Introduction
In the 18th century, artificial lighting in homes underwent a remarkable transformation with the invention of "candle wiring." This little-known technique allowed people to illuminate multiple rooms from a single candle flame. As I delve into the history and mechanics of candle wiring, it becomes clear how this clever hack revolutionized domestic lighting.
The Problem of Home Lighting in the 1700s
Up until the mid-1700s, lighting a home at night was an arduous process. I had to light candles or oil lamps in each room in use. This required procuring and maintaining many independent light sources. Fuel was expensive and inconsistent in quality, making lighting costs high. Even worse, open flames posed dangerous fire hazards, especially unattended.
There had to be a better solution than having isolated flames scattered in each room. I longed for a convenient and affordable way to distribute light more safely. Candle wiring would soon satisfy that need in a most ingenious way.
Early Experiments with Conducting Light
In 1748, the Irish cleric and satirist Jonathan Swift first proposed using water or glass rods to transmit candle light. This inspired others to experiment with conducting light via extended wicks, strings, and tubes. But these primitive approaches had limitations. Rods and tubes trapped little usable light, while wicks browned and burnt out quickly.
Then in 1763, a Swiss man named G.A. Bockler introduced a major breakthrough. He constructed a special wick made of many thin cotton threads bundled together, suspended in a glass tube. This "tube light" transmitted far more candle light with less heat than previous attempts. But it still required placing the candle next to the tube's end to work.
The Mechanics of Candle Wiring
In the 1760s, German chemist A.L. Lavoisier built upon Bockler's tube light to create true remote candle lighting. His key innovation was using thin metal wires instead of tubes or ropes.
Here is how the finished set-up functioned:
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Place the candle holder on a central elevated location
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Run multiple cotton wick "lines" from the candle to each room needing light
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Connect the wicks to thin metal wires leading to remote lamps
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Anchor the wires horizontally using hooks along the ceiling
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Enclose all wires in glass tubes to prevent drafty air from disturbing the flame
With this set-up, the candle flame burnt steadily, transferring light through the wick lines into the wires. The wires then emitted light out their ends to illuminate multiple lamps!
The Wonders of Remote Candle Lighting
Once perfected, candle wiring brought amazing benefits over previous lighting methods:
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I only needed a single candle to light up my entire cottage!
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Wiring the flame's light eliminated the fire risk of having many open flames.
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My home was far brighter than with individual candles or oil lamps.
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Maintenance was easier since there was just one primary candle to tend to.
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Running costs decreased since less wax and tallow fuel was consumed.
Friends who visited my home were awed by the novel experience of entering a parlor lit by a remote candle. The whole house seemed to come alive with light at the flick of a single match.
The Later Evolution of Candle Wiring
Candle wiring was clever, but had limitations preventing mass adoption. Keeping the wires lit required vigilance. Drafts or shifts could extinguish the connected flames. The light was also dimmer the further lamps were from the candle.
But this novel concept of conducting artificial light inspired others. Gas lamps soon replaced candles as the centralized light source. This led to gas piping used to illuminate buildings into the early 20th century.
So while primitive, candle wiring proved lighting a home from one point was possible. The principles pioneered then continue to shape lighting design even today. When basking under the glow of electric lights, I have candle wiring to thank for getting the enlightenment started!