Dim Bulb Tester - Incandescent Bulbs going away in USA

[sabrefencer]

Sale of incandescent light bulbs will be banned in the US as of July 31, 2023. This is bad news if you use a dim bulb tester (DBT) for powering up potentially shorted equipment. Other countries may have already done away with them.

I use an assortment of 60, 100, 150, and 200w clear, standard, A19 incandescent. Frosted bulbs will also work. Halogen might work, I have not tried them, but the LED bulbs -- soon to be all you will be able to buy will not work in a DBT. Kind of like vacuum tubes (with which incandescent bulbs have some common traits).

Availability is already dwindling. Stock-up now if you want to continue to use your DBT.

Admin: if this was already covered in another thread, please let me know, or delete.

Happy hunting.

 

[WillVT]

Yup, there's a thread about this.

https://audiokarma.org/forums/index...ming-incandescent-bulb-ban-in-the-us.1029222/

 

[sabrefencer]

Thanks for the link. That thread seems to be mostly about the virtues (or lack thereof) of LEDs. This thread was intended to be specific to DBTs and what to do if you don't have access to incandescent bulbs.

 

[WillVT]

Yeah, I didn't mean to ruin your thread. I've never used a DBT, but my thoughts are that given the minimal use, even a few incandescent bulbs would be enough to last a lifetime. I think also some kinds of incandescent bulbs will still be sold, like decorative types. Don't quote me on that though...

 

[painttoad]

i had back up bulbs already but i went ahead and grabbed some more.

i think that as soon as i get some "free" time, i will build a new dbt and locate it in a place where the bulb is less likely to get broken. that's really my only concern, i'm not worried about bulbs burning out.

 

[HPMguy]

Halogens are still for sale I think, since they are high efficiency. Works just like a tungsten filament (since it is, just with iodine in the envelope).

 

[sabrefencer]

I think halogen bulbs, which are a type of incandescent, are included in the ban. There are some exceptions, which may include some appliance and candle shape bulbs.

 

[AuralAbrasns]

Canada supposedly banned incandescent bulbs a decade ago but I can still find them for sale. They’re certainly harder to find, particularly 60w, but I manage.

 

[Blue Shadow]

That thread seems to be mostly about the virtues (or lack thereof) of LEDs.

It is just a more developed thread since it was posted 10 days sooner.

Much ado about nothing, really. Buy three bulbs and you'll be DBT'ed for decades. Not like they blow up regularly.

 

[crispycircuit]

I felt lucky to find some in an Estate garbage. DBT units are handy as hell...

 

[audiocrzy]

Better stock up!