this post was submitted on 03 Nov 2023
151 points (91.7% liked)

Asklemmy

44150 readers
993 users here now

A loosely moderated place to ask open-ended questions

Search asklemmy ๐Ÿ”

If your post meets the following criteria, it's welcome here!

  1. Open-ended question
  2. Not offensive: at this point, we do not have the bandwidth to moderate overtly political discussions. Assume best intent and be excellent to each other.
  3. Not regarding using or support for Lemmy: context, see the list of support communities and tools for finding communities below
  4. Not ad nauseam inducing: please make sure it is a question that would be new to most members
  5. An actual topic of discussion

Looking for support?

Looking for a community?

~Icon~ ~by~ ~@Double_A@discuss.tchncs.de~

founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
 

I'm in a nasty frame of mind right now, and this is what my 'tism brain decided to laser focus on for several hours. I'm mad that my light bulbs cost 10x more than they used to, and don't last any longer, and my power bill is higher than ever.

Yeah yeah, I know, it's probably just capitalism shitting it up on purpose for profit. And bulb science is probably solid, I guess. I'm just pissed off that I just barely managed to scrape through this pay period with $2.78 left in the bank before I default on my mortgage.

Anyway, any lightbulb science comrades got any info?

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[โ€“] Saeculum@hexbear.net 21 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Some older wiring and devices can interact poorly and cause fluctuating voltages. The more stable the voltage, the less wear on the components and vice versa.

[โ€“] ArmoredThirteen@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

If you were to lower the voltage would it still cause extra wear? Like is it the fluctuation itself that causes the wear or is the the 'higher than expected voltage' during peaks of the fluctuating?

[โ€“] Saeculum@hexbear.net 3 points 1 year ago

I know undervolting can make some electronics, including lightbulbs last longer, but I don't know if that would countermand the extra wear from the changing voltage.

[โ€“] MattsAlt@hexbear.net 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I haven't explored LEDs too much, but have an education related to transistors. Because they are diodes, significant overvolting will degrade the diode itself and if it were to happen often enough could damage the junction to the point of no longer working. Fluctuating voltage could damage other parts of the device, but I'd guess overvolting is the bigger danger