19th C. Arc Lights

[deemery]

Dave, my understanding is that arc lights produce a bright white light, bordering on blue. I got white LEDs to do this project, I'm pretty happy with the color.

That's kinda my recollection, too, so I was wondering if a faint blue wash would be appropriate. I think I remember reading that arc lights are missing a lot of 'colors'.

dave

[slimjerkins]

Craig

It needs a little detailing between the LED and shade. This should help make it look less LED-ish.

Ngineering has a new type of through-hole LED with the right shape but I think it might be on the orange side.

I would think the arc color would be blue-white. The arc lamps that I ran back in my projectionist days were white. Only time they had a little color was when you first struck the arc. After it stabilized it was quite white.

I knew you would come up with a good idea if I kept my nose out.

Shoot me you address and I'll send you some magnet wire.

-slim

[DarkTerritory]

Thank you Slim - PM sent.

[Zephyrus52246]

My first thought was "an LED hanging from a lamp shade". But it is a good representation of the prototype picture. Some minor detailing of the leads where they meet the shade would make it even more convincing. Pretty neat!

Jeff

[jbvb]

If you want to experiment, one of the big old Lionel transformers will sustain a pretty good arc between a pair of dry-cell battery carbons. It's very white because the light comes from a plasma, not a heated wire. The pulley etc. looks like it was to lower the whole arm/lamp assembly - arcs needed a lot of maintenance. The swinging arm might be there to reduce the fire hazard, but I bet the RR also wanted to minimize the shadow of the supporting pole.

[Candy_Streeter]

Servicing a carbon arc lamp

[jimmillho]

Craig,
Sharp looking light and pole. I may have to try that for some yard lights around my Engine yard.

Jim

[slimjerkins]

Wow. You would think the arc lamp service guy could at least get away with office casual...

-slim

[gnatshop]

Craig, hope you don't mind us butting in with what we find on carbon arc lights.
It's a fascinating subject!!

Candy's pictures were great! Here's a little more I found on carbon arc lights:

Street Lights - Charles F Brush
The arc light as a practical illuminating device was invented in 1878 by Charles Brush, a Ohio engineer and graduate of the University of Michigan. Others had attacked the problem of electric lighting, but a lack of suitable carbons stood in the way of their success. Charles Brush made several lamps light in series from one dynamo. The first Brush lights were used for street illumination in Cleveland, Ohio.
Other inventors improved the arc light, but there were drawbacks. For outdoor lighting and for large halls arc lights worked well, but arc lights could not be used in small rooms. Besides, they were in series, that is, the current passed through every lamp in turn, and an accident to one threw the whole series out of action. The whole problem of indoor lighting was to be solved by one of America's most famous inventors, Thomas Edison.

[jan kirkwood]

Craig I love your light and all of the discussion, we didn't have arc lights out west in 1880. Ok maybe Candy will find a picture of one.

Jan