I inherited this enormous 1000w bulb from my grandpa. It has a date on it, 1943! I tried it out and it works beautifully, but the lamp I tested it on died after 30 seconds or so, haha! Bulb still works perfectly.

I really want to photograph the bulb while it's illuminated. Anyone know of a fixture I can purchase that could handle 1000w? Like I said, it screws right into a typical fixture on a lamp

Thanks!

I`m thinking backyard/drive way security lights?

You'll probably have to get a balast that's made specifically to handle that kind of wattage. I have a couple 1000w photoflex starlight ballasts, something like that should do the trick

You need a ceramic bulb holder and 12 gauge heat resistant wiring. Youwould probably be best off having a dedicated 15 amp circuit to feed it. This WILL make your electric meter spin.

Because of the heat involved, life may be very short, perhaps only a few hours.

ejeroth wrote:
You'll probably have to get a balast that's made specifically to handle that kind of wattage. I have a couple 1000w photoflex starlight ballasts, something like that should do the trick

It's an incandescent lamp, they don't require a ballast.

<Chas>

Please, please, please do not put that in a regular lamp again. In an ideal world you'll kill some kind of fusible link before a fire starts, but that maximum wattage label is there for a reason.

Do not use the lamp... if it still has the filament and the glass is good it can be worth a little bit of money.

Walt

You might also consider hooking it up in series with a rheostat that can handle the power so you can turn it down

Best,
rkg
(Richard George)

For brief use for a photo, look for a heavy duty lamp socket, ideally a ceramic one. They are in less demand now, but you should be able to find something at a hardward store. Then wire it up with a heavy duty cord by mounting it on a metal box. It only draws about 8 amps, so any normal circuit should work. Then get the shot all set up and ready to go, and then light it up to take the photo. You may need more than one try, because the exposure is complicated. You may want to try to do a group of exposures and make a HDR combine to best show it. I do not know about the value of it, but a photo of it working could be useful if you choose to try to sell it. I love cool old stuff like this.

And it is unlikely, but there is a chance the whole bulb will explode while you are trying it. Be prepared by staying away, and by wearing safety glasses. And I am not joking about this part. Many of the modern light fixtures for photography have metal screens to catch the glass when the bulb blows. The modern bulbs do run hotter and work differently, but you have no idea about the condition of this very old bulb.

rkgatteleport wrote:
You might also consider hooking it up in series with a rheostat that can handle the power so you can turn it down

Best,
rkg
(Richard George)

You are not going to find any 1000W rheostats on this planet. Maybe what you are thinking of is a Variac or variable auto-transformer. That might be useful just to test the bulb, but not else.

<Chas>

runamuck wrote:
You need a ceramic bulb holder and 12 gauge heat resistant wiring. Youwould probably be best off having a dedicated 15 amp circuit to feed it. This WILL make your electric meter spin.

Less power consumption than a 1875W hair dryer...
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_9?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=hair+dryer&sprefix=hairdryer%2Caps%2C210

Being a lineman myself I would call your local power company and have them put you in a bigger service entrance to your house.


Chad