Dry piles working continuously for 175 years

[PetrosA]

Here's an interesting story about a pair of batteries which have been powering an electric bell for 175 years at Oxford University in the UK. No one knows what they're made of and they won't take them apart until they completely die.

http://www.sciencealert.com/watch-s...-how-this-single-battery-has-lasted-175-years

 

[LEO2854]

Here's an interesting story about a pair of batteries which have been powering an electric bell for 175 years at Oxford University in the UK. No one knows what they're made of and they won't take them apart until they completely die.

http://www.sciencealert.com/watch-s...-how-this-single-battery-has-lasted-175-years

They don't make stuff like that anymore...

 

[John120/240]

Here is another one that they don't make anymore...http://www.centennialbulb.org/

 

[LEO2854]

Here is another one that they don't make anymore...http://www.centennialbulb.org/

I'll bet that bulb is rated for 347 Volts and that's why it has burned so long:lol:

 

[PetrosA]

I'll bet that bulb is rated for 347 Volts and that's why it has burned so long:lol:

I think I read in another story about that bulb that it's actually only rated for 100V or 110V and that there was a variac or something installed some time ago to keep the voltage down to what the bulb was designed for or even lower. They don't want to lose their international status at this point

 

[big john]

Neat.

I was looking for an explanation of how this could possibly be when I found and explanation that the voltage between poles is ~2kV and the striker uses about 1 nano-amp.

With such tiny amounts of energy at such high voltage, almost makes me wonder if this thing isn't being electrostatically recharged.