Santa needs a new light bulb.

Question

This is Santa awaiting cleaning and then storage in the attic after another successful Christmas season.

Mr. Santa went dark on the last day of the season so I need to get a new bulb for him. His light is on 24/7 for a month every year so I'm wondering about the availability of an LED replacement bulb? Also, I've found the incandescent bulbs to be a bit fragile and maybe LED would be an improvement in that area as well? How about ability to work in the cold?

The bulb is 120v 40W and looks like this. It has a very small base, is that considered an E12 base? When an led bulb says it's the 40W equivalent in terms of brightness, is it really? The fixture is rated for 40W I believe but is led 40W the same as incandescent 40W?

gordonthree · Answer

That's a "candelabra" type bulb... there are 120V LED based replacements available at most big-box home improvement stores... look for a warm-white version to keep St. Nick's cheerful glow, the daylight / bright-white versions will give him a bluish tint.

Edit: missed your question about the cold ... LED will have no problems at all operating in cold temperatures.

merrykalia · Answer

Also, you might be able to go with a stronger wattage with an LED bulb.  The wattage was limited because of the heat generated by the incandescent bulb.

wa8yxm · Answer

From the photo I have no idea if that is a C-7 1/2 or a C-9 but here is a page of C-9 for you

Super Bright Leds Company

I suspect they have C-7 as well..

The number refers to both the size of the base and the wattage *IF* they are used as a standard christmas tree lamp. the C-7 50 years ago was the most common INDOOR before the mini-lamps became popular. This type of string each lamp is independent, if one goes out, one goes out (The mini's if one goes out they all go out).

The C-9 was the larger outdoor lamp

Both bases today can be found in assorted wattages,, Very assorted wattages with the C-7 base being the most popular.

And you can get an adapter to turn a C-9 or an Edison (Standard lamp socket) into a C-7 if you need one.

j-mans_dad · Answer

Heh. Reminds me of a house in the neighborhood that had Santa on their roof. Musta had a 100 watt bulb in him because every time we drove by, it looked like Santa was about to explode into flames he was so bright.
Probably could have spotted their roof from the moon.

wa8yxm · Answer

I was thinking of the episode of Home Improvement when Tim Taylor entered the house decoration contest... His neighbor (the one he chatted with over the fence) was the judge.

Tim won.. Seems he managed to get himself connected to the string somehow and the neighbor/judge said "No other house had a Light Up Tim".

Of course Tim Taylor is now Mike Baxter, KA0XTT (eX Tim Taylor) a fictional ham radio call. (The x following the number means "eXpermental" and both the producers, the American Radio Relay League and the FCC figure they wont ever get to XT in giving those out).

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Santa needs a new light bulb.

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