Jerry rigging bug light with burned out bulb?

softdown
softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,812 ✭✭✭✭
I bought this 80's vintage bug light for $3 knowing that the fluorescent bulb didn't work. It is an Amcor Katlan 25, it was the "Cadillac" of bug friars in its heyday. Weighs a good 15 pounds of "vintage American steel "and was built to last. 

The electrical grid that fries the bugs still works. The 15" blue T8 fluorescent bug light is no longer available. The manufacturer is still in business making other stuff. They have not responded to my contact. T8 means the bulb is .8" wide (T12s are 1.2" wide). 15" seems to be the issue with finding a blue bulb.

We have a couple good Mcgivor's here. I think it would work with any blue bulb close to the bug frying grid. Ideas? 

Yes....I do a lot of unusual things. Thanks.
First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries

Comments

  • Estragon
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    It seems to me bugs like white light too. Maybe it was blue to make it less annoying to humans but still attract bugs?

    If you want blue, how about a strip of blue LEDs stuck to the reflector where the old bulb would go?
    Off-grid.  
    Main daytime system ~4kw panels into 2xMNClassic150 370ah 48v bank 2xOutback 3548 inverter 120v + 240v autotransformer
    Night system ~1kw panels into 1xMNClassic150 700ah 12v bank morningstar 300w inverter
  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,812 ✭✭✭✭
    edited May 2018 #3
    Estragon said:
    It seems to me bugs like white light too. Maybe it was blue to make it less annoying to humans but still attract bugs?

    If you want blue, how about a strip of blue LEDs stuck to the reflector where the old bulb would go?
    Sounds like a winning plan. There is no reflector however. 

    Anybody know of blue "stick on" LEDs? 
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
  • Estragon
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Getting a little carried away, but something like this could look pretty cool...
    http://www.leevalley.com/en/Hardware/page.aspx?p=72803&cat=3,43349,71436
    Off-grid.  
    Main daytime system ~4kw panels into 2xMNClassic150 370ah 48v bank 2xOutback 3548 inverter 120v + 240v autotransformer
    Night system ~1kw panels into 1xMNClassic150 700ah 12v bank morningstar 300w inverter
  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,812 ✭✭✭✭
    This ought to work: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00X84LSBU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    Let me know if such linking is verboten.
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,812 ✭✭✭✭
    Estragon said:
    Getting a little carried away, but something like this could look pretty cool...
    http://www.leevalley.com/en/Hardware/page.aspx?p=72803&cat=3,43349,71436
    Neat idea in many ways. Bit costly by the time one adds power supply/wiring, color controller, and switch..
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    Links to sites that answer questions are fine.

    I tend to avoid EBay links because they go "stale" so quickly.

    -Bill "moderator" B.
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • Estragon
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    > @softdown said:
    > Estragon said:
    >
    >
    > Getting a little carried away, but something like this could look pretty cool...
    >
    > http://www.leevalley.com/en/Hardware/page.aspx?p=72803&cat=3,43349,71436
    >
    >
    >
    >
    > Neat idea in many ways. Bit costly by the time one adds power supply/wiring, color controller, and switch..

    Yup, definitely spendy and frivolous. Sometimes I do stuff like that, just because :blush:

    The aquarium light looks like it should get'er done.
    Off-grid.  
    Main daytime system ~4kw panels into 2xMNClassic150 370ah 48v bank 2xOutback 3548 inverter 120v + 240v autotransformer
    Night system ~1kw panels into 1xMNClassic150 700ah 12v bank morningstar 300w inverter
  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,812 ✭✭✭✭
    Estragon said:
    > @softdown said:
    > Estragon said:
    >
    >
    > Getting a little carried away, but something like this could look pretty cool...
    >
    > http://www.leevalley.com/en/Hardware/page.aspx?p=72803&cat=3,43349,71436
    >
    >
    >
    >
    > Neat idea in many ways. Bit costly by the time one adds power supply/wiring, color controller, and switch..

