Need to find a weird light bulb, ID please?

[toxcrusadr]

Father in law has a Rudolph yard sign with a 120V light bulb socket with no bulb. He bought an appliance bulb that will not work, and I need to find one that will.

Here's the socket.


It has vertical metal tabs on either side for contacts. None in the bottom. So it seems like some kind of bayonet, probably does not twist.

Here's the appliance bulb he got.

It fits in the socket, but it has two contacts on the BOTTOM and the socket has none in the bottom. I put a meter to the contacts in the socket and found each one is connected to one side of the line, confirming there is nothing missing from the bottom of the socket. But the brass bulb base will be a dead short so obviously this is not it.


I went to 1000 Bulbs and looked through the styles and did not find anything that looks right.

Any ideas?

 

[4-2-7]

Any ideas?

Like the old school bulb you have in the photo is for an auto, I would look at a more modern headlight bulb at the auto strore

 

[toxcrusadr]

No that's a 120V appliance bulb and this socket has a cord that plugs into the wall so it has to be a 120V bulb. I had the same thought but no dice.

 

[wlhd1610]

It looks like an old C9 xmas light socket with the bottom tab missing.
With that wire running through the bottom does it go to another socket or just the one ?
How about another overall pic and ID of the socket?


Bob

 

[steerpike2]

Any possibility the copper tab on the right has been bent to vertical, were it ought to be lying flat on the bottom?

 

[toxcrusadr]

It looks like an old C9 xmas light socket with the bottom tab missing.
With that wire running through the bottom does it go to another socket or just the one ?
How about another overall pic and ID of the socket?


Bob

Kinda does look like that but there are no threads inside for a threaded bulb.

The wire running thru the bottom did seem to go somewhere though - you can actually see the bare end of it cut flush with the outside of the assembly. Almost like the plug and and the first socket was cut off the end of a light string.

I'll get another pic.

Any possibility the copper tab on the right has been bent to vertical, were it ought to be lying flat on the bottom?

That would certainly solve some of our problems!

 

[steerpike2]

The only light bulb I've ever seen with two side contacts is the really really old Siemens base - but they abandoned that in about 1900.

 

[wlhd1610]

Alot of the last production of C9 light string sockets only had the one vertical piece of brass with the rest of the socket just plain plastic.
The threads of the bulb base only really engaged that tiny strip of brass.

Probably be easier to put a new "intermediate" base(C9) or "candelabra" base(C7) socket on and be done with it.

Bob

 

[steerpike2]

This looks right, but for the size.

 

[SolderIron]

Probably be easier to put a new "intermediate" base(C9) or "candelabra" base(C7) socket on and be done with it.

Bob

I would just cut the odd ball socket off and get a regular socket so I can use regular bulbs from here on.

 

[wlhd1610]

I would just cut the odd ball socket off and get a regular socket so I can use regular bulbs from here on.

It all depends on what size bulb "Rudolph" requires which is why I offered up my suggestions withstanding lack of application picture.



Bob

 

[toxcrusadr]

I think you guys are right, just replace the socket.

It's too big for the small C7 bulb, more like the size of the bigger older Christmas lights (C9?).

Rudolph has about a 1-1/4" dia hole for his nose so either of those would work. I think that's the most expeditious option.

 

[visiman]

Slide light bulb #5? maybe

I have a few around here somewhere but not size #5 They are also not that high of wattage. these were common in the transevers and telecommunications equipment and had a fairly long life.

 

[electronjohn]

Weird that a relatively common consumer product such as that would require a bulb that's evidently unobtanium.

 

[visiman]

For 1 1/5 dollars to keep it original is not too much to pay

 

[Sandstrom]

It all depends on what size bulb "Rudolph" requires which is why I offered up my suggestions withstanding lack of application picture.



Bob

Now Rudolph is requiring bulbs?! I tell ya' everybody wants everything handed to them nowadays. What's next? Will he want paid vacation time?

 

[wlhd1610]

You should just convert it to a red LED and be done with it!


Bob