USA INCANDESCENT BULB BAN question.

[IMA SOL MAN]

As I understand it, Biden brought back an Obama incan bulb ban that Trump had cancelled. My question is, will this affect the incan bulbs that modders use? I've been looking at some of the Maglite mods on the forum, and they use anywhere from 50 watt to 250 watt bulbs. Are these bulbs now endangered in the USA? I know that the focus lately has been modding with high power LEDs, but for those who still want to try the old mods, I'm wondering if this will eventually become difficult or even impossible.

 

[idleprocess]

My question is, will this affect the incan bulbs that modders use?

As far as I know, the various bans on incandescent bulbs have been exclusive to "general service lamps" of the flavor used for structural fixed lighting; I suspect these are almost wholly AC mains-powered lamps. CNET has an explainer or you can read up about it from the EPA directly. I would expect that specialty DC-powered bulbs are outside scope.

Are these bulbs now endangered in the USA?

Probably, however this is likely more a result of the market shifting to LEDs for portable use than it is regulation. I recall that even during the relative heyday of hotwire mods some ~20 years ago when I joined they were difficult to source.

 

[letschat7]

Maybe stocking up on incan lamps wasn't such a bad idea.

 

[Jean-Luc Descarte]

I thought that ban only applied to common fixed lighting (i.e. ceiling lamps) like idleprocess said. I know the same happened in other countries, and even nowadays incan bulbs can still be found on those, though they're seen and sold more like "specialized equipment", for lack of a proper term.

 

[idleprocess]

I know the same happened in other countries, and even nowadays incan bulbs can still be found on those, though they're seen and sold more like "specialized equipment", for lack of a proper term.

I recall exceptions exploited in 2007 for the ubiquitous E27 lamp base were appliance and rough service bulbs.

Anyway ... sourcing the likes of the discontinued WA1185 has been discussed not terribly long ago on CPF.

 

[Flynn's Arcade]

Example of what isn't on the ban list :

• Appliance lamps, including fridge and oven lights
• Black lights
• Bug lamps
• Colored lamps
• Infrared lamps
• Left-handed thread lamps
• Plant lights
• Flood lights
• Reflector lamps
• Showcase lamps
• Traffic signals
• Some other specialty lights, including marine lamps and some odd-sized bulbs

I stocked up on 130 volt, A21, rough duty bulbs several years back and 222 and 112 minature bulbs as well. Not out of fear, I understood demand was dropping. I tend to like a little old school lighting at times. I occasionally do read the Cloward–Piven strategy by firelight, for added effect and fear factor Know thy enemy.

 

[IMA SOL MAN]

I was in my local ACE hardware store yesterday, and just inside the door they had a speed table set up--stacked with boxes of incan bulbs, marked at $1.00/box. Odd wattages and types, even some halogens, I was tempted, but resisted. Yes, it was forbidden fruit, and I almost bit due to that and the price, but, they were bulbs that I didn't use, so... I let it go.

 

[letschat7]

You got problems man.

 

[fluxgojuice]

Yeah the ban is only for general purpose bulls in incandescent flavor. Specialty bulbs and flashlight bulbs don't count.

 

[IMA SOL MAN]

*Self-edited for political correctness. But it was funny!

 

[letschat7]

msg me what u said

 

[IMA SOL MAN]

msg me what u said

No, wouldn't be prudent.

 

[bykfixer]

It started out in the O days it was the E26 100 watt bulbs were banned. You could still buy 25, 40, 60 and 75 watt bulbs. But anymore demand is so flat the volume sellers don't stock them. When an E26 LED bulb was $10 each and a 4 pack of 60 watt incans a buck 95 it was an easy choice. Now with 4 E26 LED bulbs for $5 the incan is quickly becoming like a VCR.

Same with the high power flashlight bulbs. There are some still out there but not like they used to be. The high output bulbs were often for other purposes but flashlight folks adopted them. Those other purpose items have also gone LED.

Tony Maglica said he stopped producing bulbs due to California regulations.

 

[letschat7]

Who in Mexico or Germany makes his bulbs?

 

[aznsx]

Who in Mexico or Germany makes his bulbs?

I just received a new pkg. of 1xAAA bulbs from Maglite. Pkg. says - Made in Germany. OEM is not listed, nor would I expect it to be.

EDIT: In the superfine print of the foreign language section, there is a note which appears to read:
Brueckner Automation GmbH & Co. Maybe that's the manufacturer? I don't know - can't read most of it.

 

[letschat7]

Maybe the EU importer?

 

[LEDphile]

The US legislation that imposed the efficacy requirements for lighting that precipitated the phase-out of incandescent lamps was the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (full text: https://www.congress.gov/110/plaws/publ140/PLAW-110publ140.pdf and wikipedia has a summary at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_Independence_and_Security_Act_of_2007 ), although there has been additional legislation since. Those pieces of legislation targeted general purpose lamps, for the simple reason that those have the biggest impact with the minimum amount of hassle.

But as LED technology matured, many applications that weren't covered by the legislation also shifted over to LED due to technological advantages (longer life, better optical performance, cost savings from lower energy use, etc.), and the demand for many of the traditional light sources dropped off. As demand dropped off, the economies of scale that supported the manufacture of the wide array of lamp types went away, and many types of lamps became uneconomical to produce. And so production lines shut down.

 

[letschat7]

Traditional lamps were made in usa or hungary are now replaced by leds from china.

 

[aznsx]

Maybe the EU importer?

That's more likely than the OEM. I was straining even w/ my magnifying glass! I believe in more cases than not, U.S. manufacturers (generally) tend not to advertise source OEMs used where electronic products / systems are concerned; even though of course much can be determined on close inspection in many cases. Probably happens occasionally, as specified in whatever agreement / contract both signed. I think it's done sometimes as a cross-promotional thing, but I don't think that's the norm. Mag may not publicize that info(?)

Traditional lamps were made in usa or hungary are now replaced by leds from china.

I'm wondering whether or not there are any fully U.S. manufactured LED component assys. (as we see used in production flashlights like ours(?). I'm fairly sure CREE has some offshore production, so it isn't them (at least not fully). Perhaps someone knows that here....

 

[PhotonWrangler]

I have a 67 watt traffic light bulb sitting around somewhere. Never used it, just kept it as a novelty item because of the odd wattage and slightly odd shape.