Color Coding of PR Bulbs

LEDBE
ericjohn

ericjohn

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OK, does anyone else notice this?

I have noticed that the base of the filaments in PR bulbs each have a specific color.

For example

Blue: PR2
Green: PR3
White: PR12 (5D cell)
I have noticed that this system is used among most bulb manufacturers.


Then Maglite is a different story:

2D (PR2 equivalent): Green
3D (PR3 equivalent): Blue
4D (PR 13 equivalent): Pink

I know this is incomplete, but I see Maglite has reversed it's bulbs from the standard PR lamps.

Anyone have any more information on this?

I know I have lots of questions and comments about PR bulbs, but I see that they are truly practical, especially in emergency situations. They can be easily replaced, they have decent burn times, they are bright enough for what is expected of them, they are mass produced and readily available. AND I said it before, but it bares repeating: They are EMP proof.

PR bulbs are very valuable to me and I will be VERY UNHAPPY if they are ever discontinued.

This is just an observation of mine and I was wondering if anyone noticed this too.
 
I would not count on the colour coding, it seems to be pot luck with some suppliers.

I doubt that manufacture of the more popular PR base bulbs will cease for decades yet.
BUT manufacture of the less common types may have already ceased. 300ma lamps are now hard to find in most voltages, and less than 300ma virtually unobtainable unless you find some NOS in an old store or on ebay.

And yes thay are EMP proof !
And the life of batteries may be extended by use of a lower voltage bulb as they run down.
 
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Glad to know I am not the only remaining CPF'er
who still appreciates PR-base bulbs.

😉


Yes -- i have also noticed the Color-Coding.


Happy that i still have a supply of popular PR-s , for when TSHTF.

:candle:
 
@ Burgess: yes I am very interested in PR bulbs. They take me back to the 90's, a time before LED's. I am glad you also noticed the color coding on the filament. Any PR2 or gas filled equivalent will have a blue base.

@ Phaserburn: I do have a few mostly PR3s for my 3D Maglite and my Bright Star 2224. Also have quite a few PR2s. Thank God for the Mass production of White Star Maglite bulbs. You can get them at Academy for pretty cheap. I also heard that they are also pretty affordable. If push comes to shove, you could stock up on them and use them in any PR based flashlight. They are NOT as bright as their Philips equivalents, but will still get the job done I think.

@ Broadgage: I have noticed that too. Especially on the PR bulbs from China; there is no consistency with color. I cannot preach enough the fact that LED lights will fail in the event of a EMP attack. PR bulbs will survive and if I could afford it; I would stockpile them. I hope that the cessation of PR bulbs will NOT happen when I am still around.
 
PR base bulbs are very cheap if you look around, almost anyone can afford a decent stock.
LEDs make better use of battery power, but as you point out may be killed by EMP.

IMHO an ideal light is a D cell Maglight with a retrofit LED bulb for everday use, with a stash of incandescents in case of any emergency.
If the LED survives, then use of this will extend the battery run time, if the LED is killed then back to incans.

I have stored away a couple of large handlamps that I modded for extreme run time rather than increased light.
They use 6D cells in two strings of three so at to double the capacity. The on/off switch is a two pole type wired such that the two battery strings are isolated from each other when turned off.
The bulb is a 3.8 volt 300ma PR base one.
On zinc carbon cells that should give a run time of about 40 hours, or well over 100 hours on alkalines.
Intended for use in any long term shelter in place emergency. This was in about 1970, when alkaline batteries were still new, costly and somwhat exotic, and LEDs totally unsuited for lighting.
 
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