Energy & Power

Gasoline Pump

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.

Tungsten Filament Lamp

"Longer Life - Less Light” incandescent lamp. The life rating, light output and efficiency of an lamp are all linked.GE "Longer Life / Less Light Lamp".
Description (Brief)
"Longer Life - Less Light” incandescent lamp. The life rating, light output and efficiency of an lamp are all linked.
GE "Longer Life / Less Light Lamp". According to a GE engineer, this was an attempt at truth in advertising to show that the public would not buy a long-life lamp if they knew that lumen output was reduced. The unappealing color and type-face of package may indicate a half-hearted effort to sell this product. The lamp was produced in response to the Brooks Committee Congressional hearings into lamp life (1964-66) - the details on the package mirror the argument GE made to the Committee. Characteristics: medium-screw base with glass insulator. CC-6 tungsten filament with center support, crimp connectors, dumet leads. Tipless A-shape envelope with internal frost [IF] coating.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1978
ca 1968
maker
General Electric Company
ID Number
2003.0030.08
accession number
2003.0030
catalog number
2003.0030.08

Incandescent lamp with ductile tungsten filament

In 1904 several European inventors almost simultaneously developed lamp filaments made with the metal tungsten. These gave better energy efficiency than older carbon lamp filaments. However, tungsten proved a difficult metal to work.
Description
In 1904 several European inventors almost simultaneously developed lamp filaments made with the metal tungsten. These gave better energy efficiency than older carbon lamp filaments. However, tungsten proved a difficult metal to work. A pressing technique called "sintering" was used, but the resulting filaments were brittle and could not be bent once formed. Called "non-ductile" filaments, they required a complex mounting structure with several filaments placed one after the other in the electrical circuit.
William Coolidge, working at the General Electric Research Laboratory in Schenectady, New York, began investigating how tungsten lamps might be improved by making a bendable or "ductile" wire. In 1909 he found an answer. By putting an ingot of sintered tungsten through a series of hot swagings and drawings through successively smaller dies, bendable wire of many diameters could be made. GE began selling Coolidge's lamp under the trade name "Mazda" beginning in 1910. Since it was the second generation of tungsten filament lamps, it became known as the Mazda B.
Mazda B lamps sold well throughout the 1910s and 1920s. The heavy copper hooks supporting the filament in this particular example tell us this is an early Mazda B lamp. It dates from around 1911.
Lamp characteristics: Brass medium-screw base with skirt and two glass insulators. Drawn tungsten filament with 6 upper and 5 lower heavy-copper support hooks. The black material seen on the lower hooks is called Needham's getter. It bonds chemically with oxygen and helps keep the filament from burning up. The stem assembly features crimp-style connectors, offset leads, a Siemens-type press seal, and a cotton insulator. Tipped, straight-sided envelope with taper at neck.
Date made
ca 1911
date made
ca. 1911
1911
ID Number
EM.318637
catalog number
318637
accession number
232729

Experimental Projection Lamp

Mini-arc projection lamp. Reflector has a dichroic film that reflects visible light but transmits infrared light.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Mini-arc projection lamp. Reflector has a dichroic film that reflects visible light but transmits infrared light.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1976
maker
General Electric Company
ID Number
1996.0147.39A
accession number
1996.0147
catalog number
1996.0147.39A

Experimental Sulphur-Selenium Lamp

Demonstration electrodeless selenium and sulfur bulb powered by microwave energy. Selenium is predominate.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Demonstration electrodeless selenium and sulfur bulb powered by microwave energy. Selenium is predominate.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1996
maker
Fusion Lighting, Inc.
ID Number
1996.0359.06
catalog number
1996.0359.06
accession number
1996.0359

Metal Halide Headlamp

Type PAR40 automotive metal halide headlamp. Intended to replace tungsten lamps in automotive use.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Type PAR40 automotive metal halide headlamp. Intended to replace tungsten lamps in automotive use.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1969
maker
GTE Sylvania, Inc.
ID Number
2000.0224.07
catalog number
2000.0224.07
accession number
2000.0224

Standard Carbon Lamp

Typical carbon filament lamp tested at the National Bureau of Standards.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Typical carbon filament lamp tested at the National Bureau of Standards.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1905
ID Number
1992.0342.01
catalog number
1992.0342.01
accession number
1992.0342

Tungsten Halogen Demonstration Assortment

Assortment of tungsten halogen lamps assembled by co-inventor Edward Zubler for use in lectures.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Assortment of tungsten halogen lamps assembled by co-inventor Edward Zubler for use in lectures.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1970
maker
General Electric Lighting Company
ID Number
1996.0082.08
catalog number
1996.0082.08
accession number
1996.0082

