This Gren and Pleasant Land.

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Think back to Two way Family favourites on the radio, the smell of roast beef, Morris Minors and typical British values.

Now fast forward to 2014 and what have we got?
THE BLOODY EDISON SCREW BULB.

What did we do to deserve this? We did a tiny bit to help them win the war, we even paid back all the money we borrowed.
We put up with UNF threads, 6 volt lighting and the American invention of 'magic smoke' but no that wasn't enough and they had to stick the ES on us.
It's bad enough that it vibrates loose as a machine light until it drops out, goes round with the chuck and shatters the peace of what should have been an idelic British Sunday.
You have to wonder if they really did get a man on the moon or whether Capricorn One was for real, lets face it if they can't get 3 wires across America how did they get to the moon? And anyone who thinks the Simpsons are funny is beyond me, why don't they have Jessica Fletcher on as a guest one show, that should reduce the cast a bit.

So I need to replace the bulbholder on the Bridgy, undo the lastest packof 24v bulbs and they are Edison Screw, been in stock ages now so can't send them back.
Ring the supplier up, large UK chain and ask for a ES bulbholder,

Sorry, don't sell them.
Wot?? you sold me the damn bulbs
Yes sir but they are to be fitted to existing holders.
Well my 'existing holder' is kaput so I want a new one
Sorry, don't sell them.
Well who does?
You need to try B&Q, Out of Focus DIY or Ikea

Ikea ?? Are you bloody real???
Do you think I can walk in there and get away with buying one bulb holder, do you realise we have only just finished paying the last of the lend lease payments to those bastards who fostered the Edison Screw onto us ?

So walking round Out of Focus Do it All no ES screw holders in sight, plenty of ES bulbs so I earhole the mismanager.

Where's the edison screw bulbholders?
Pardon? { at least he has manners ]
E-d-i-s-o-n S-c-r-e-w bulbholders, you know the ones that have a big thread at the bottom and look like they were designed by a dyslectic American child of 37
Sorry, don't sell them. [ Quick look round for the tape recorder before realising that Jeremy Beagle is where the ES bulb should be ]
You sell the bulbs
Yes sir but they are to be fitted to existing holders.
Are you related to the guy at City Electrical Factors ?
No sir.
So who does sell them~?
Have you tried Ikea ??

At which point the police were called……………………….

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

You obviously don't shop in the right places, I bought a box of 10 very nice ES lampholders a week or two back. Maybe they thought you were gardening when you asked for bulbs rather than lamps

 

**LINK**

Edited By JasonB on 12/12/2014 15:01:59

Edited By JasonB on 12/12/2014 15:02:54

[Bob Brown 1Participant @bobbrown1]

I assume ES 27 if so Maplin amongst others do them, then there is ES 14….. but you have to laugh!

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

John,

If you can't face a visit to the big Blue & Yellow shed

Try here.

MichaelG.

[MuzzerParticipant @muzzer]

In N America they even have different sized ES lampholders to the ones we get here. I suppose that's to prevent you screwing in the wrong voltage bulbs. Having just returned to the UK from there with some acquisitions, I am now faced with more different ES sizes than you can point a stick at – at least 4 at last count. At least the bayonet holder doesn't have quite as many sizes….

Merry

[Enough!Participant @enough]

Posted by Muzzer on 12/12/2014 15:56:05:

In N America they even have different sized ES lampholders to the ones we get here.

We even used to have left-hand threaded ones (for subway cars).

[Speedy Builder5Participant @speedybuilder5]

Pages 62 – 63 of Machinerys Screw Thread Book 19 edition shows the Edison screw thread dimensions for E40 (Goliath) thru to E5 (Lilliput). (E40, E27, E14, E10 and E5)

Perhaps you could make one ??

[Brian WoodParticipant @brianwood45127]

Come on John, how many of us have grasped a hot bayonet bulb with an inadequate piece of rag, put as much load on it as you dare, only to have the blasted thing twist off the holder that then remains behind in the socket?

The alternative bit of fun was to find that the entire bulb holder rotated instead and then sheared off the inaccesible wiring inside the light fitting.

I was always in dread of the third alternative which was to shatter the glass bulb instead, while at the same time shoving broken glass into my hand, well contaminated with whatever was left on that rag.

No, sorry, I infinitely prefer your despised ES bulbs.

Brian.

[Tony Pratt 1Participant @tonypratt1]

And don't get me started on those 'energy saving' bulbs which the EU forced on us, which cost 10 times as much as a filament bulb, give off less light, don't last as long as promised and pollute the ground when disposed off.

