Make your own Dooby lamps

The capacitive dropper lamps need AC to work. Others could show more flicker than a tungsten lamp if used with a diode.

Big Clive

Would a diode in series with the mains be another method of reducing the current in the lamps? When I worked in the TV trade in the early 70s, most of the older sets were not solid-state and all the valve filaments were connected in series, totalling about 190 volts at 300mA. The excess voltage was dropped by large wire-wound resistors. As the small-signal stages became transistorised. the total valve chain voltage dropped to about 140 volts, so a diode was inserted in series, which dropped the rms voltage (half-wave rectified, but unsmoothed DC) applied to the chain to about 175 volts.

I bought the same type of lamps for12V use. They died very quickly. Used a lead battery. Did not realise that they charge far above the 12V. With some diodes in series the problem was fixed.

Hub Rijcks

That is a really useful video, and I am already thinking as to how I will go about building a small module to splice into the landing light, as I hate bright lights anyway and currently have a 3w led which is awful.

Mike Hughes

Truely fantastic content

Alex Taylor

I have mostly wifi controlled led bulbs. I have definitely noticed running them at 50% brightness saves 80% of the power. To bad they run at 1w even when off.

Alex Taylor

DIP switches are not rated for mains voltage.

MarcT

Danke 😘

Cerity

Cerity. https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B003CHIN84/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Very amber night light. Looks like a low pressure sodium lamp. I haven’t opened it, but but a clear line shows where the case comes together. Has a photo cell, shows dimmer when you partially cover it

Kevin Hardisty

BC idea for the 🎊night light option❓ indeed

Cerity

Those blue LED Amazon night light LEDs run near max current. Haven’t seen amber recently, is the color close to flame 1700k to 2200k❓ 👍😁 Any desire to add another resistor

Cerity

Would be easy to swap the switch plate for a 2 gang one, leave gang one as wired (for On/Off) and wire the second gang with the C and the switch arranged to bridge the C this will allow Bright/Dim switching.

Mr B Shepherd

I bought a small amber nightlight from Amazon, 2 for 10 bucks. Very pleasant gentle light, yet fairly bright.

Kevin Hardisty

It could be a rotary selector switch with capacitors.

Big Clive

I'm already mirrored on LBRY/Odysee so I don't want to spread across too many platforms.

Big Clive

How about a wall mounted dimmer that works like your resistance box but with capacitors ? I must look into SSVC's (solid state variable capacitor) :)

We leave a landing light on all night, the 2w bulb is almost too bright, when nature calls, I will be adapting an adaptor... There are several YouTube channels moving to Rumble, is Big Clive going to do the same..?

You could design a male to female lamp holder adapter complete with 2 or 3 under run capacitors and a dip switch selector. Could sell them as an eco device.

Mike Hanley

I'm wondering if it'll be demonetized for the name I've given it.

Big Clive

A capacitor can only limit current in an AC circuit. If they are running on AC it could regulate the intensity.

Big Clive

Very nice educational video. What would happen if you put a cap in series with a string of led lights? Assuming they are all in parallel.

Mike Weijmans

"Dooby" lamps, eh? Another way to "light up", so to speak? :) https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Doobie

Isn't that for an incandescent bulb?

Neil Tonks

It really enhances the type with a starburst of LEDs inside, as you can actually see them all glowing.

Big Clive

No wattage. X2 capacitors are common interference suppression caps. They generally have a capacitance rating - usually in hundreds of nanoFarads and an AC voltage rating. In the UK it's usually around 275V AC.

Big Clive

"Light bulb manufacturers hate this guy." :) The switchable nightlight idea is a good one.

Wim

Thanks for the video I will mod the power to some of my LED lamps to make them last longer. I did make some 38LED lamps with smaller capacitors.

Nuts 'n' Proud

Can I ask, what Type and Rating (wattage) for the capacitor. X2 type?

One of your best videos Clive; one of my favourites too.

ha, thought this was about ....another...type of lamp lol

GL_1_Code1_1A

So something like this? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UM6Y0G2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_imm_t1_my1cGb098YECE

Lostngone

Well done Clive, very useful. You should patent the idea and develop a small adapter with inbuilt cap for the Chinese to make for you.

Ymir the Frost Giant

It would be interesting to test some with a lux meter, e.g. if the wattage fell from 6W to 2W, but the lux level only halved, then this would be a 50% efficiency improvement. From testing a few low voltage 12V LED filament bulbs, I found some also light with a 1K resistor as bright as a candle, drawing just 10mA, useful to know for RV owners.

Seán Byrne

I quite like the variety from the trusted teardown videos. Nice one!

Bas

A very interesting video. Its not something I knew I needed to know. But now I know. I find car lights very off putting with the flicker.

DC Allan

Dooby-ous lol

I'd also be ok with a "Doobie" lamp, though I'm guessing Clive already has one.

Peter Stevens

"Some didn't like it. But most worked fine at greatly reduced power levels." I think that will equally apply to viewers :D I liked it.

Steve Brace

Darn I was expecting something completely different by the word "Dooby".

Charles Bruckner

Very interesting!

Dr Andy Hill

Yabba Dabba Dooby⁉️😂

Cerity

Impressive and also have the effect of them being a nice warmish low glow very nice. not the icy cool one but the rest nice. Super nice effects,. I love night lights. Delightful!

Michael Thompson

And I happily misread that as "Make your own Booby lamps :-)"

Peter Stevens

Scooby Dooby lamps!

Tim Albers