18-06-2011, 11:30 AM
There appears to be an inconsistency in that report.
Quotes:
Extract 1:
Lynn Owens told Time.com: "Nobody knows how it's possible. It is a 60-watt bulb and it's only turned on for about four watts, but nobody knows why it keeps burning".
Extract 2:
In 1976 it was moved to its present site at Fire Station 6 in Livermore. It was then hooked to a separate power source at 120V, according to Frank Maul, Retired City Electrician, with no interruptions since.
The only answer that I can come up with to explain that apparent inconsistency is that in the second extract, if the bulb is indeed connected to the 120v source, it must be via a substantial voltage-dropping resistor or a triac light-dimmer. However that invalidates the technical merit of the claim.
Al.
Quotes:
Extract 1:
Lynn Owens told Time.com: "Nobody knows how it's possible. It is a 60-watt bulb and it's only turned on for about four watts, but nobody knows why it keeps burning".
Extract 2:
In 1976 it was moved to its present site at Fire Station 6 in Livermore. It was then hooked to a separate power source at 120V, according to Frank Maul, Retired City Electrician, with no interruptions since.
The only answer that I can come up with to explain that apparent inconsistency is that in the second extract, if the bulb is indeed connected to the 120v source, it must be via a substantial voltage-dropping resistor or a triac light-dimmer. However that invalidates the technical merit of the claim.
Al.
