#centennial light

[notwerewolf]

guy who has a crush on the centennial lightbulb in livermore california

[archivist-crow]

THE CENTENNIAL LIGHT, THE PHOEBUS CARTEL & PLANNED OBSOLESCENCE

So, I happened on the below meme-ish post in my wanderings, and I have a problem with it. The problem is the word “evidence,” which implies that it is not already a matter of historical record that manufacturers purposely engage in the practice of “planned obsolescence.” This is false.

The photo is of the so-called Centennial Light. Currently, it is illuminating Fire Station #6 in Livermore, Ca. I know because I’m looking at a live webcam of it right now. It is recognized as the oldest known continuously operating light bulb. It was first installed in 1901 and has only been turned off a few times since—one of the reasons it has lasted this long. The bulb was made by the Shelby Electric Co. and was originally a 60w bulb but now burns at 4w.

In 1925, representatives of several international light bulb manufacturers—including Tungsram, Osram, General Electric, Associated Electrical Industries, and Philips—met in Geneva, Switzerland, to discuss limiting the lifespans of bulbs. It was a growing concern to the group that they were losing money because their bulbs were simply lasting too long. Together, the cartel decided to not only raise prices but also reduce the lifespan of standard bulbs from 2,500 hours down to 1,000 hours.

In the group’s original charter, the cartel was supposed to last until 1955, but with the outbreak of World War II the group disbanded in 1940. However, the lifespan of light bulbs remained capped at 1,000 hours. While the cartel is not the earliest known example of corporate planned obsolescence, it may be the earliest example of multiple international companies colluding to install obsolescence into their products. Through the course of several court trials and government inquiries, it has been argued that there are legitimate engineering reasons to limit watt hours. However, in 1949, the US District Court of New Jersey found that General Electric violated the Sherman Anti-trust Act due in part to its involvement with the Phoebus cartel, and that G.E.’s main consideration in setting the lifespans of bulbs was profit.

So, the fact that the Centennial Light is pre-1925 may play a significant role in its longevity, and no further evidence of planned obsolescence is necessary. It is already an established fact.

Phoebus cartel - Wikipedia

[un-cerebro-hambriento]

La Bombilla Centenaria, 110 años encendida

La llamada bombilla centenaria es una bombilla de filamento de carbono ubicada en el cuartel de bomberos número 6 de Livermore, California, la cual ha estado encendida desde 1901.

La "Bombilla centenaria", que figura en el Guinnes de los Records, fue soplada a mano por la Shelby Electric Company, de Ohio, a finales de la década de 1890 y donada después por el dueño de esa compañía al departamento de bomberos en 1901. Se sabe que fue en junio, aunque no el día exacto. Su "cumpleaños" se celebra, por convención, los días 18 de ese mes. Desde que fue instalada en el cuartel, la bombilla ha permanecido siempre encendida, iluminando con su pálida luz, 24 horas al día, los camiones de bomberos en su garaje.

La bombilla sólo dejó de lucir en una ocasión, en el año 1976, cuando la sede del cuartel de bomberos de Livermore se trasladó a sus nuevas instalaciones. Para evitar disgustos, y ante el temor de que al desenroscarla de su casquillo la bombilla se rompiera, los electricistas cortaron el cable por lo sano y el pequeño "tesoro" fue transportado a su nuevo destino con escolta policial y en un coche de bomberos, bajo la atenta mirada del capitán Kirby Slate. En total, la interrupción apenas duró 22 minutos.

[pier-carlo-universe]

La Centennial Light è la lampadina più longeva del mondo: accesa dal 1901 in una caserma dei vigili del fuoco in California.

Centennial Light: la lampadina accesa dal 1901 che continua a brillare dopo oltre 120 anni

[markermage]

Fallout Idea: The next time a Fallout game takes place in California, they should include the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department as a location and have some group there that revolves around the Centennial Light. I like the idea of such a group revering this bulb due to it staying lit since 1901 and that it survived the nukes. It'd be some sort of light of hope to them. If it can stay lit, perhaps they too can continue to survive. There would of course be a quest about the possibility of it going out. Either the player has to repair/replace a backup generator to ensure continued power to it or they might be trying to get the group to leave by cutting power to the bulb to rob those people of hope.

[infinitumrad]

This Light Bulb Has Been Burning for 117 Years

I can’t even with this. Light bulbs only burn out because of a massive international conspiracy by their manufacturers.  While GE and Edison and others were figuring out how to maximize profits, Nicola Tesla was figuring out how to pull free energy from the ground. At 117-year-old (as of June 2018), the Centennial Light is the world’s longest-lasting light bulb. Burning since June of 1901, it is…

View On WordPress

[kissa-romance-ka]

Turbo Facts: Longest Burning Bulb

The Centennial Light is the world’s longest-lasting light bulb, burning since 1901. ] It is often cited as evidence for the existence of planned obsolescence in later-produced light bulbs.

Source

View On WordPress

[funfactz-com]

The oldest glowing light bulb was first switched on in 1901 and lives in fire stations in Livermore, CA. It is known as the Centennial Light.