Anyone know of websites that give decent facts on the degredation of lifetime with each switching on of the average incadescent light bulb.
Before we get into a discussion of the actual inrush current it is about 15 times the steady-state current and decays exponentially in about 0.1 sec. and is 90% done in 0.13 secs. That is quite a hit and causes thermal and mechanical shocks to the bulb and the tungsten age hardens. Average life of bulb is about 750-1000 hours on an unspecified switching regime - but probably once/twice a day.