Ladybug, Ladybug, Fly Away Home

[Jeff Wisnia]

Lazy guy that I am, I installed "touch switches" in the bases of four
metal bodied table lamps in our home.

It's a heck of a lot easier to just reach out and tap the lamps than to
have to stretch and reach up under the lampshades to twist the typical
socket switch knob. And, they provide four levels of illumination from
an ordinary bulb.

I might add that shortly after I installed those switches about 15 years
ago I learned the hard way that I had to install a fuse holder with a 2
amp fast blow 3AG fuse in the line going to the lamp bulb because when a
bulb burned out sometimes a "tungsten arc" occurred and drew a surge of
current large enough to fry the touch switch's electronics. Now, I only
have to replace a 20 cent fuse along with the lamp bulb.

SWMBO and I were sitting on the sofa watching the November 2nd election
returns when the lamp on the end table next to me turned off. I thought
WTF? and touched the lamp which turned it on again. I went back to
watching TV and a few minutes later the lamp turned off again.

I figured maybe the lamp bulb might have gotten loose in its socket or
the lampshade loose on its stud and stood up to see if that was the cause.

When I looked down into the lamp shade I saw a ladybug crawling on the
lamp socket. A few ladybugs join our family every fall, seeking warmth I
guess.

I stood there and watched as that ladybug crawled up the side of the
lamp socket shell and started to walk around the neck of the bulb.

The moment its legs touched both the lamp socket shell and the side of
the bulb's screw base the lamp went out.

Mystery solved. The bug was creating a connection between the lamp body
and the bulb's screw base (Said base was connected to one side or the
other of the 120 volt line). That connection drew enough current out of
the touch switch's sensing lead to cause it to react as if someone had
touched the lamp and drawn enough capacitive charging current to
activate it.

Who woulda thought it? I kicked that ladybug outdoors again.

Jeff
--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10^12 furlongs per fortnight.

[jurb...@gmail.com]

Yup, needs a good debugging.

[hrho...@sbcglobal.net]

Great story!!

[Jeff Wisnia]

hrho...@sbcglobal.net wrote:
> Great story!!
>

And last nite it happened again. Don't know why the ladybugs favor that
part of a table lamp. Might be they are going for the warmth coming from
the lit bulb.

This time the lamp was being turned off and on intermittently every 5 or
ten seconds. I looked down at the socket and the ladybug was crawling in
a circle around the top edge of the socket shell. when its inside legs
touched the top of the threaded socket the touch switch was triggered.

The ladybug didn't seem affected, it just kept crawling around the
socket until I removed it.

IIRC I've heard of insects triggering some types of smoke detectors too.

[John Robertson]

On 11/07/2014, 8:19 AM, Jeff Wisnia wrote:
>
>
> hrho...@sbcglobal.net wrote:
>> Great story!!
>>
>
> And last nite it happened again. Don't know why the ladybugs favor that
> part of a table lamp. Might be they are going for the warmth coming from
> the lit bulb.
>
> This time the lamp was being turned off and on intermittently every 5 or
> ten seconds. I looked down at the socket and the ladybug was crawling in
> a circle around the top edge of the socket shell. when its inside legs
> touched the top of the threaded socket the touch switch was triggered.
>
> The ladybug didn't seem affected, it just kept crawling around the
> socket until I removed it.
>
> IIRC I've heard of insects triggering some types of smoke detectors too.
>
> Jeff
>

How about a bit of clear tape around the base to keep the ladybug from
making contact? Depends how hot the base is of course...

John :-#)#

--
(Please post followups or tech inquiries to the newsgroup)
John's Jukes Ltd. 2343 Main St., Vancouver, BC, Canada V5T 3C9
(604)872-5757 or Fax 872-2010 (Pinballs, Jukes, Video Games)
www.flippers.com
"Old pinballers never die, they just flip out."

[Jeff Wisnia]

John Robertson wrote:
> On 11/07/2014, 8:19 AM, Jeff Wisnia wrote:
>>
>>
>> hrho...@sbcglobal.net wrote:
>>> Great story!!
>>>
>>
>> And last nite it happened again. Don't know why the ladybugs favor that
>> part of a table lamp. Might be they are going for the warmth coming from
>> the lit bulb.
>>
>> This time the lamp was being turned off and on intermittently every 5 or
>> ten seconds. I looked down at the socket and the ladybug was crawling in
>> a circle around the top edge of the socket shell. when its inside legs
>> touched the top of the threaded socket the touch switch was triggered.
>>
>> The ladybug didn't seem affected, it just kept crawling around the
>> socket until I removed it.
>>
>> IIRC I've heard of insects triggering some types of smoke detectors too.
>>
>> Jeff
>>
>
> How about a bit of clear tape around the base to keep the ladybug from
> making contact? Depends how hot the base is of course...
>
> John :-#)#
>

Yes I've thought of exactly that, and teflon tape would probably work as
well. Or, maybe even an O-ring of suitable size placed around the neck
of the bulb and then pushed down against the upper end of the socket.

I didn't post because I was seeking a way to stop them, I just thought
it was a hoot to report the way a little ladybug could control a touch
switch controlled table lamp without frying itself.

[amdx]

On 11/6/2014 2:49 PM, Jeff Wisnia wrote:
>
> Lazy guy that I am, I installed "touch switches" in the bases of four
> metal bodied table lamps in our home.

> Who woulda thought it? I kicked that ladybug outdoors again.>

> Jeff

Why did you kick it out, it just wanted it dark so it could sleep!
Mikek

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[Tom Miller]

"John Robertson" <sp...@flippers.com> wrote in message
news:a_CdnXjxX4-8lMDJ...@giganews.com...

> On 11/07/2014, 8:19 AM, Jeff Wisnia wrote:
>>
>>
>> hrho...@sbcglobal.net wrote:
>>> Great story!!
>>>
>>
>> And last nite it happened again. Don't know why the ladybugs favor that
>> part of a table lamp. Might be they are going for the warmth coming from
>> the lit bulb.
>>
>> This time the lamp was being turned off and on intermittently every 5 or
>> ten seconds. I looked down at the socket and the ladybug was crawling in
>> a circle around the top edge of the socket shell. when its inside legs
>> touched the top of the threaded socket the touch switch was triggered.
>>
>> The ladybug didn't seem affected, it just kept crawling around the
>> socket until I removed it.
>>
>> IIRC I've heard of insects triggering some types of smoke detectors too.
>>
>> Jeff
>>
>
> How about a bit of clear tape around the base to keep the ladybug from
> making contact? Depends how hot the base is of course...
>
> John :-#)#
>
> --

Use kapton tape.