There goes the pumphouse anti-freezing system...

[AJMD429]

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for the past 60 years we've put a 100 watt bulb in the pumphouse from December through Februrary, and it's kept everything fromm freezing. Now the alternative is either a heat-lamp that uses far MORE electricity, or a heat-cable, which can fail and NOT leave a clue (because we can see a bit of the light reflecting through a small crack in the well cover when we use the bulb).

https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/lif ... r-AA1mkdJV

'Environmentalists' really are difficult to respect, despite their good intentions. (...I think their MAIN intention is actually just to virtue-signal, but call me cynical...).

[JimT]

This has been coming for quite a few years. When we saw this on the horizon we stocked in a bunch of incandescent bulbs. What people don't realize is, when the voltage drops below a point, only incandescent bulbs will work. They will run on low voltage and give out a little light at least. But the other types either just quit or burn up.

When we lived in Mozambique, the electricity produced there is 220 volts at 50 Hz. We had problems in Pemba and the voltage coming into our base varied between 170 and 190 volts. That burned up electric motors and florescent lights. The incandescent bulbs gave a soft romantic glow, even at 170 volts.

We bought transformers that stepped up the voltage to 220 for the 'fridge and freezer and also protected from voltage spikes that at times would hit more than 250 volts.

Most in America are not even aware of such things but I am sorry to say, will most likely learn. I suggest folks buy the things they need to monitor the voltage, amperage and watts coming in on their grid. You may be surprised at the fluctuations.

[Old No7]

Doc, I used to work for Sylvania Lighting back in the days when LED light sources weren't even known about...

"IF you can find any" ** -- stock up on 130 volt (not 120 volt) lamps of the desired wattage; as they will give off less light (thus heat) because they have a heavier filament in them. You may need to up the wattage some to get the desired heat, but due to the heavier filament wire run at less voltage, they'll burn for 3X longer or so. This is an old trick the hotel industry used for years for light bulbs that burned all the time.

** I'm seeing incandescent bulks show up at yard sales and "used stuff" stores...

Old No7

[GunnyMack]

Hey Doc look at reptile bulbs from the pet store. I believe they are still incandescent. 150 watts, might be just the ticket!

[Grizz]

I was wondering if "heat lamps" will still be around, or infrared lamps, or you could just get a resistor of the right size and amp rating, and get silent "black heat" . you can hook up a sensor to notify you if it kraps out.

[KWK]

Several lamp types are not affected by the ban, including oven, infrared, and some floods.

[ndcowboy]

Just an idea - we use an oil filled electric heater in our wellhouse. It is thermostatically controlled and keeps the temp just right. What I really like about it is if there is a power outage, the built in oil heat keeps it warm for a good long time.
I feel your pain though. It is a bunch of nonsense that these good old lightbulbs have been banned.

[JimT]

Just an idea - we use an oil filled electric heater in our wellhouse. It is thermostatically controlled and keeps the temp just right. What I really like about it is if there is a power outage, the built in oil heat keeps it warm for a good long time.
I feel your pain though. It is a bunch of nonsense that these good old lightbulbs have been banned.

We have used the same thing for years. Works really nicely. During the snowpacalypse that hit Texas several years ago we just hooked up a small propane heater and kept the wellhouse from freezing. Did not have to burn it hard as we insulated the wellhouse really well a few years before.

[Malamute]

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for the past 60 years we've put a 100 watt bulb in the pumphouse from December through Februrary, and it's kept everything fromm freezing...

Ive been clearing out the folks places, if I find any more bulbs I'll send them to you. Ive been tossing them, the LED bulbs are really cheap (subsidized locally), last far longer and use less power, so the older ones have been getting tossed. Probably several dozen of various wattages already gone. I simply dont have space to keep all the stuff they each accumulated over time. Cant begin to tell you all the stuff thats gone to goodwill, or the dump, assuming i cant sell it for enough to be worth the trouble or cant pawn it off on some unsuspecting friend or neighbor.

We used the same method at our old place by the river where i spent so much time as a kid. It kept the well pit from freezing in winter.

[gcs]

My grandparents had a attached well pump "house" upstate NY, below 0 degrees was common, they had a 2 bulb fixture in case one burned out.
Doesn't help with a power outage but I don't recall they had many of those.
You can still get rough service incandescents up to 100 watts. a little less heat but 2 should work fine...if you plug the fixture into one of those thermostat thingees they wont go on till I belive 35 degrees, so you will save some electric...