Modular Compact Fluorescent Lamp

After decades of constant decline, the cost of electricity in the U.S. began to rise beginning in the 1960s. The change occurred for many reasons, one of which was continually growing demand for electric power.
Description
After decades of constant decline, the cost of electricity in the U.S. began to rise beginning in the 1960s. The change occurred for many reasons, one of which was continually growing demand for electric power. During the 1980s electric utilities that had traditionally concerned themselves with managing the supply of power began adopting so-called Demand Side Management programs (DSM). The idea centered on encouraging the use of special pricing and greater energy efficiency to slow the need for new power plants and transmission lines.
While many DSM programs focused on commercial and industrial power users, some targeted residential consumers. One popular program involved utilities' swapping regular incandescent lamps for new, energy-efficient compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs). The participating utility purchased a large quantity of CFLs from a lamp maker at a discount and then provided the lamps to consumers at a reduced price, or sometimes for free. Some governments provided subsidies to help cover the costs.
Bulb-swaps introduced many people to energy-efficient CFLs. They also provided a market demand during the early years of CFL production when lamp makers were still paying for the new production lines needed to make the new lamps. As more lamps were produced, prices began to decline. This "Super Q'Lite" modular lamp from Lights Of America was offered by Washington, DC utility PEPCO in 1994 as part of a DSM program. Using only 27 watts, it replaced a regular lamp that used 100 watts.
Lamp characteristics: A modular compact fluorescent lamp with two parts—a tube assembly and a base-unit. The original package and coupon book were collected with this lamp. The tube assembly consists of a four-tube glass structure with two electrodes, mercury and an internal phosphor coating. Plug-in style base. The base-unit has a medium-screw shell and houses the ballast and starter equipment. A receptacle on top accepts the plug-in base of the tube assembly.
date made
ca. 1992
Date made
ca 1992
Maker
Lights of America, Inc.
ID Number
1996.0357.05
accession number
1996.0357
catalog number
1996.0357.05

Carbon Filament Lamp

This is an Edison carbon lamp with Thomson-Houston base and asphalt-coated filament that was developed around 1891. The lamp's base differed depending on the manufacturer of the lamp.
Description (Brief)
This is an Edison carbon lamp with Thomson-Houston base and asphalt-coated filament that was developed around 1891. The lamp's base differed depending on the manufacturer of the lamp. Edison, Westinghouse, Thomson-Houston and other makers devised differing ways to attach a lamp to a fixture. Companies quickly began making adapters or, as in this case, making their own lamps with competitors’ bases.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1891
maker
Edison General Electric Company
ID Number
1997.0388.57
catalog number
1997.0388.57
accession number
1997.0388

Experimental Tungsten Halogen Lamp

Experimental tungsten halogen lamp with quartz wool designed to improve safety and provide light diffusion.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Experimental tungsten halogen lamp with quartz wool designed to improve safety and provide light diffusion.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1974
maker
Fridrich, Elmer G.
ID Number
1996.0147.15
accession number
1996.0147
catalog number
1996.0147.15

Tungsten Filament Lamp

A coiled-tungsten filament 300 watt lamp with a glass pear-shaped envelope.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
A coiled-tungsten filament 300 watt lamp with a glass pear-shaped envelope.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1922
maker
General Electric Company
ID Number
EM.307563
catalog number
307563
accession number
68492

Experimental Tungsten Halogen Lamp

Experimental tungsten halogen lamp made with laser. Dimple near center support is exhaust port sealed by laser.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Experimental tungsten halogen lamp made with laser. Dimple near center support is exhaust port sealed by laser.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1972
maker
General Electric Company
ID Number
1996.0147.53
accession number
1996.0147
catalog number
1996.0147.53

Standard Carbon Lamp

Siemens & Halske carbon filament lamp tested at the National Bureau of Standards.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Siemens & Halske carbon filament lamp tested at the National Bureau of Standards.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1903
maker
Siemens & Halske
ID Number
1992.0342.05
catalog number
1992.0342.05
accession number
1992.0342

Mercury Vapor Lamp

Mercury-vapor lamp rated at 75 watts for general purpose use.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Mercury-vapor lamp rated at 75 watts for general purpose use.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1984
maker
Philips Lighting Company
ID Number
1997.0389.49
accession number
1997.0389
catalog number
1997.0389.49

