I have a well-lit postwar layout, and almost every lampost, tower and lit-up structure uses those little 14v bulbs and I'm going through them rather quickly. Rather than pay 3-6 bucks a pop at the hobby store, does anyone know of a good source (preferably online) from which to buy them in bulk for a better unit price?
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ebay….you can buy them in bulk, both bayonet & screw base
Town and Country Hobbies. They also have direct replacement LED's. You just screw them in and you're done.
If the bulbs are burning out quickly, you might want to consider replacing them with 18v bulbs. Thing will be a little less bright but they will last longer.
Have lots of different 18v bulbs available - cheap!
email is in profile.
bruce
Actually, if you search a bit, the better catalogs and crossover charts used to list the expected hours of bulbs as well.
Make a list of bulb number(on base or globe) watts &/or amps, volts, lumens, globe size, & base type. Gather as much as you can, then shop. You will find different sellers and mfgs use different types values in their lists. Especially with globes that fit tight, you may find one mfg a bit bigger or smaller than another, even though they have the same number. So ask about returns, "sample platters", etc. before you commit to hundreds. Save receipts. You may find some do not meet criteria. I saved them and did bulk exchange. Once known, most just took my word and sent more. I can't recall ever having a hard time dealing with lamp houses. All were pretty great.
Brands vary. I liked G.E. best for consistency. Sylvania was just ok; more mistakes on base pegs.
My fav low buck distributor has shut it doors. (Not it's main items)
Shopping and buying various places can actually save a lot too. "Everyone" has near "everything" so you will find deals if you look around.