From: "Da Man"
Newsgroups: sci.engr.lighting,sci.electronics.design
References: <1040708598.471052@gaspra.spiretech.com>
Subject: Re: So how DO you find the burned out bulb?
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Date: Tue, 24 Dec 2002 23:09:37 GMT
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"Boris Mohar" wrote in message
news:f0dh0vobkp9k1hgvgep2c8k9enc1fmgeen@4ax.com...
> On Tue, 24 Dec 2002 05:43:19 GMT, "Bill Brown" wrote:
>
> >I have been following the "Greenlee Voltage Stick" posts. I bought a $5
> >Radio Shack Voltage detector and had similar problems figuring out which
> >bulb is burned out in a series xmas light string..
> >
> >So the question is How do you find the burned out bulb?? If I had my
magic
> >wand I would create a pen sized stick with a hole in the bottom that you
> >slip over the suspect bulb (while it still plugged into a powered
string).
> >If it buzzed (or didn't buzz) then you pop the bulb out with the attached
> >grippers (Kind of like a screw holder, except sharper). It should be easy
> >because you have a 120 VAC differential across the burned out bulb, but
> >essentially nothing across a good bulb.
> >
> >Hmmm... maybe I should also post this to sci.electronics.design and see
if
> >any of the whiz bang designers over there have any good ideas. Hey guys
> >over there, build a million, sell a million, make a million, $$ that is!
> >See the original series of posts in sci.engr.lighting, under the thread
> >"Greelee Voltage Stick".
>
> If this is a loop type where you have a single wire daisy chaining from
> one bulb to another that plug it in and bring an input from an audio
> amplifier in the PROXIMITY for the wire. The hum should significantly
> diminish or increase when you cross the break. Under no circumstances
> should you attempt to connect the amp input to any part of the bulb
> wiring. Also make sure that the amp and the bulb chain are plugged in the
> same outlet.
>
>
That's how you do it!
With a voltage probe, you don't need the amp, as it essentially is the same
thing, only with a pen sized case and a LED connected instead of a speaker.
I still have to buy one of those probes, but I just stick one meter probe in
the hot side of an recptical, pull a bulb from one end of the string, and
plug it in so that it is the hot side (or pull the bulb on the other side).
I then replace the bulb, pull the middle bulb, and check to see of I still
have 120V there (in america). If I do, I pull the bulb in the middle of the
last half, and check again, If I don't I go and pull the bulb in the first
half, and check again. I repeat this process a few times till I limit it
down to one bulb. If there is more then one bad bulb, I have to repeat the
process a few times. It only takes a couple of minutes to do.
>
> Boris Mohar
>
>