Edison Concordia (Miners) Electric Safety Lamp CO, LTD Cardiff Type KG2: the last working lamp in the whole World?

You decide…

By Dorian Stonehouse

With valuable input from Bernard Garland

UNSCREWING the top of the Concordia Electric Safety Lamp KG2,  referred to in bygone times as “an eight pounder,” is definitely not for the fainthearted, as many of them, having been locked down for a Century, will be too ceased up to rescue.

Call in the Guru

To achieve the impossible, meant calling on the expertise and ingenuity of electrosparkles guru – Bernard Garland.  

He is a seasoned trouble-shooter (a man with a mission) and exactly the type of guy you need to sort out a tricky problem like a Concordia Electric Safety Lamp KG2

Drilling down into history

Concordia Electric Safety Lamp KG2

First, he had to drill out the safety locking bolt⇓⇓, which projected into the top section of the lamp – which meshes with the thread, preventing the top from being opened down pit, and  causing a possible gas explosion! 

Not so easy as it first seemed!

With the bolt eventually removed, he poured releasing oil through the hole⇑⇑, hoping it would help release the top.  

He let the oil soak in for a good few days, and cried “Eureka” as it unscrewed with ease…

No such luck…still stubbornly stuck:

Edison Concordia (Miners) Electric Safety Lamp CO, LTD Cardiff Type KG2: the last working lamp in the whole World?

…the rust was baked on hard since the 1900’s and this baby was not going to reveal her secrets without a hell of a fight!

A Gut-Wrenching Experience!

Bernard was not about to give up though:  he now attacked the lamp with a flamethrower!

Heating up the upper section⇑⇑, while the bottom was clamped in a giant vice, he used a wrench to try and unscrew the top.  No movement whatsoever.  He was quite scared that something could snap.  It turned out he was right:  the wrench snapped!

who is number 1?

Edison Concordia (Miners) Electric Safety Lamp CO, LTD Cardiff Type KG2: the last working lamp in the whole World?

By now I thought sure Bernard was going to bow out gracefully, but instead he managed to borrow a lorry (truck) wrench and went for it again!   It took several hours more toil, but suddenly there was movement, and under phenomenal pressure, the top section started to slowly (but surely) unscrew⇓⇓ Oh! – the sigh of relief was palpable!

Battery was in fine fettle

Having unscrewed the top,⇑⇑ we got down to business.  

First, was there a battery inside?  Yes ⇓⇓  Was it still in one piece? Yes. 

 

That lovely lighthouse

Edison Concordia (Miners) Electric Safety Lamp CO, LTD Cardiff Type KG2: the last working lamp in the whole World?

Now for that big ring nut which holds the lighthouse in place⇑⇑

Again, this can be a bit of a bear to remove and needs to be soaked in releasing oil for a few days.  The lamp- room boys would have used a special tool to remove the ring, but we used a small chisel and a mallet to tap gently on the cut-outs around the sides – success! ⇓⇓

The bulb inside the housing (lighthouse sounds better) is a 2.5 volt bayonet type, so we used a krypton bulb ⇓⇓

Edison Concordia (Miners) Electric Safety Lamp CO, LTD Cardiff Type KG2: the last working lamp in the whole World?

The bits and pieces removed from the housing

Edison Concordia (Miners) Electric Safety Lamp CO, LTD Cardiff Type KG2: the last working lamp in the whole World?

To find out how I flush out and recharge Edison batteries, have a look at my homemade cell – featured on electrosparkles.com

 

That light bulb moment:

Edison Concordia (Miners) Electric Safety Lamp CO, LTD Cardiff Type KG2: the last working lamp in the whole World?

Please may I ask all visitors to post links on their social media accounts directing visitors to electrosparkles.com so that more people can enjoy the website, and join in to present their technical ideas for featuring.

Heartfelt thanks

Dorian.

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