Tony

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

ES lamps are not immune from the cap soldering itself into the holder, I have had many 300W ES lamps break away from the cap, not so bad when lamping from the catwalk on top of a travelling crane, but a bit scary when a 400W mercury vapour lamp leaves its cap in the holder and you are trying to get the cap out with a pair of pliers and hang on to the near vertical last section of a triple extension ladder a good 30ft above some very nasty to land on machinery.

Mike

[alan frostParticipant @alanfrost17805]

I'm more impressed with John's knowledge of the financing of WWII . Pretty accurate–we should have finished paying it off in about 2006 I think but have gone a bit over as there was a clause enabling us to hold things for any year we were struggling for cash.

I don't think we did ever pay off the loan for WWI but on the whole we did better than most of the people who owed Uncle Sam money.

I don't mind particularly the large ES holders except for the fact they are yet another type of light holder. I would n't like to list all the different type of lighting connectors I have in my "spare light bulb" cupboard. For Gods sake we're not talking rocket science here , Just 3 wires at most and a few amps to get in and out.Can it be that complicated?? I know the answer.,Apparently yes.

As I worked for Philips for years I suppose I must be guilty by association with all these b—-y different types of lighting connections. Every time I buy some bargain bulbs and get them home there is a groan as I realise I was n't paying full attention and I need yet another type of bulb holder.

[Ed DuffnerParticipant @edduffner79357]

John,

BC to ES and ES to BC adaptors are also available. If you got hold of a BC lamp holder and a BC to ES adaptor that would sort you out for your batch of lamps, then remove the adaptor to continue using with BC lamps.

Just one thing though, is if the adaptor would fit inside your lampshade/reflector housing.

Ed.

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

………….and it's a real b****r when you run out of rendered yak blubber for your oil lamp and all you have is theunleaded petrol which you found yesterday didn't work so well in the Tilley. Bring back rush lights I say.

[Bill PudneyParticipant @billpudney37759]

Posted by Bazyle on 13/12/2014 00:08:05:

………….and it's a real b****r when you run out of rendered yak blubber for your oil lamp and all you have is theunleaded petrol which you found yesterday didn't work so well in the Tilley. Bring back rush lights I say.

Oil lamps and rush lights, by heck you live high on the hog. When I were a lad we just had light from the lightning ….

cheers

Bill

[David ColwillParticipant @davidcolwill19261]

Let me know which one it is (e27 or e14) and what voltage as I do have odd ones kicking around. alternatively try **LINK**

Regards.

David.

[Roger Williams 2Participant @rogerwilliams2]

Used to watch the Simpsons years ago, they were funny then, dont know about now. Depends on your sense of humour I suppose, but then, Im not perfect !!.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

I think the popularity of ES bulbs is simply explained.

You buy a bulb, get home and there's a 50% chance you picked up ES.

You can't say it's faulty and don't want to admit you didn't check, so you go back and buy a bayonet fit.

Bulb shop doubles its profit

Neil

[CirclipParticipant @circlip]

Two days after release from the local meat factory after being fitted with a 2 foot ( OK 600mm OR 6cm for dressmakers) lateral zip across me middle and you come out with THIS one Stevo. Them staples don't arf urt when being subjected to vertical resonance.

And what's all this c*ap :- " So I need to replace the bulbholder on the Bridgy " ????? Did the Chinese even clone the worklight or have you capitulated and got another POS??

Regards Ian

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Circlip on 13/12/2014 16:19:13:

… after being fitted with a 2 foot ( OK 600mm OR 6cm for dressmakers)

.

Those would be tenth-scale dressmakers would they ?

MichaelG.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

It's the new version of nip'n'tuck. One way he's a size 18, the other he's a size 10.

Neil

[NJHParticipant @njh]

John

" THE BLOODY EDISON SCREW BULB."

Don't be too hard on the ES bulb I can think of at least one advantage.

Many years ago – or come to think of it – many, many, many years ago – when Adam was a lad and I was at school – there was " an episode" with a bayonet fitting bulb.

It was during an examination in a large hall full of students all hard at it scribbling away at answers to the diabolical questions posed – the only sound was the scratching of nibs and faint sounds of anguish. Suddenly a 150w light bulb ( bayonet fitting ), which was a tight fit in the holder, but had not been correctly rotated to engage the bayonet, fell into the gangway between two desks and exploded!

Now an ES bulb would not have done this and the lives of a whole load of students would not have been shortened!

Cheers

Norman

[Author]

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