Light bulb burns for 113 years!

I read about this many years ago until this popped up,

The longest burning light bulb, as declared by the Guinness Book of World Records and Ripley's Believe-It-or-Not, hangs from the ceiling of Livermore fire Station #6 in Livermore, Ca. The light bulb was first switched on at fire department hose cart house on L Street in Livermore in 1901.

www.jaadoogar.com...

a reply to: nighthawk1954

Yeah I learned about this when watching a documentary about lightbulbs. Forgot the name of :c. Basically it talked about how light bulbs back then were built to last. But now (just like every other product out there), they're built to eventually wear out and break, so that we'd buy more.

a reply to: nighthawk1954
Its running on a much lower voltage than it was meant for, thats why its lasting so long.

Bulbs like much of what we purchase today, have an engineered life expectancy. They can easily create bulbs to last much much longer, but it hurts profits.

a reply to: VoidHawk
AAAAHHHH! yes but 113 years...my trains run on that voltage and they burn out.

yes its been posted before

www.abovetopsecret.com...

This post even has a link to a live cam showing the bulb :

www.abovetopsecret.com...

a reply to: PhoenixOD
Sorry the search came up empty.

a reply to: nighthawk1954

It happens, i searched the words "Livermore fire Station"

originally posted by: nighthawk1954
a reply to: VoidHawk
AAAAHHHH! yes but 113 years...my trains run on that voltage and they burn out.

The element in the bulb is in a vacuum, that makes it difficult for it to "burn" out. Your trains are not in a vacuum, and dont usually burn out, what usually happens is the lacquer on the windings degrades causing the windings to short out.
Burning may happen when the windings short out because too much current will flow. But thats a fault rather than a predetermined life.

Your not riding on your trains are you? that might explain it

a reply to: nighthawk1954

If I remember correctly the Guy who made it lost out to Edison and Edisons burn out light bulb's won the day for brightness but obviously not for reliability.
S+F

originally posted by: Kuroodo
a reply to: nighthawk1954

Yeah I learned about this when watching a documentary about lightbulbs. Forgot the name of :c. Basically it talked about how light bulbs back then were built to last. But now (just like every other product out there), they're built to eventually wear out and break, so that we'd buy more.

That is mentioned in this three part documentary:

The Men Who Made Us Spend - Episode 1

In the first of this three-part series investigating consumer spending, Jacques reveals how the concept of 'product lifespan' holds the key to our ever-churning consumerism. Exploring the historical origin of planned obsolescence, when some of the world biggest electrical manufacturers formed a light bulb cartel in the 1920s,

a reply to: JAK
Thank you for the info but the link does not work in the US.

a reply to: nighthawk1954

It's bad business to sell something that lasts.

That's pretty cool. My in laws have a bulb that's been in use since '74. They sure don't make them like that anymore!

a reply to: nighthawk1954

Here's a youtube link: The Men Who Made Us Spend - Episode 1

a reply to: JAK
Thank you that worked!

Boy, if they all lasted that long, they wouldn't have sold many over the years. I don't even think you can buy a light bulb anymore that lasts very long. The ones in our kitchen and dining room lights burn out about once a year. Even the ones with a life time guarantee burn out.....after the company selling them goes out of business. I guess lifetime guarantee refers to the lifetime of the producer.

The bulbs in my Ford are ten years old. I think that's pretty good.

a reply to: nighthawk1954
They can make bulbs that last longer, and people in this thread seem to think we're getting ripped off because that's not the kind we're being sold, but you probably don't want them. Why? Because the longer lasting incandescent bulbs are less efficient, so you'd spend more on electricity, and it would be a bad deal for you because you wouldn't save enough on bulbs to pay for the extra electricity.

Besides incandescent bulbs are history, or should be. The power company in my area has apparently been supporting discounts on compact fluorescent bulbs which I've got for only a dollar each, and they last a long time and are a lot more efficient, and LED lighting is more efficient yet, which will be our primary lighting source one day. I don't know the lifetime of LED lights, but I don't think I've ever had one burn out yet.

The power company in my area has apparently been supporting discounts on compact fluorescent bulbs which I've got for only a dollar each, and they last a long time and are a lot more efficient, and LED lighting is more efficient yet, which will be our primary lighting source one day. I don't know the lifetime of LED lights, but I don't think I've ever had one burn out yet.

And this is how people get sucked in. What you are buying now are compact fluorescent devices that are made to last for a few years. Once everyone switches to them, the likes of wallmart will want cheaper and cheaper ones from the suppliers and what do you know, you will get less than a year out of them. This has already happened in Australia.

The same thing is happening now with LEDs. The LED will not burn out, but the underlying circuit that reduces the voltage will fail in short order.

P

But lets face it the only reason that bulb is still working is that it is a 60w bulb being run at 4w which provides almost no light. Is this really so surprising?