previous

up

A Late 19Th-Century Electrical Arc-Light Mechanism

Electric Carbon-Arc lights were widely used in street and outdoors lighting
as well as in factories and theatres. When arc-lights were introduced, in
the first half of the 19th century, there use was restricted since electricity
supply was by large, cumbersome batteries which could maintain light only
for a short time span.

The 19th century electric arc produced bright, cold and flickering light.
Technical improvements in the beginning of the 20th century rendered it a
useful and powerful light source for followspots and film projectors.