Heat bulb burned out - indicator led ?

scottman · Tue Sep 11, 2007 8:28 am

Does anyone know where I can get, or make, an led light to stick outside my skirting, that is connected to the standard bulbs under my house, that go off when the bulb burns out. I use the bulbs to keep the "water area" under my house from freezing, in addition to heat tape. Now I have to remove the panel where my pump is and check the bulbs if they are burned out. Sometimes they are on, sometimes they are both burned out. If I can have an led outside the skirting to indicate if the bulb is burned out it would be so much easier.

Tue Sep 11, 2007 8:37 am

You can get a switch with a 'pilot light' that tells you if your power is on or not, but I wonder if the pilot light will go off when your bulbs burn out. Maybe not. Have to scratch on this one. . . .

Mark

Manitoba Bill · Tue Sep 11, 2007 8:54 am

I use a remote thermometer to tell me if my heat tape is cycling on and off. Maybe if you attach the sensor near the base of the socket you will be able to see the temp drop when the bulb burns out.

I have the thermo line run up into the bathroom.

For the heat tape I have a red night light in the power cord that is connected to the GFI that powers the tape to tell me if the power goes off.

scottman · Tue Sep 11, 2007 9:02 am

I saw the same light on my heat tape. Its rather dim and only comes on when the heat tape is on.

I think I need something in "series" with the bulbs. I wonder if I can screw something into the bulb socket that has an outlet on the side - but I think those stay "on" because its below the bulb - or rig something into the wire.

I THINK anything else in series on the hot side will be off if the bulb is off, but won't it need its own neutral so it won't quite work?

I know enough about electricity to be dangerous Im afraid.

EDIT - I have a remote thermometer as well. It is just inside the enclosure. It is usually 20 degrees warmer than the outside air, but ironically never gets below freezing even in sub zero wx w both bulbs off (but I don't want to risk it). The belly has enough leak to keep it warmer under there I guess. I might be able to move the therm to where the bulbs are - it ought to read high if a bulb is on.