Author Topic: Need help identifying this strange looking, clear spiral bulb.  (Read 2475 times)
theseller
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Need help identifying this strange looking, clear spiral bulb. « on: July 12, 2019, 04:18:31 PM » Author: theseller
Hello friends.

I have come into the possession of a strange looking bulb. It is spiral like a fluorescent, but with a clear tube.

Is this a small neon bulb?

Thanks in advance.
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tolivac
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Re: Need help identifying this strange looking, clear spiral bulb. « Reply #1 on: July 13, 2019, 12:50:10 AM » Author: tolivac
A xenon flashbulb for photography.
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dor123
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Re: Need help identifying this strange looking, clear spiral bulb. « Reply #2 on: July 13, 2019, 01:26:25 AM » Author: dor123
A xenon flash bulb for photography is usually linear, and spiral xenon flash lamp usually have different base than this. I think this is simply a neon lamp.
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Medved
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Re: Need help identifying this strange looking, clear spiral bulb. « Reply #3 on: July 13, 2019, 06:44:27 AM » Author: Medved
Try to light it using some plasma ball or something similar (capacitively coupled HF HV), the color will give it off.
If it is bluish-white, it would be a Xenon flash tube. If not for photography, it could be for some special use.
If it is red, it is very likely some Neon lamp, probably for some obstacle warning or so.
Maybe more detailed electrode photo may help too:
Solid chunk electrodes mean high current pulse operation, so indicate a flash lamp,
thin metal cups are characteristic for a low current discharge, so more of the Neon warning lamp.
Their size (one compared to the other one) and/or presence/absence of any polarity indication may suggest AC vs DC operation.
If the same size and no polarity indication, it would be AC and that means only a low current operation (so the Neon lamp).
The pulse lamps are virtually all rated for one polarity only, so a Xenon tube would either have each electrode of different size or shape and/or bear some polarity markings either on the base or wire connectors.
However some low current operation lamps are DC only as well, so polarity indication is not exclusive for pulsed lamps.

My personal observation: For a Xe flash bulb (of any use) it is lacking the triggering electrode (usually in the form of either stripe coated along the tube, or a thin wire spread wound along it; connected to the output of the HV pulse trigger transformer). But such electrode may be added after installation (I have seen this concept on miniature flash lamps - the reflector body was such electrode for a thin ~2" rod tube)
Plus from the photos (not that clear there, so I'm by far not sure if it is correct) it seems like the electrodes are more of a cup shape, so another indication of a low current steady operation lamp. But as I said, I'm not sure if I see it correctly.
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tolivac
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Re: Need help identifying this strange looking, clear spiral bulb. « Reply #4 on: July 14, 2019, 12:36:44 AM » Author: tolivac
I have seen spiral xenon flashbulbs-used with reflectors-slave flashes driven by the camera through a control unit that fires the slave flash fixtures.The reflectors can be "hard" metal ones or soft cloth ones with a diffuser cloth front.
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Miles
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Re: Need help identifying this strange looking, clear spiral bulb. « Reply #5 on: July 15, 2019, 03:36:59 PM » Author: Miles
This is a neon lamp. Looks like lead soft glass. This will glow red/orange if you apply one or two kilovolts at 10-30mA.

Too small to be an obstruction light, only other one I've seen at that size with that material / bakelite like base was for car / truck engine timing lights.
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Medved
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Re: Need help identifying this strange looking, clear spiral bulb. « Reply #6 on: July 16, 2019, 03:20:47 AM » Author: Medved
For the timing lamp nor the lead wires, nor the lamp connection are clearly designed for the 30+kV the timing lamp needs to handle towards ground (it uses to be connected in series with the spark plug wire for the timing alignment, so it has full spark plug voltage on it).

But as far as I remember, the modern timing lights used rather standard Xe strobe flash tube, powered by an electronic supply with a contact less sensor for the trigger, so you do not have to mess with any of the HV wiring for testing the ignition timing. The main mpotivator was, the active concept allows greater brightness, so way better timing marks visibility.
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theseller
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Re: Need help identifying this strange looking, clear spiral bulb. « Reply #7 on: July 16, 2019, 07:05:11 PM » Author: theseller
Thank you everyone for your replies.

Attached is a picture of the electrodes. I tried my best to get a good, focused picture.

I do have a neon tube tester that I use exclusively to test fluorescent tubes. (see picture)

Should I try this on the spiral bulb? I am afraid of damaging this rare old bulb.

What do you guys think?
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Medved
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Re: Need help identifying this strange looking, clear spiral bulb. « Reply #8 on: July 17, 2019, 12:44:13 AM » Author: Medved
The electrodes are really of a cup shape and are looking equal.
Definitely nothing high current (even pulse) and AC.
So something like Neon lamp or so.

These testers can not damage any discharge, definitely when used for just a short time, dont worry. Worst case that may happen is they excite different kind of discharge and so you make wrong conclusion about the tested lamp, but any even slightest harm is highly unlikely.
Where I would be careful with such tester are semiconductor devices (LEDs,...), but that is clearly not the case here...
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theseller
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Re: Need help identifying this strange looking, clear spiral bulb. « Reply #9 on: July 18, 2019, 11:11:05 AM » Author: theseller
Hooked it up to the tester. Check it out! Really cool bulb.

You guys were right the whole time.

Thanks for helping solve this mystery.
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dor123
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Re: Need help identifying this strange looking, clear spiral bulb. « Reply #10 on: July 18, 2019, 12:41:00 PM » Author: dor123
Usually spiral xenon flash tube, looks different than a spiral neon tube, since the neon tube is made of glass, while the xenon flash tube is made from quartz.
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I"m don't speak English well, and rely on online translating to write in this site.
Please forgive me if my choice of my words looks like offensive, while that isn't my intention.

I only working with the international date format (dd.mm.yyyy).

I lives in Israel, which is a 220-240V, 50hz country.

tolivac
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Re: Need help identifying this strange looking, clear spiral bulb. « Reply #11 on: July 20, 2019, 01:44:18 AM » Author: tolivac
Nice!!!Its NEON!!Wonder what the lamp was used in?
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takemorepills
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Re: Need help identifying this strange looking, clear spiral bulb. « Reply #12 on: July 21, 2019, 08:56:57 AM » Author: takemorepills
Obstruction light
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bryanrb
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Re: Need help identifying this strange looking, clear spiral bulb. « Reply #13 on: August 07, 2019, 02:52:44 PM » Author: bryanrb
By the looks of the cathodes, it looks like a red neon lamp. It is definitely neon.
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