# Light Bulb Celebrates 110 years of continuous use

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/light-bulb-celebrates-110-years-of-continuous-use/586243>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [June 21, 2011, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/light-bulb-celebrates-110-years-of-continuous-use/586243 "2011-06-21T03:28:57Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/light-bulb-celebrates-110-years-of-continuous-use/586243/1 "2011-06-21T03:28:57Z")

</div>

I see that the light bulb in Livermore California has celebrated its 110th anniversary of continuous use this past Saturday, June 18, 2011.  
Low pwer will do that. Bulb lifetime goes as the 12th power of current. Thermionic emission from the filament eventually eats a gap in the filament, which is why your bulbs burn out. the flip side is that, if you keep the current low, the bulb will last a heckuva long time.

> **[Livermore's Centennial Light Bulb](http://www.centennialbulb.org/)**
>
> You have found Livermore California's World famous Centennial Light Bulb! Feel free to read the 
> facts sheet, take a close-up look at bulb photos, tour Station #6, of our downtown of 1901. Learn about the 110th birthday party. 
> Take a look at...

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/light-bulb-celebrates-110-years-of-continuous-use/586243/2 "2011-06-21T03:40:56Z")

</div>

I have a 75 watt, glare free, long life  
Harmony House light bulb in my toilet.  
I have been living in the same apartment  
for over two years now  
and that bulb just keeps burning away.  
I believe that it is fond of me.  
– “Affectionate Light Bulb,” by Richard Brautigan

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/light-bulb-celebrates-110-years-of-continuous-use/586243/3 "2011-06-21T07:03:56Z")

</div>

> [@CalMeacham](#):
>
> Low pwer will do that. Bulb lifetime goes as the 12th power of current. Thermionic emission from the filament eventually eats a gap in the filament, which is why your bulbs burn out. the flip side is that, if you keep the current low, the bulb will last a heckuva long time.

Right. They have that 60-watt bulb turned down to 4 watts. At that rate, it could burn for another hundred years. But at that dim, how could you tell if it’s burning or not?