Lionel 12782-30 strobe light

Picture of bulb?

Town and Country bulb on the left, Lionel bulb in the center, and the Model Power bulb on the right.

Neal, I'd use a bench supply to determine what voltage and current the bulb requires.  The parts listing for the bridge doesn't mention the bulb, it's hard to determine from that.  Since you have a good one, you should be able to characterize it and have more information in your search.

It is 10-2782-030 John.  I'm wondering if the replacement bulb centers are not in contact with the socket bottom for some reason. Never had one apart.

I have found that some bulb bottoms are to short for the socket.   You can add a drop of solder to the socket.   That may help it reach the bulb bottom.  

Well, if it was working and now it stopped, and it doesn't work in either socket, my guess is the bulb is really bad.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

Well, if it was working and now it stopped, and it doesn't work in either socket, my guess is the bulb is really bad.

I think he said the good old bulb works in either socket but the new bulbs don't work at all. That's why I suggested they were not touching the center of the socket.

I do have one original bulb that does work in both sockets.  The replacement bulbs screw all the way in but won’t work.

Neal

Can you measure the voltage in the socket with your meter?

I agree the solder on the bottom of the bulb is probably not reaching the center of the socket contact. you may also be able to add solder to the socket o the 2 make contact! should be a very simple problem. sometimes you can pull out the wire and internal wire from socket and repair it. if you can send me the socket I'll repair it for free. are you sure you purchased the write voltage bulb and how much voltage is applied to your bridge? also check the bulbs you purchased with you volt ohm meter on continuity setting you should read close to a direct short or a few ohms!!

p.s. also check the center of the socket on ohm with your vom the wire may be broken and only the insulation is holing the wire to the solder and not the wire!!!!!!!!!!!!

A lot of guessing going on here, but since the good bulb works in both sockets, you clearly have a bulb issue.  There's no reason to start modifying the bridge wiring at this point.

I think I'll try a drop of solder on one of the replacement bulb's base and see if that gets it to work.

Neal 

I have a different take. Since neither of the replacement bulbs work it doesn't sound like a contact issue. I can't find any information on the 2782-030 bulb. Lionel has no current information about this bulb. My feeling on this is the 2 replacement mini screw bulbs are 14-16 volts. I am suspecting the original bulb is a low current 5 volt bulb. This is why the replacements are not working. MTH does have a red mini base 5 volt red bulb available, the use in their flashing water tower. They look exactly like the center one in your pix.

Good suggestion Chuck, you had already mentioned checking the socket with a volt meter if he had not done so. I was guessing after neither of the bulbs had illuminated he checked them with a 9V battery. The same bulb (IIRC ending in 040 = clear) is for interior lighting.

That is why I suggested using a bench supply to determine what voltage the working bulb was.

No bench supply?  Try lighting the bulbs with a 1.5V battery, if Chuck is right, the original will light dimly, the 12-14V bulbs probably won't light at all.

After reading the above comments, I tested the replacement bulbs.  They are indeed 14-16 volts.  Testing the original bulb with a 1.5 volt battery it does light up but dimly so it must be a 5 volt bulb.  I will contact MTH to see if I can get one of their bulbs.  Thank you for all the suggestions.

Neal Jeter

I found these 6 volt bulbs on Amazon and ordered a set.  The bulbs arrived today and I tried them in the bridge and they work perfectly.  All I need to do is color them with a red sharpie and they are good to go.

Neal Jeter

6 volt bulb