The Light Bulb That Ran For Years And Years!

In the 80´s a Californian fire department went on a call to extinguish a fire in a house built in the 1800´s. From this house they took with them a light bulb. To their amazement it still worked, and it kept working, for years and years. It was a light bulb made before the era of Planned obsolescence.


´Planned obsolescence or built-in obsolescence[1] in industrial design is a policy of deliberately planning or designing a product with a limited useful life, so it will become obsolete or nonfunctional after a certain period.[1] Planned obsolescence has potential benefits for a producer because to obtain continuing use of the product the consumer is under pressure to purchase again, whether from the same manufacturer (a replacement part or a newer model), or from a competitor which might also rely on planned obsolescence.[1]

´For an industry, planned obsolescence stimulates demand by encouraging purchasers to buy sooner if they still want a functioning product. Built-in obsolescence is used in many different products, from vehicles to light bulbs, from buildings to proprietary software. There is, however, the potential backlash of consumers who learn that the manufacturer invested money to make the product obsolete faster; such consumers might turn to a producer (if any exists) that offers a more durable alternative.[citation needed]

Planned obsolescence was first developed in the 1920s and 1930s when mass production had opened every minute aspect of the production process to exacting analysis.[citation needed]

Estimates of planned obsolescence can influence a company's decisions about product engineering. Therefore the company can use the least expensive components that satisfy product lifetime projections. Such decisions are part of a broader discipline known as value engineering.´

en.wikipedia.org...


Several if not all hardware companies will place a small chip into their product, witch at a given time, will malfunction the whole machine. By resetting the chip, the product is granted another lifespan. To name one such machine, a Printer. Some are programmed to malfunction after 16000 printed pages. Or the Ipod, which battery you cannot change, and if you try, you will destroy it. It is done on purpose. You are allowed to recharge it a x amount of times, after that, the battery will die very fast, so we buy ourselves a new Ipod. Flawless products are not allowed, they have to become obsolete.

I have heard about a documentary called planned obsolescence, i cant find it though, can anyone help me with that?


And guys, let's not print to much paper, it's bad for the environment, whahahahaha ;D!

What are your experiences with planned obsolescence?

What better way to force you to purchase brand new things then to have them die or begin to fail the day after the warranty is up? This is sad but true. I had a TV that started to have problems shortly after the warranty expired.

If I could get the schematics from some of the large corps for their electronics I'd probably look for a 'kill switch'.

AS

this has been going on in the auto industry for years.
nylon timing chains instead of steel.
bearings made from soft metal.
parts are only made to last a certain amount of time before needing to be replaced.

It was a commonly accepted ideology when I was at university a few years ago. Personally I could not work for such a company undertaking such practices. With a global market of 6-8 billion the market is there to make things that last. The whole practice is a dumb ass waste of time and resources for some money junkies.

The first thing that comes to mind is automobiles. They have parts that wear and degrade when in reality we have the technology to eliminate that aspect of an automobile.

A product that lasts forever. Ahh... nothing of the sort exists... but refreshing to think about.

Of course, where would all those tasty profits come from if the manufacturer got it right the first time. Good post, definitely some information people may not be familiar with. All those times you've heard "You'd think this thing was made to break..." Might inspire some consumers to seek products that don't have a predetermined fuse length.

The Livermore Centennial Light is still burning after 110 years.
It even has it's own webcam so you can watch it. The cam refreshes every 30 seconds, but you have to refresh the page to see the next shot. The background periodically changes, so you can see that it's not just one picture.

They sure don't build them like that any more.

Originally posted by againuntodust
The first thing that comes to mind is automobiles. They have parts that wear and degrade when in reality we have the technology to eliminate that aspect of an automobile.

A product that lasts forever. Ahh... nothing of the sort exists... but refreshing to think about.

Sorry but I must disagree. Anything that is electronic related (from my knowledge) will include heavy wear and tear especially from anything heat related. The first component you may want to observe is the capacitor. You may also want to look at temperatures in which the electronics are operating in...Humidity may also play a big factor (sorry but I've taken Electronics Engineering) .....

Peace & Respect,

AS

PS: If you want to go further with automobiles you may want to look at thermocouples and transducers)

my father had a drill from germany.
he had it for 38 years with a lot of use.
it got left in the rain and forgoten
my mother had a Pheonic sewing machine.
it is over 50 years old. and still working.

any one seen the film "the man in the white suit" ?
people think they need jobs to live.
they dont! we need a new way to live.
or die!

reply to post by AeonStorm


Car tyres can be made to last the life of the car, but not as much money in it. The are plenty of very old tv's with still working capacitors. Occasionally they do rupture, but if as much effort went into making them last as goes into making parts fail, there expected life span will be a lot longer. One big problem with circuit boards is oxidation / rust, but a coating of fiberglass resin will help seal it and protect it. I have not tried this on components that get very hot and require a heat sink, but if these types of considerations where made in manufacturing then phones and other electronics will still work fine after going for a quick swim of getting spilt with coffee. The cost ain't much, the change in attitude is a lot.