Modular compact fluorescent lamp

Compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) came on the market in 1981. Dutch lamp-maker Philips introduced two different versions with features intended to appeal to different markets.
Description
Compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) came on the market in 1981. Dutch lamp-maker Philips introduced two different versions with features intended to appeal to different markets. Ultimately both succeeded and are still produced today.
This unit, a model PL-7/9, dates from about 1983 and was the second of the two types. The key development seen in this lamp is the small glass connection between the two parallel tubes called a bridge weld. Making the bridge weld proved difficult but not as difficult as the glasswork in some other proposed CFLs. This glasswork combined with a new, more durable type of phosphor made the PL lamps practical. The PL reportedly stood for Pi Lamp since the two connected tubes resembled the Greek letter.
Philips intended this lamp for commercial use and included several design features not used on their consumer-grade SL lamps. First, the unit is modular: the ballast and tube assembly can each be separately replaced reducing the cost of replacing a failed lamp. Also, the tube assembly has a special plug-in socket, not a standard screw-in socket. This prevented theft of the new, expensive lamps, since only commercial-grade fixtures had the plug-in sockets. And it cut down on the rate of "snap-back," or replacement of a failed compact fluorescent with an old-fashioned, inefficient incandescent lamp.
Lamp characteristics: A modular unit with three separable components—an adapter, a twin-tube lamp, and a ballast. Adapter: nickle-plated brass medium-screw base-shell with a brass retaining ring. A plastic insulator is part of the adapter housing. The base-shell rotates in one direction to prevent over-tightening of lamp when it is inserted into the socket. Top of the adapter has a socket for a G23-based lamp, and the back of the adapter is slotted so the ballast module can slide on. Two small holes near the top are ports for the ballast pin-connectors. Lamp: G23 base with brass pins, plastic housing, and aluminum skirt. Two arc tubes connected by a glass bridge. Internal coating of rare-earth/alumina phosphors. Ballast: Magnetic coil-core ballast in a plastic housing. Two pins are on front to connect to adapter, and a yellow potting material is evident on bottom.
Date made
ca 1983
date made
ca. 1983
maker
Philips
ID Number
1999.0324.02
accession number
1999.0324
catalog number
1999.0324.02

Metal Halide Lamp

A metal-halide lamp using a frameless design so that the frame mount does not pass alongside the arc tube.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
A metal-halide lamp using a frameless design so that the frame mount does not pass alongside the arc tube.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1980
Maker
General Electric
ID Number
1997.0388.06
accession number
1997.0388
catalog number
1997.0388.06

Tungsten Filament Lamp

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.307588
catalog number
307588
accession number
68492

Experimental Lamp Components

Etched molybdenum foils ready to be attached to leads and electrodes for mini-arc lamp experiments.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Etched molybdenum foils ready to be attached to leads and electrodes for mini-arc lamp experiments.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1968
maker
General Electric Company
ID Number
1996.0147.52
accession number
1996.0147
catalog number
1996.0147.52

Plane for making Edison bamboo filaments

Inventing a new technical device not only involves creating the device itself, but often entails creating special tools to produce the device or the component pieces of the device.
Description
Inventing a new technical device not only involves creating the device itself, but often entails creating special tools to produce the device or the component pieces of the device. Thomas Edison conducted experiments on hundreds of different types of natural fibers in his search for a material that would serve as a light bulb filament.
Date made
1880
associated user
unknown
maker
Edison, Thomas Alva
S. R. Wells & Co.
ID Number
EM.314259
catalog number
314259
accession number
198085

Experimental Tungsten Halogen Lamps

Set of nine experimental tungsten halogen lamps.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Set of nine experimental tungsten halogen lamps.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1964
maker
Fridrich, Elmer G.
ID Number
1996.0147.82
accession number
1996.0147
catalog number
1996.0147.82

Experimental Compact Fluorescent Lamp

Experimental "Genura" electrodeless compact fluorescent lamp. Envelope and electronics module are in two parts.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Experimental "Genura" electrodeless compact fluorescent lamp. Envelope and electronics module are in two parts.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1994
maker
General Electric Lighting Company
ID Number
1998.0050.10
accession number
1998.0050
catalog number
1998.0050.10

Carbon Filament Lamp

An early commercial Edison lamp. The bamboo filament is attached to the lead wires with copper-plated connectors.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
An early commercial Edison lamp. The bamboo filament is attached to the lead wires with copper-plated connectors.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1884
inventor
Edison, Thomas Alva
maker
Edison Lamp Company
ID Number
EM.318648
catalog number
318648
accession number
232729

Experimental Tungsten Halogen Lamps

Set of nine experimental tungsten halogen lamps from at least three test series.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Set of nine experimental tungsten halogen lamps from at least three test series.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1964
maker
Fridrich, Elmer G.
ID Number
1996.0147.81
accession number
1996.0147
catalog number
1996.0147.81

p-type solar cell for terrestrial use

Solar cells come in many shapes and sizes, and are manufactured with a variety of materials. The wafer of this round cell is made with the element silicon and has an anti-reflection coating of titanium dioxide.
Description (Brief)
Solar cells come in many shapes and sizes, and are manufactured with a variety of materials. The wafer of this round cell is made with the element silicon and has an anti-reflection coating of titanium dioxide. The dark areas convert sunlight into electricity while the thick and thin lines are part of the electrical circuit. The two white, golf club-shaped parallel lines are the main circuit leads that gather the charge from the seventeen thin “fingers” that run horizontally across the wafer. This solar cell was designed for use on the ground rather than in space.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
2016.0070.01
accession number
2016.0070
catalog number
2016.0070.01

Our collection database is a work in progress. We may update this record based on further research and review. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online.

If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions.