Sometime way back when the high-pressure mercury lamp was not
yet used for street lighting, arc lamps were used in a few
locations for this purpose.
Charles Steinmetz was able to improve on the carbon arc by using
magnetite (an iron ore mineral) instead of carbon. The magnetite
released iron vapor into
the arc. Like many other metal vapors, iron vapor results in a
brilliant arc with a characteristic color. Iron arcs are typically
a purplish shade of blue-white.
Please read Don Klipstein's Disclaimers.
--end V. 1.03 (carbon arcs)
Some arc metal melting experiments by Klaas ("C++ freak").
([email protected]) Caution, such experimentation can
be hazardous.
A bit of carbon arc lamp history including a few details and
some photos of actual historic arc lamps. (from the Insitiute of
Electrical Engineers in the UK)
