1966 Mag: Build NE-2 Neon Bulb Computer - scan available

[Tony Duell]

> Not the relay-and-resistor type, but you could often find surgistors 
> (ceramic disc-capacitor looking things, but I believe, made of 
> carbon) soldered in the filament string as part of some old sets.
> 
> Then there were the "bulb savers"--small discs probably containing 
> nothing more than a carbon resistor that were placed in the bottom of 
> an Edison-base lamp socket between the bottom contact of the socket 
> and the end contact of the bulb.   I wonder if these were ever 
> encountered in the UK--it would seem that one would interfere with 
> the bayonet-style lamp sockets used there.

I've never seen one to be fitted between a normal bayonet lamp bulb and 
its socket.

We did have things called 'Brimistors' which were self-heating negative 
tempeature coefficient thermistors, basically, and which were designed 
for surge limiting. Some radios (and TVs?) had them wired in series with 
the heater string, whether they did any real goof is a moot point ;-)

The other place they were commonly used was in series with mains 
projector lamps (before the advent of the quartz-halogent projector 
bulb). 

-tony