Abstract: A lamp protection device includes a circuit to prevent a lamp from being switched on at full line voltage and which provides for the gradual heating of the filament to reduce the expansion rate of the filament. The circuit is connected to a switched alternating current power source and to an incandescent bulb. The circuit includes two silicon controlled rectifiers which are connected in reverse parallel configuration. One of the silicon controlled rectifiers being connected to a capacitor to prevent the full sinusoidal AC current from reaching the lamp until a time delay has expired after the lamp is turned on. A reference switch is connected to the other silicon controlled rectifier to permit the bulb to be turned on only when the AC voltage crosses zero.