Restored Open Carbon Arc Lamp From 1889 In Operation

The carbon arc lamp was the very first successful artificial electric light technology and predated invention of the light bulb by several decades. This specific lamp is typical of many first generation carbon arc lamps commonly used from 1880 to 1895. The first pendent type open carbon arc lamps of this general design were introduced by Charles Brush in the late 1870's. They gained wide spread acceptance as the worlds first electric street lamps. By the late 1880's numerous manufacturers were making open arc lamps similar to the one demonstrated in this video. Many hundreds of thousands of these once ubiquitous lamps were in use urban areas all over the world in the last two decades of the 19th century.

An "open arc lamp" as demonstrated in this video is one where the electric arc is burning in open air. Open arc lamps became obsolete in the late 1890's when enclosed carbon arc lamps were introduced. The later "enclosed arc lamps" of the 1895-1910 era use a small inner glass enclosing globe to surround the arc. The enclosing globe extended the burn time of the carbon rods from 10 hours as with the lamp in this video to 90 or more hours. By excluding oxygen from the arc with an enclosing globe the operation of these lamps became much more economical.

The specific lamp in this video is what was historically known as the "Ward Arc Lamp". It was sold by the Electric Construction and Supply Company of New York from 1888 through about 1894. The specific lamp in this video sold new for $50 in 1890.

A BIG thank you goes to Ingenium - Canada's Museums of Science and Innovation located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada for their assistance and support in my research regarding the specific lamp in this video.

The lamp in this video is operating at 8 amps constant current pulsed DC at 55 volts using standard 1/2" diameter solid carbon rods.

[cfjruth]

Every ham radio operator in a 20 mile radius wondering what the heck just happened. 😂

[TheCutiePatrol]

1889, you're trying to sleep but your neighbour purchased a new light.

[infamoushackerchan]

Fascinating to think that people in the late 1800s were casually lighting their cities with similar technology what welders now use to fuse metals together.

[kyleh]

This is both amazing and terrifying at the same time

[r.d.z.]

Carbon arc lamps were still used in the 1950s as film projector lamps in movie theaters. I had a friend who worked as a projectionist who showed me how to operate these fearsome lamps that were enclosed in furnace-like enclosures with stovepipes guiding the hot gas out of the building.

[Heizenberg]

"Honey, can get the light please?!"
Old man sighs. Begins the process...

[jasone]

Thank you for allowing me to see this technology in action. I love seeing the past come to life with functioning antique technology and this is one you don't see very often, if ever. Great job!

[jslb]

The mechanical upper section automatically adjusted the spark gap as the carbon rods vaporized. The glass enclosure greatly extended running time by reducing air flow.

[TurtleShellProductions]

I love this dudes appearance too. He's absolutely the kind of guy I can see playing around with old lights from the 1880s to show that they're interesting. ❤

[SSJIndy]

Arc spotlights left over from WWII were common up through the early 70’s as advertising gimmicks. Movie theaters, store openings, carnivals used them. The intense bluish light beams were awesome to see. And hear, if you got close enough.

[JoeK]

I am very much glad and grateful for any persons restoring and preserving historic artefacts. I don't care with what country built or develop the artefacts. It is all very much a good help to understand the evolution and development of our kind.

[ziggyc]

This is amazing. Imagine what people felt like for the first time as devices like this lit up streets and stores for the first time. About the same time, Motzart started to be played for all to be amazed in the streets of Europe. Again, first time anyone heard such beautiful music.

[venomrrider]

Driving to work and you think to yourself " did i remember to turn off the open carbon arc lamp at home "?

[MrDdefos]

Nothing like lighting and welding at the same time.

[NeighborhoodOfBlue]

I absolutely love old electromechanical tech, and am so glad you suddenly appeared in my youtube feed. Thank you for this captivating video!!!

[RandomSadBoomer]

Me getting sunburns just from watching videos of this lamp.

[Renville]

I’m reminded of an old arc lamp I found in an antique shop in North Dakota many years ago. I purchased it for an well known insulator and street light collector that lived in the Boston area, but I have not been in touch with him in ages.

[stevewinfield]

That is awesome! Keep doin bro. I've always admired what our ( electrician ) forefathers put their blood, sweat & tears into. I'm a IBEW electrician in Los Angeles. I'll tell ya, those guys built this city with a lot of pride in their work. I've collected a few items of historic electrical items...
Thanks for showing this content. Showing how it works by making it work.

[alexandermills]

This was awesome to watch. I love seeing older technology in action.

[migzz]

I remember operating one of these for my high school theatre back in the 1880’s…glad to see them still around.