The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-04-20
Report on Lights

Thomas Crawford and e. NJ. Walk
err, the former from Dubuque, and the
latter from Clinton, reported on gas
filled lamps and fixtures for street
| lighting this afternoon. Here is their
report:
Mr.. President: Your committee has
been assigned the task Of investigat.
ing, a. development inr the central
station industry that has come into
commercial application since our last
meeting: that of the use of gass filed
or Mazda c series lamps for street
lighting in place of the constant cur
rent series A. c. arc lamps that were
standard for so many years.
In 1918 this type of lamp was in
the later stage of its development be-
ing then undergoing tests for life,
and having its last little kinks ironed
out. However, it did not leave the
laboratories till the spring Of 1914, at
which time it became possible to
make commercial spromises concern
ing the lamp to us who were deeply
interested in the new lamp from an
operating, no less than from struc-
tural standpoint.
Your committee does not feel quail
fled to enter into a lengthy technt-
cal discussion of the structure and Of
the different stages Of development
of this wonderful lamp, but feel that
a few words borrowed from the man
ufacturers of the lamps may not be
amiss as a part. Of this report.
"A gas filled lamp differs from a
vacuum as the gas in the bulb acts
as q conducting medium carrying the
heat from the filament to the bulb.
The circulation of the gas is such
that the hot gases rise and
therefore. the hotter part of the bulb
would naturally be the upper section.
It follows then, that 1t is important
that the fixtures used with these
lamps be properly designed for ven
tilation and, when used outdoors,
protection from the weather"
Suggestions Of Committee.
There are number Of different
types Of hood for use with type &C.
series lamp units. We find the fol-
lowing suggestions advisable in the
construction Of good incandescent
street hood:
. Ffrst-Copper pins and screws.
Second-All metal exposed parts,
galvanized.
Third-Copper shells and screws
in sockets.
Fourth Proper ventilation be-
tween the refractor and lamp.
Fifth-Proper bug screens.
Sixth-Proper lining up with sock
ct terminals, of the leading in wires.
Ninth-An efficient and certain
cut-out.
We find that copper cotter pins
and screws are essential as they can
generally be removed from the Other
parts without breaking the heads off
the screws, such as is the case with
brass or steel.
Galvanized exposed parts are essen
tial to increase the life Of the hooo.
preventing corrosion.
The interior Of the socket parts,
copper, to increase the life and eff
cheney. F.n
The reflector should be at least one
inch away from the lamp, as too
much glass close around the lamp
will decrease the life Of the lamp.
Proper ventilation Of the hood and
refractor is very essential to increase
the life and efficiency of the lamp.
The wires leading up into the lamp
socket from the outside should line
up readily and easily so that the
wires may be disconnected for test
ing and renewing.
In some of the hoods these are
entirely out of line and 1t is almost
to connect them up.
The reflector should be enameled