Energy & Power

The Museum's collections on energy and power illuminate the role of fire, steam, wind, water, electricity, and the atom in the nation's history. The artifacts include wood-burning stoves, water turbines, and windmills, as well as steam, gas, and diesel engines. Oil-exploration and coal-mining equipment form part of these collections, along with a computer that controlled a power plant and even bubble chambers—a tool of physicists to study protons, electrons, and other charged particles.

A special strength of the collections lies in objects related to the history of electrical power, including generators, batteries, cables, transformers, and early photovoltaic cells. A group of Thomas Edison's earliest light bulbs are a precious treasure. Hundreds of other objects represent the innumerable uses of electricity, from streetlights and railway signals to microwave ovens and satellite equipment.

A coiled-tungsten filament lamp designed for use in the base-down position. Lamp has a pear-shaped envelope.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
A coiled-tungsten filament lamp designed for use in the base-down position. Lamp has a pear-shaped envelope.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1915
maker
General Electric Company
ID Number
EM.307549
catalog number
307549
accession number
68492
Production miniature glow-lamp filled with either neon or argon. Used as indicator lamp.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Production miniature glow-lamp filled with either neon or argon. Used as indicator lamp.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1970
maker
General Electric Company
ID Number
1996.0147.55
accession number
1996.0147
catalog number
1996.0147.55
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1894
maker
General Electric Company
ID Number
EM.181698
catalog number
181698
accession number
33184
maker number
9172
A coiled-tungsten filament 100 watt lamp with a blue glass pear-shaped envelope. Known as a “daylight blue” lamp.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
A coiled-tungsten filament 100 watt lamp with a blue glass pear-shaped envelope. Known as a “daylight blue” lamp.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1918
maker
General Electric Company
ID Number
EM.307553
catalog number
307553
accession number
68492
Second generation tungsten lamp with a pear-shaped envelope.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Second generation tungsten lamp with a pear-shaped envelope.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1914
maker
General Electric Company
ID Number
EM.316017
catalog number
316017
accession number
223095
Miniature metal-halide lamp designed for indoor use. This was GE's competitive response to compact fluorescent lamps introduced by Philips and Westinghouse, and it failed in the market.
Description (Brief)
Miniature metal-halide lamp designed for indoor use. This was GE's competitive response to compact fluorescent lamps introduced by Philips and Westinghouse, and it failed in the market.
date made
ca 1981
maker
General Electric Company
ID Number
1996.0084.01
accession number
1996.0084
catalog number
1996.0084.01
A third generation tungsten filament lamp with pear-straight (PS) shaped envelope.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
A third generation tungsten filament lamp with pear-straight (PS) shaped envelope.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1915
maker
General Electric Company
ID Number
EM.307589
catalog number
307589
accession number
68492
“Meridian” lamps were designed for stylish installations. They featured a globe shape with no external exhaust tip.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
“Meridian” lamps were designed for stylish installations. They featured a globe shape with no external exhaust tip.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1904
maker
General Electric Company
ID Number
EM.328073
catalog number
328073
accession number
270107
Only a few types of carbon lamps were made with coiled filaments.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Only a few types of carbon lamps were made with coiled filaments.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1900
maker
General Electric Company
ID Number
EM.230844
catalog number
230844
accession number
43304
The cables needed to transmit electrical power may seem simple but are actually complex technological artifacts. Cables are designed for many different applications, for example, indoor or outdoor use.
Description (Brief)
The cables needed to transmit electrical power may seem simple but are actually complex technological artifacts. Cables are designed for many different applications, for example, indoor or outdoor use. This power cable was described by GE engineer William Clark in 1898 as follows: “300,000 [circular mil] cable, [having] the braids saturated with bituminous compound. These cables are intended for overhead wiring."
date made
1897
maker
General Electric Company
ID Number
EM.181714
catalog number
181714
accession number
33184
maker number
673
A third generation tungsten filament lamp rated at 400 candle-power with 15 amperes current.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
A third generation tungsten filament lamp rated at 400 candle-power with 15 amperes current.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1915
maker
General Electric Company
ID Number
EM.307590
accession number
68492
catalog number
307590
Cool-White fluorescent panel-lamp in original package. The envelope is two pieces welded together along the edge.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Cool-White fluorescent panel-lamp in original package. The envelope is two pieces welded together along the edge.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1973
maker
General Electric Company
ID Number
1998.0050.08
accession number
1998.0050
catalog number
1998.0050.08
A coiled-tungsten filament 750 watt lamp with a glass pear-shaped envelope.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
A coiled-tungsten filament 750 watt lamp with a glass pear-shaped envelope.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1915
maker
General Electric Company
ID Number
EM.307565
catalog number
307565
accession number
68492
GE tungsten lamp tested by the Department of Energy. An infrared-reflecting coat raised the filament temperature.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
GE tungsten lamp tested by the Department of Energy. An infrared-reflecting coat raised the filament temperature.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1985