I saw an infomercial years ago about a shaving razor that would never go dull. They wanted $19.99 for it. Seemed like bunk to me, but if in fact they can really make one then I'd say the disposable razor companies are taking us for millions. Those things aren't cheap at all

Originally posted by kwakakev
reply to post by AeonStorm

 

Car tyres can be made to last the life of the car, but not as much money in it. The are plenty of very old tv's with still working capacitors. Occasionally they do rupture, but if as much effort went into making them last as goes into making parts fail, there expected life span will be a lot longer. One big problem with circuit boards is oxidation / rust, but a coating of fiberglass resin will help seal it and protect it. I have not tried this on components that get very hot and require a heat sink, but if these types of considerations where made in manufacturing then phones and other electronics will still work fine after going for a quick swim of getting spilt with coffee. The cost ain't much, the change in attitude is a lot.

I'm sorry... but tires with capacitors? Why would a tire need a capacitor? I agree with the oxidization and circuit boards ( as it takes VERY little to interrupt a signal due to this)...but why would a capacitor ever be required in a tire? Is there a tire that requires electronics for whatever reason?

The reason why electrolytic capacitors fail is not because of the heat sink (necessarily) but because or the prolongation to either excessive heat or an incorrect amount of current flowing thought the device. A coating as you suggest would not do much to elongate the life span of heat related components.

Have you ever tired some of these devices after being subjected to water? (I cannot say coffee as I've not experienced such affect). Eventually the water would wear off but you would need to clean the oxidization to get a clean signal ... however if you are talking about another substance that may leave a more prominent residue behind I cannot speak for the reliability of that device after that.

BTW....might I remind you that we are talking about warranty? There in fact may be a 'kill switch'.

Oh..BTW you can drop a phone in water and it CAN be functional again! But I cannot give you a time-line as to how long the device WILL be function for.

Originally posted by AeonStorm

Originally posted by kwakakev
reply to post by AeonStorm

 

The are plenty of very old tv's with still working capacitors. Occasionally they do rupture, but if as much effort went into making them last as goes into making parts fail, there expected life span will be a lot longer.

I'm sorry... but tires with capacitors? Why would a tire need a capacitor?

You misunderstood him / her, they are referring to tv's with capacitors. I did have a good laugh though, picturing some heavy sc-fi car with capacitors to hold the charge in it's tires....LOL!

reply to post by kwakakev


Can I ask you what you mean by a capacitor "rupturing?" I do not understand what you are trying to convey. Usually they die out or in the case of to much current they will literally explode.

interesting thread.
yet, are not us consumers also to blame to a point?
we don't want the simple things of years gone by.
my old international scout is still running strong, half a million plus miles, original drivetrain.
it's is my mountain rig and constantly gets pounded.
if international started building them again, would there be a market?
maybe for people like me, but i am definately not the norm.

Originally posted by TortoiseKweek

Originally posted by AeonStorm

Originally posted by kwakakev
reply to post by AeonStorm

 

The are plenty of very old tv's with still working capacitors. Occasionally they do rupture, but if as much effort went into making them last as goes into making parts fail, there expected life span will be a lot longer.

I'm sorry... but tires with capacitors? Why would a tire need a capacitor?

You misunderstood him / her, they are referring to tv's with capacitors. I did have a good laugh though, picturing some heavy sc-fi car with capacitors to hold the charge in it's tires....LOL!

HA! LOL ... Yes I am sorry! you are right! What good are we if we cannot laugh at our own faults! If there is no oxidization (or very low humidity or water involved) INCLUDING heat (aka a very good heat sink)... then if you are living in a relative areas where there is no excessive heat ..... there should be NO problem for a VERY LONG time ..... but again to know this you must be able to understand the schematics at hand which is a problem when it comes to the general public! you must also look at the specs for the components used! ...... but like most others I believe there is something that may be used to 'kill' the system after a period of time!

PS: Tortise a star 4 U.None the less you should take a look at my post above! If you do not understand what I am saying please research

reply to post by cyberjedi


www.truththeory.org...

that is the doc you wanted havent watched it but will be looking forward to it

My parents bought a Carrier Freezer and Refrigerator (separated combo set) in the early 1970s. The freezer finally died in the late 1990s. But the refrigerator is still running strong to this day in 2011. The "immortal frig", as we call it, has outlived 3 newly purchased freezers and another refrigerator they bought for the basement in that time!!! It is very sad. "American-made" used to mean something and Americans could be proud of their work. Today, all this Chinese crap fills our dumpsites at a record pace.

Good Post OP. We need to remind the young generations that all this current idiotic corporate nonsense of "build it cheaper" and "engineered to FAIL" is backwards, wasteful, and unacceptable! And as soon as the people of the USA take their country back, this situation will change back to the way it should be.

reply to post by Scorched_Ohio


that's kinda' funny.
the original propane fridge is still in my 79' shasta motorhome.
i live in it full time and the thing still kicks ass.
it quit getting real cold about 2 years ago, so i pulled it out, turned it upside down and 'burped' it.
good for another dozen years.

My dad has a silver, metal, Craftsman drill. well..he died 10 years ago, but my mom still has it. it may shock you occassionally with an errant spark from the motor, but it works. it was replaced by an 12v cordless. enough power for most jobs, and since then a newer 18v was bought.

I had a van, while the wife was in nursing school, that had 600k miles on it. never failed to start on the first try. never died. ran like the devil. only had the 2 front seats, no AC (which sux in Texas), and AM radio (which also sucks in Texas). But at 600k miles, it ran like it was brand new (an 89 Chevy Astro). The guy i sold it to still drives it. About 750k miles now, same engine, same transmission, nothing major done to it (other than his lame first attempts at some body work, and a set of bucket seats in the back).