Ozone Lamp question

[kenmore71]

In older dryers, there was often an ozone lamp wired in series with a 40 lamp that served at a drum lamp. It is always said that the 40 watt lamp served as a "ballast" of for the ozone lamp. Now, I know that if I wire 2 120 volt 40 watt bulbs in series, each will receive 60 volts and light at about half brightness.

What was the voltage on these ozone lamps? I know that they were rated at 4 watts. Did the 40 watt drum lamp burn less brightly because it was in series with the ozone lamp?

Finally...were can I gets my hands on one of these old-fashioned intermediate base ozone lamps???

 

[jeff_adelphi]

Ozone lamp,

The ozone bulb is a mercury arc lamp, the filament is just to preheat the mercury vapor untill the arc starts. It must be used with some type of ballast to limit the current flow, a 40 watt bulb or a magnetic ballast were used. Here is a link to a newer style bulb that will work, but it's shape is different and may not fit all appliances that used the globe shaped bulb. I have installed these in some dryers and they work just fine. Jeff

http://www.1000bulbs.com/search/?q=germicidal&filter[base+type]=Intermediate+(E17)

 

[kenmore71]

Thanks for the info!

Dorky question: does using the 40 watt bulb as a ballast reduce the brightness of it (the 40 watt bulb)?

 

[jeff_adelphi]

I would have to think it does slightly, but have not noticed any difference with the dryers I have worked on. Would make an interesting test. Jeff

 

[kb0nes]

Looking at Jeff's link I'm assuming that the 10.5v rating for the bulb is after the internal arc is struck. There should be approximately this voltage across the lamp when its doing its UV thing. How long do these lamps take to arc? They are pretty small lamps so I'd guess its almost instantaneous.

The specified .3 amp current squares well with the 40 watt ballast bulb. You aren't likely to see a difference in the incandescent lamp output, at least not without an A/B comparison. That is less then a 10% line voltage difference. Color temperature of the lamp may drop a bit though.

Using an incandescent bulb for current limiting has other good uses. Its handy to build up a cord with a lamp socket in series with an outlet. This can be used for powering up old electronics like radios and TV's etc. These are often referred to as a "Dim Bulb Tester". The series lamp will drop the line voltage giving a fault limit in case a capacitor shorts to save other components. Also you get a handy visual indication of current flow, if the bulb is bright you have a problem! Size the lamp accordingly with current draw the device under test would have normally. Effectively this can replace a Variac although it doesn't give control over power up.

 

[toploader55]

I still think...

I think of these lamps are anti bacterial why don't they use them in Front Loaders
to prevent bacteria and mold ?

 

[jetcone]

Eddie

water, alkaline detergent and a charged light socket don't play well together.

 

 

 

[kenmore71]

Thank you all for your info about how these lamps work electrically.

In terms of using these in the new front-loaders - I'm sorry to say that I doubt it would be helpful in any way. The mold grows in these in the places where no light or air ever reaches if the door is kept closed. The light from one of these lamps would never shine where it was needed.

At that, I don't think these lamps were ever effective at being "germicidal". They are too weak to accomplish that task given the size of a dryer drum and the speed at which clothes were moving past. From what I can tell, their primary purpose in dryers was to impart the "line dried" smell that came from the ozone they emitted. They were really more of a gimmick and selling feature than serving any medicinal purpose. Certainly in the early Maytag and Frigidaire dryers the HIGH drying temperatures (180-200 degrees) had far more germicidal effect than the ozone lamps!!!

 

[combo52]

Germicidal, Ozone Lamps

Actually would likely be very effective in a closed FL washer, these lamps produced enough Ozone to be quite irritating to you nasal passages that's for sure, and their would be NO safety problem installing them inside FL washers, [ many FL washers actually now have lights inside ]. However the Ozone gas can be very detrimental to certain rubber and plastic parts, finishes etc so I would not look to see them back anytime soon. I believe Ozone can also a produce a significant air pollution so again I am not sure how the widespread use of these would go over today.

 

As for stinky washers proper use of the machine will eliminate any problems, but with consumers today that is asking a lot, LOL.

 

[18millstreet]

ozone lamp bulb

Hello, Itried to buy an ozone bulb back in 76,and was told the sale of these was outlawed in 1969. There are a few used exact replacement bulbs out there still. I had a 65 whirlpool imperial 7 dryer a few years ago which used these bulbs,often called a germicidal lamp. Thanks, Walt

 

[trainguy]

ALWAYS Try eBay First!

I have a few dozen bulbs that I've found on eBay over the last few years. Search under "Puritron" and you'll find what you need.

 

[tomturbomatic]

The nice thing about these bulbs is that the ballast bulb almost always burns out first.

 

[toploader55]

Ah, But Jon

My '61 Whirlpool has a Ozone Lamp (Germicidal).

Still Works.

 

[akronman]

for the record

I have a 1959 Whirlpool dryer with the tub light and ozone bulb. A 40 watt incandescent wont get the ozone bulb to light, but a 60 watt will.
For the record.