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To: Jane Long

I always made sure that I had a 100 watt bulb to read by but they were so hot during the summer, now I use 100 watt equivalent bulbs, cool white, which makes the print clearer than incandescent, and I use a few 300 watt equivalents to really light up my place, I like that they don’t heat up the house and they last for so many years, I have yet to learn how many years they will last.


45 posted on 09/22/2026 6:04:31 PM PDT by ansel12
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To: ansel12; DoodleBob

Fun Fact .... the original filament light bulb is STILL burning!! ...

Yes, the famous Centennial Light bulb is still burning today.

Details of the BulbLocation: Fire Station 6 at 4550 East Avenue in Livermore, California.

Age: It was first turned on in June 1901, making it over 125 years old.

Manufacturer: Hand-blown with a carbon filament by the Shelby Electric Company in Ohio during the late 1890s.

Current Output: Though originally rated at a higher wattage, it now glows very dimly at about 4 watts—the light level of a small nightlight.

Why Has It Lasted So Long?

Thick Filament: Its carbon filament is much thicker than those used in later incandescent bulbs

.Low Power Operation: Running on a low-wattage circuit reduces stress on the internal parts.

Continuous Power: It has rarely been switched off, avoiding the thermal shock of frequent power cycles that break modern filaments.


49 posted on 09/22/2026 6:17:14 PM PDT by Jane Long (Jesus is Lord!)
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