C6 or C7 on the tree?

[turquoisedude]

I am still trying to decide which lights to use on the tree in Odgen this year - the C6 sets or the C7 sets...

I know they are ancient and less than energy efficient, but as long as I can, I will still keep using 'em!

 

The C6 sets are probably in worse shape overall than the C7 sets (the bulbs are older than dirt so there has been some paint loss) and of course, we all know what happens when one bulb burns out or is loose....  Of course, I have modified the strings I use to use 12 bulbs per string instead of 8 to help keep the bulbs alive longer.  I also have lots of the 'figural' bulbs which are cute and fun to look at; I missed them last year 'cause were were in the UK at hubby's family for the holidays.

 

The C7 sets are newer and you can still get bulbs for them; they are a bit easier to hang too since they are in a line, rather than a loop.  I also have a pile of metal reflectors for C7 lights that I have never gotten a chance to use.

 

So, totally non-scientific poll - what would you all advise me to do??? 

 

[maytagbear]

This is just me......

which ones are in better condition electrically? That is the set I would use. If they are equally safe, I'd use the prettier one.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[lordkenmore]

In this position, I'd probably be tempted to do both on one tree. I have historically decorated trees with with 2-3 different types of lights:

-Primary lighting which does the actual illumination. C7 or lots of miniature bulbs here.
-A few miniature bulbs set to blink.
-Bubbling lights many years.

When I was really into trees years back, by the time I was done the lighting system would dim western Washington when plugged in, and if the tree had been outdoors, the glow could have been seen on Pluto. I am more restrained these days--but I still like having different types of lights.

So I'd have no problem adding C6 bulbs to the mix, if I were lucky enough to stumble across a strand. The only difference is that given the difficulty of replacing the bulbs, I'd probably use C6 lights in limited quantities, and they would only be plugged in for a limited number of hours each season. A strand of unlit bulbs would strike some as being odd looking, but it seems like a practical thing to save the usable life.

 

[whirlcool]

We use C7's on the outside of the house and the C6's on the tree.

 

[iheartmaytag]

Not sure about lighting, but all's I know from watching 'Myth Busters" you don't want to wire up no C-4. 

 

[vintagekitchen]

We all know what happens when one bulb goes out...

My vote is for C7. I own a few sets of C6 bulbs, and prefer them as far as looks, but due to their advancing age, I dont use them anymore, since when a bulb shoots, as they are bound to as old as they are, the entire strand goes out. I never did understand why C6 bulbs couldnt be wired the same way as the C7 bulbs.

 

[norgeway]

Donald Uses

Both and THEN SOME!! But we put all of ours on dimmers and that way bulbs last forever!

 

[Ultramatic]

I use C-7's

C-6's can be used on a smaller secondary tree. It would be easier to "hunt down" a bad bulb. C-6 bulbs are still out there, check out ebay, since they are no longer manufactured, I'd start to stock pile them if I were you. My parents have always used C-7's. I did have an aunt that used C-6's when I was a child. She had them with those foil reflectors. I too would recommend you put them on a dimmer, while not as bright, they would last longer.

 

[combo52]

CLASSIC TREE LIGHTS

I always liked the C6s better and I would often have 10-12 strings on our tree, I too always had a dimmer on the whole tree to save the bulbs and for greater safety and energy efficiency.

 

[perc-o-prince]

Dimmer is the recommended way to go...

so say the antique christmas light collectors. I love the look of the c6 lights. I have done two tabletop trees, this year, with very early strands from the early 1920's. One of them has the early edison mazda tipped bulbs(c6) from about 1910-1915 and the other has the japanese lantern bulbs(c6)which I think are from the 1920's.

Post some pics of what you choose, Paul I love the holidays!!

Rich

 

[rp2813]

Even with modern mini lights we use a dimmer.  There are very few fixtures or lamps in our house that aren't on dimmers.

 

When I was householder during probate for a family friend's large, all original 1936 Mediterranean style home back in the 80's, I came across some C-6 strings in the basement, but didn't use them.  This house had one of those hot wired small lighted house numbers imbedded into the stucco above the front porch, and the bulb burnt out while I was there.  When I went to change the bulb, it turned out to have a small C6 thread.  I pulled a white C6 off one of the basement strings, spun it into the socket and it lit.  I think that same bulb is still in it.  The house across the street from me has the same type of lit address.  Those neighbors are all about deferred maintenance, so if that bulb burnt out, it would stay out.  Which makes me wonder if their C6 has been burning since the 40's. 

 

Both of those stand-alone bulbs have been burning for decades, but they don't get banged around either.  If these bulbs have lasted so long, why would there be a concern over how many lights are on a string?

 

[circlew]

Standard C-6 bulbs are 15 volt, therefore a series wired string of 8 will operate on a regular 120 volt line. The house number light would have been on a transformer rated at 10 volts or so, likely along with the doorbell. The 30%+ voltage reduction would extend the bulb life greatly.

 

[d-jones]

I've been running vintage c6 and c7 lights on my tree for years and always through a variac dialed down to about 80 volts. The reduction in heat is significant which helps preserve the tree as well as the bulbs. Believe or not I've had a tree up for four weeks on a couple of occasions without a single loss. When running c6 bulbs I always keep a 9 volt battery near by to help find the bad ones. Simply touch the little soldered button on the bottom of the bulb to one of the battery terminals and the threaded base to the other. It's very simple, so fear of burned out bulbs shouldn't keep you from using the c6 sets.

I've only put the standard c6 sets on the tree a couple of times. Usually when I'm running c6 bulbs they're in the old Noma biscuit type bubble lights. When you get a tree loaded up with upwards of 50 bulbs, all bubbling away, they create this remarkable upward movement in the tree that can be as mesmerizing as the dancing flames in a fireplace. And if you have some of the early ones you even get this pleasant little tinkling sound created by the glass slugs as they're rattled by the passing bubbles.

But if the choice is between standard conical c6 bulbs and c7, I'd go with c7 as long as they're vintage GE bulbs. They're the ones I remember from childhood, the colors, the shape, the little GE fan logo. Somehow Christmas just doesn't seem the same without them. The shape of the bulb changed for the worse(at least in my opinion)way back when production moved off shore so I've been hording NOS vintage ones for years. I probably already have enough to last the rest of my life running them through the variac and all but somehow I can't stop myself from buying more every year. You can see the distinctive shape of the vintage bulb clearly in this picture.