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Before planned obsolescence was invented, common products sometimes lasted a very long time. A case in point…

Thomas Edison invented the electric light bulb in 1879. By the late 1890s, among the companies manufacturing hand-blown, carbon-filament, electric bulbs was the Shelby Electric Co. of Shelby, Ohio.

In 1901, in Livermore, California, a generous citizen donated several new four-watt Shelby bulbs to the Livermore Fire Department. One of the bulbs was placed in a garage to serve as a night light, replacing a kerosene lamp. As a night light, the bulb was left “on” continuously, 24/7.

Livermore is located on the eastern edge of the San Francisco Bay area, and the bulb survived the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire. Around 1910, it was moved to another building owned by the city and again was used as a night light. There it remained, in continuous operation as the years passed.

By 1976, the longevity of the bulb had finally attracted the city’s attention. The bulb was relocated — very, very carefully — to one of the city fire stations, where it could be monitored and protected.

During that move in 1976, the bulb was without power for 22 minutes. It has not been “off” since.

So, the bulb burning today in Livermore Fire Station No. 6 has been in near-continuous operation for 111 years and counting. It is considered the world record-holder — the longest-lasting light bulb ever.

Officially known as the Livermore Centennial Light Bulb, it now operates with the security of a surge protector, and it boasts two backup systems, one powered by batteries, the other by diesel.

Except for a few rare power interruptions, the Livermore Bulb has been shining around the clock for nearly one million hours. And it continues to operate as steadily as ever.

According to the experts, three factors account for the bulb’s longevity.

First, the low wattage. At a mere four watts, the bulb has a relatively low operating temperature, which promotes longer life.

Second, the constant operation. The bulb is never turned off, which protects the filament from damage caused by repetitive heating and cooling.

Third, the quality of construction. Some anonymous worker at Shelby Electric Co. sealed the bulb perfectly, which maintains the vacuum and protects the filament from stress and deterioration.

In short, it is a simple, well-built product operating under optimum conditions, and it continues to soldier on.

Think about the Livermore Bulb the next time you read about the cutting-edge, much-ballyhooed electric bulbs of today…

… such as the new Bright From the Start ™ compact fluorescent bulbs from General Electric — the 15-watt model of which is priced at only $9.99, is estimated to save you $1.85 per year in energy costs, and is expected to last a whopping 7.3 years!

The Livermore Bulb.