maker
General Electric Company
ID Number
1992.0466.02
catalog number
1992.0466.02
accession number
1992.0466
Aluminum caps for high-temperature capacitor for Halarc metal halide and filament lamp.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Aluminum caps for high-temperature capacitor for Halarc metal halide and filament lamp.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1980
maker
General Electric Company
ID Number
1996.0147.35
accession number
1996.0147
catalog number
1996.0147.35
The second version of the type H-1 mercury vapor lamp utilized a starting electrode inside the arc tube.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
The second version of the type H-1 mercury vapor lamp utilized a starting electrode inside the arc tube.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1935
maker
General Electric Company
ID Number
1997.0387.01
accession number
1997.0387
catalog number
1997.0387.01
The cables needed to transmit electrical power may seem simple but are actually complex technological artifacts. Modern cables inherit the lessons learned during more than a century of research and experience.
Description (Brief)
The cables needed to transmit electrical power may seem simple but are actually complex technological artifacts. Modern cables inherit the lessons learned during more than a century of research and experience. This power cable was described by GE engineer William Clark in 1898 as follows: “1,000,000 [circular mil] cable composed of 59 wires, each .1305" in diameter, containing two insulated pressure wires each 2500 C.M. area, the whole insulated with saturated paper 5/32" thick and finished with lead 1/8" thick. This is a feeder cable for circuits not exceeding 2000 volts working pressure on Edison three wire circuits. An outside jacket of tarred jute and asphalt [prevents] corrosion."
date made
1897
maker
General Electric Company
ID Number
EM.181708
catalog number
181708
accession number
33184
maker number
1
Set of three miniature lamps for photoflash application.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Set of three miniature lamps for photoflash application.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1970
maker
General Electric Company
ID Number
1996.0147.45
catalog number
1996.0147.45
accession number
1996.0147
Experimental tungsten halogen lamp with quartz envelope, rolled seals, and a coiled-coil tungsten filament.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Experimental tungsten halogen lamp with quartz envelope, rolled seals, and a coiled-coil tungsten filament.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1964
maker
General Electric Company
ID Number
1996.0147.41
catalog number
1996.0147.41
accession number
1996.0147
A third generation tungsten filament lamp with pear-shaped envelope. For use in street lighting on a series-circuit.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
A third generation tungsten filament lamp with pear-shaped envelope. For use in street lighting on a series-circuit.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1915
maker
General Electric Company
ID Number
EM.307591
catalog number
307591
accession number
68492
The type S-1 sunlamp combined incandescent and mercury vapor technology into one lamp. Used for tanning.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
The type S-1 sunlamp combined incandescent and mercury vapor technology into one lamp. Used for tanning.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1935
maker
General Electric Company
ID Number
1997.0387.06
accession number
1997.0387
catalog number
1997.0387.06
The type H-1 mercury vapor lamp represented a significant advance in commercial-industrial light sources. Prior to the H-1, mercury lamps contained large amounts of the toxic metal, and most were large and awkward to use.
Description
The type H-1 mercury vapor lamp represented a significant advance in commercial-industrial light sources. Prior to the H-1, mercury lamps contained large amounts of the toxic metal, and most were large and awkward to use. The H-1 featured a small amount of mercury contained in an internal hard-glass "arc-tube" mounted inside the lamp. Compared to previous mercury lamps, the H-1 was a compact and convenient device.
This particular unit is a first generation model from about 1934. A wire grid seen wrapped around the arc-tube helps the unit to start. Later models used a special small electrode for that task. Use of the internal arc-tube allowed the lamp to operate at high internal pressure, resulting in better energy efficiency. While not the first high-pressure mercury vapor lamp, mass production of the H-1 and its ease of use led to its wide adoption. Today's mercury vapor and metal halide lamps can be considered refinements of the H-1.
Lamp characteristics: A brass mogul-screw base with glass insulator. Hard-glass arc-tube with mercury drops visible on the inner wall. Two mandrel and re-coiled tungsten electrodes. Dumet and stranded wire leads connect the base to the electrodes. Starting electrode-grid wrapped around arc-tube and connected to frame. There is no starting resistor in this lamp. Welded connectors. Tipless, T-shape envelope. 400-watt rating.
Mercury vapor lamps are one type of discharge lamp. Other types are fluorescent and neon tubes. They make light by passing an electric current through a gas, and require additional devices called ballasts to operate properly (not seen in the pictures). More information about how discharge lamps operate is on our website Lighting A Revolution.
Date made
ca 1934
date made
ca. 1934
maker
General Electric Company
ID Number
EM.318195
catalog number
318195
accession number
232822
The third version of the type H-1 mercury vapor lamp utilized “K Monel” tube supports and slightly more mercury.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
The third version of the type H-1 mercury vapor lamp utilized “K Monel” tube supports and slightly more mercury.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1937
maker
General Electric Company
ID Number
1997.0387.02
accession number
1997.0387
catalog number
1997.0387.02
A coiled-tungsten filament 200 watt lamp with a glass pear-shaped envelope.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
A coiled-tungsten filament 200 watt lamp with a glass pear-shaped envelope.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1918
maker
General Electric Company
ID Number
EM.307562
catalog number
307562
accession number
68492

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