under completely the brand was sold to Westinghouse. Here is one link I found: www.angelfire.com/stars4/streetlights/turtlelite.htm

[@vwestlife]

@@simonmacomber7466 Thanks. Apparently they were replaced by the Halogena bulbs. I have one and it's rated for 3000 hours of use.

[@macrodriguez5697]

I remember having incandescent bulbs that I don't even remember ever changing them.

[@xxxthedestroyerxxx505]

That’s very likely. Depending on how long you’ve been there they could last awhile, or you could just not remember...

[@macrodriguez5697]

@@xxxthedestroyerxxx505 Where I was living for 35 years I had a couple of long lasting bulbs that I never changed as far as I can remember. But yes, maybe I just don't remember if I did 🤔😁

[@jaytalbot1146]

@12:22 "at 240v they use 108 watts" probably not, the high temperature of the incandescent filament complicates things as the resistance increases with temperature, but, if we assume constant resistance when the voltage doubles the current doubles, and as power is current time voltage the power would quadruple to 216W. Because the filament would be much hotter and thus higher resistance the current through the lamp won't really double, but there is no reason to think it would stay the same to get 108W, I suspect they gave plenty of headroom on that fuse and the power was significantly higher than the transformer's 100W rating. Also, 40W * 25,000 hrs is 1000KWh, costing between maybe $100 and $200 depending on where one is. Presuming a Dollar store lamp costs a dollar, and if it uses 8W instead of 40w, in many places one would still be better off with the LED if they only lasted 6 months (not to mention getting maybe 3 times as much light)

[@brady4222]

Here in Australia, Sale and use of Incandescent light bulbs were outlawed, so we now only have Halogen, CFL's LED's and fluorescent tubes for domestic use.

[@munnsie100]

There is a flood-light at my grandparents' house that has not been touched since 1956. The original 65 year old "Mazda" bulb is still working perfectly!

[@twocvbloke]

They sell the 130v bulbs over here for use with 110v "Site transformers" (step-down transformers that split into two "phases" so they are 55-0-55v, so a phase-to-earth shock is only 50-60v) when used on building sites and the like, though they're becoming less common, though you can still also buy regular 240v bulbs sold as "Rough Service" lamps, but again, becoming less common owing to changing over to LED technology...

[@audiobuff77]

I have a 60 watt incandescent bulb on a dimmer. It is more than 25 years old.

[@ccdimage]

I bought my wife a LED bulb when they were the latest tech. It cost about $60 at the time. It is still going in our lounge (high use area), that has to be nearly a decade. It has fairly low output. Just enough to be comfortable. It is the "worst christmass present ever" according to my wife. But I think it is the best. She often talks about it, and uses it every day.

[@Warp2090]

Those old led's were super high quality unlike most new ones of today.

[@maniatore2006]

But at the end your electricity bill say "Thank you for using LEDs Bulbs"

[@marzsit9833]

back in the 70's and 80's we used to be able to get bulbs that were imported from tungsram in hungary that were rated at 130 volts, they were very inexpensive but they lasted an extremely long time even in continuous use. they had brass bases and the glass was quite thick and difficult to break, they worked really well in hand-held trouble lights too.

[@mernokimuvek]

Tungsram was known to make decent products. A continuous service is better for a lamp than a lot of on off switching. If you leave it on permanently there is no thermal cycling.

[@saintmichael1779]

Feit was formed in 1978, and is still a family owned company.

[@HIDLad001]

For anybody wondering, the song at 9:00 is from Mr. Fantastic in the Wonderful World of Wurlitzer.

[@rs12official]

I have a floodlight version. The floodlight is only rated for 15000 hours for some reason. I also have an incandescent bulb by Aero-tech that lasts 20000 hours!

[@HIDLad001]

But is it filled with krypton gas?

[@rs12official]

@@HIDLad001 I’m not sure.

[@rs12official]

@@HIDLad001 I think the aero-tech is. I’m not sure about the Feit floodlight.

[@HIDLad001]

@@rs12official That might be a contributing factor in the life of the bulb. I have xenon 12V undercabinet lights that are rated for 20,000 hours!

[@JasonHalversonjaydog]

yeah i've noticed that bulbs that claim to last a long time are dimmer usually too. i see on these they're rated at 230 lumens, i think normal 40 watt bulbs are usually closer to 400, but i could be wrong

[@LatteLover]

Loved the music interlude

[@NJRoadfan]

"Rough Service" bulbs are almost always rated at 130VAC. The best bulbs I've found are traffic light signal bulbs. Ultra durable, rated for 67w@130VAC. They basically last forever. I had a set in the enclosed basement light fixtures in the old house and recall only replacing one of the bulbs once in like...... 20+ years. They are designed to frequently be turned on/off and have a life span of 2+ years continuous use so use in an indoor fixture with intermittent use extends the life quite a bit. Buying them new these days over LEDs is really tough to justify though, over $5 a bulb!

[@fab555trainspottingandmore]

We always used incandescent bulbs until 7 years ago but they banned them and with our 240V power line they only lasted for 2 years max

[@draxoronxztgs1212]

Let me correct one thing. At 12:10 If you double the voltage over a resistive load like an incandescent lamp, it doubles the current draw too which quadruples the wattage it consumes. So that transformer has been putting out far more than 108 watts, and been saturated so the voltage claimed to be fed on the sockets will be significantly lower in reality.

[@5roundsrapid263]

Amway used to sell krypton long-life bulbs like these back in the ‘80s. They were rated for 130V, not 120V, hence the long life. The glass had a weird flat top, too. I’ve seen some in Shango066’s videos.

[@vwestlife]

Philips used to make light bulbs with a squared-off shape. I still have a few of them.

[@5roundsrapid263]

@@vwestlife They’re probably the same bulbs that Amway sold. Those could have been rebranded 240V bulbs, also.

[@markm0000]

I vaguely remember watching that Linus video all those years back. He was such a different person back then.

[@analoghardwaretops3976]

I knowthat for sure...my own experience ...we have 230V/50Hz utility supply..& 100W incandesent ...fitted in 1995...& on daily approx. 6pm-11pm. & 5am-7am.. inside a glass fixture..mounted horizontally..on a wall..was in services right upto 2015 when we went in for house renovation.. I had installed a suitably rated N.T.C. in series with it...away from the fixture ..

[@thevacdude]

I like LED's, they put out a good amount of light, and I think I've only ever had one fail on me, for whatever reason, it was provided by the electric company, go figure. Bought some good ones from the Home Depot that have lasted over a year. Thanks for the video, Kevin.

[@MrHack4never]

FYI, Tech tangents has a similar voltage converter, and found out that the internal wiring is awful, so you should probably also check yours

[@jasons8479]

Be careful buying boxed light bulbs at thrift stores. I find that frequently the boxes contain the old bulbs that the person replaced. They just shove the used ones in the box and donate it to the thrift store, which usually tapes the box up, making it hard to inspect the bulbs. I just cut the tape with a key, open it up and take a look at the bulbs and try them out in a lamp before buying.

[@DRYFIT55]

i had 2 Philips led failed within the warranty, they made me a lot of trouble for the claim , in the end they finally sent me one replacement , not tbe same color and a lower quality led . now i give up