Justrite carbide lamps

by Had Robinson

The carbide lamp is one of the most reliable sources of bright intense light ever developed.  The lamp mixes a small amount of calcium carbide and water to produce acetylene gas which, when ignited, produces the bright light.  It is immune to EMP, operates in any temperature (once operating), can be powered by urine, and resistant to shock.  It was used in early automobiles and truck as headlights and by coal miners which was its most popular use, even today in some countries.

In more modern times, it is still used by cavers but has been generally superseded by LED systems.  The downside of the lamp is that it produces calcium hydroxide as a waste product, a mild alkaline.  Disposal of the waste has always been a problem mainly due to its appearance (a white powder).

I have been using these lamps most of my life in one way or another.  Over the decades I have acquired a number of them.

The purpose of this page is that I have the original documentation that came with one of the more popular carbide lamps, the Justrite.  I have posted them here for any who are curious about the lamp and want to preserve this significant piece of history that greatly enhanced the safety of those who work in the dark, especially coal miners whose lives often depended on this ingenious invention.

Justrite 1    Justrite 2    Justrite 3    Justrite 4