I have used the search tool and found thousands of threads and posts with the words "Mains light bulb tester", but no luck finding a post with instructions on how to make and use it.
I assume you mean a light bulb tester to prevent damage to amps etc during fault finding
If so it's just a 60 or 100 watt mains filament bulb wired in series with the mains to the appliance.
If there is a fault, the bulb lights rather than blowing a load of semiconductors.
Perhaps "inrush current limiter" would be a better choice of words.
@ jerryo, decibeldungeon is a helpful site, i'll have to do some more searching. @ Mooly, "I assume you mean a light bulb tester to prevent damage to amps etc during fault finding". Yes sir that's what i meant. I was gathering information about transformer wiring options and grounding techniques, and the bulb tester kept on showing up in the threads. That's what got me thinking i should build one for myself. Thanks for the help guys.
I haven't built one yet, but I expect to soon. I think one important issue is that the load--your amp for example, be in series with the bulb, not parallel.
I think the way the schematic at Decibel Dungeon is drawn can be a little confusing.
Check these two links:
The Dim-bulb Radio Tester
Dim Bulb Tester
I think the way the schematic at Decibel Dungeon is drawn can be a little confusing.
Check these two links:
The Dim-bulb Radio Tester
Dim Bulb Tester
Enter "light bulb limiter" into google. You will get several links to instructions for building this extremely simple device on the first page of hits.
It is no more complex that inserting an incandescent light bulb in series with the equipment you are servicing. In its simplest form, a lamp socket with two clip wires coming from it, clipped in place of the mains fuse in the gear under test.
It is no more complex that inserting an incandescent light bulb in series with the equipment you are servicing. In its simplest form, a lamp socket with two clip wires coming from it, clipped in place of the mains fuse in the gear under test.
and I am sure there are millions of other professionals in the electronics/electrical field that don't need one either.I spent ten years as a professional lighting tech and never found a need for such a thing...
They will all know how to safely wire up a twin primary transformer so that the windings are in phase and thus avoid a dead short across the mains supply.
It's us amateurs that need protecting from ourselves!
Here's a couple of links:
The Dim-bulb Radio Tester
Building a Gainclone chip amp power supply.
IMHO the "Decibel Dungeon" site is an excellent resource.
Both are essentially the same as Speedskater's schematic.
Regards,
The Dim-bulb Radio Tester
Building a Gainclone chip amp power supply.
IMHO the "Decibel Dungeon" site is an excellent resource.
Both are essentially the same as Speedskater's schematic.
Regards,
Last edited:
The poor man's variac I guess. I have used variable autotransformers for years and they are the best solution, but new ones today are ridiculously expensive.
Some amps will not power up on a variac without risk of damage. The light bulb prevents this.
- Status
- This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.
- Home
- Amplifiers
- Power Supplies
- mains light bulb tester.