    Yup, definitely spendy and frivolous. Sometimes I do stuff like that, just because :blush:

    The aquarium light looks like it should get'er done.
    My money goes to extortion level property taxes.....$9000/year. Keeps me as poor as a church mouse.
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
  • solarvic
    solarvic Solar Expert Posts: 1,071 ✭✭✭✭
     I liked the idea about the light from amazon. An idea I have is to put a string of blue rope lights. 
  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,812 ✭✭✭✭
    solarvic said:
     I liked the idea about the light from amazon. An idea I have is to put a string of blue rope lights. 
    My rope lights are flexible and appear to be sturdy due to surrounding flexible PVC. Not very bright though. 
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    It looks like like they now use some sort of UV light in the zappers  and replacements are available on Amazons  site... as well as other chain store retailers for ~$20 or less
     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
    Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
    2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
    Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,812 ✭✭✭✭
    It looks like like they now use some sort of UV light in the zappers  and replacements are available on Amazons  site... as well as other chain store retailers for ~$20 or less
    Interesting. Not sure but have been told that UV lights are just ordinary fluorescents without a coating on the glass tube.

    The blue LED strip previously mentioned works well. Ran it indoors all night and zapped nothing. Hoped it would attract flies....always seem to have 1-2 in the morning. Probably due to goats in the area, they like to sleep next to the house. Moved their "goat house"  but they stayed next to house. The blue light and bug zapper doesn't seem to attract flies. Not surprised or they would be widely used in horse stables etc. 

    Don't get goats. They walk in every time a door is left open for a bit. They chew on everything. If I could eat pets, I would. One is cool, very dog like. The other is a demon who torments me.
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    Fluorescent lamps are low pressure mercury arc lamps... And produce from UVC (hard UV radiation) into the visible light spectrum.

    For lighting, the glass chosen for the tub blocks the hard UV radiation and the phosphors down convert from UV to visible spectrum light.

    The Wiki Article is pretty interesting:


    -Bill

    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,812 ✭✭✭✭
    edited June 2018 #15
    BB. said:
    Fluorescent lamps are low pressure mercury arc lamps... And produce from UVC (hard UV radiation) into the visible light spectrum.

    For lighting, the glass chosen for the tub blocks the hard UV radiation and the phosphors down convert from UV to visible spectrum light.

    The Wiki Article is pretty interesting:


    -Bill

    Thanks....I should have remembered more about the phosphors. There still seems a possibility that UV bulbs differ only in glass, glass coating, and phosphors....which is everything that determines the light spectrum emitted by a fluorescent bulb.

    They usually encase UV bulbs in more "specialty type" sizes. Perhaps they used to use T5 frequently before that size became common? I have seen several UV bulbs that were quite slim.

     As has been mentioned before, it is not unusual for T5 bulbs to have very short lives. I think the ballast is a common culprit? This is unrelated to UV bulbs by the way. 
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    softdown said:

    Don't get goats. They walk in every time a door is left open for a bit. They chew on everything. If I could eat pets, I would. One is cool, very dog like. The other is a demon who torments me.
    There is a reason Jesus is portrayed as a lamb, and the Devil as a goat  !!
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
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  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,812 ✭✭✭✭
    mike95490 said:
    softdown said:

    Don't get goats. They walk in every time a door is left open for a bit. They chew on everything. If I could eat pets, I would. One is cool, very dog like. The other is a demon who torments me.
    There is a reason Jesus is portrayed as a lamb, and the Devil as a goat  !!
    I wasn't very country savvy when I built this place so I listened to my builder neighbor. He said to float my property (drag a flat, heavy plate around). This killed the vegetation but looked great for a few months. Then tumbleweeds grew where grass had grown.

    He said to get goats, they eat tumbleweeds. Another huge mistake. Goats like paper and cardboard the best. Some paper is important. I leave doors open when running around this place carrying heavy stuff. Guess who comes in and chews on everything? Eating really important papers when given the chance. 

    I have visualized shooting the demon goat many times. Then the good goat would be miserable, they need company. Building a few acre fence has its problems as well. Takes a few acres to support much is this desert like environment. Have to admit to usually spoiling pets, let alone shooting and eating them. Couldn't do it unless situation was dire.

    LIfe has so many difficulties when getting much done. So I tried doing almost nothing for awhile. Very little went wrong but boring as hell. Painfully boring at times. 
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries