Hello everyone, What would be the best fluorescent lamp that can last me pretty much a lifetime of about a 100 years  , and still have decent light output even after that many years if it is maintained properly by dusting it, not getting fingerprints on it (when first installing it), and most importantly when using a resonant or a preheat start ballast on it since day 1? Let me know your opinions whoever is reading this!


Thanks, David!

I don’t think there is one, and to even achieve a long life you would have to just strike it once, then leave it on forever!, the usual repeat start’s of normal use slowly destroys the starting capability of their cathodes, but lamps will run for over 10 years with just one start, although the phosphor will still degrade over time making them dull and useless by the time they reach those 10 years?

Not even the preheat or the RS help the bulbs to last forever? I mean that the starters or ballasts are preheating the cathodes and then after a few seconds it lights up.

Cathodes have emitter on them, and that will eventually become lost. Depending on the number of starts, it may be sooner or later, but it will happen. The only type of lamp that has no components that can wear out over time is the induction lamp, but even that is dependent on the electronics that drive it, and it also has phosphor that will eventually degrade.

No lamp will last forever, if it did the manufacturers would all be out of business..!

Oh hey again Rommie! Then I guess the only time a lamp can truly last forever is only when you keep it on 24/7. Curious to know, then what lamp brand is best for not immediately burning out, but they are only going to lose their mercury vapor or their light output gradually? And what was the longest burning fluorescent you have ever seen in your life?

Hi, not really all that into fluorescents, except the old BC capped tubes we used to have here, my interest is mainly sodium, mainly SOX but some HPS as well. I'm sure someone will advise you on the most reliable brands etc. but really it's all a gamble, even the best made lamps can have bad batches that got through QC somehow.

Even if you leave a lamp on 24/7 it's going to fail eventually, things will just wear out. A bit like me, really, a lot of parts could do with replacing 

I think the old magnetic ballasts will last longer. Because it pulses, but no lamp lasts that long, except the 「Century Light」 in California.

With fluorescent I see not much chance. The atmosphere degrades when off, the emission layer get consumed mainly by the starts (although that could be to a big extend suppressed by proper preheating) but also to some extend by just running.
Best lamp life expectation could be achieved by a properly preheating HF (electronic) ballast, but the problem is the electronic ballast (I mean the commercial ones) reliability is not that great so it could become the first thing to fail and destroy the bulb in the process.
Maybe a special extreme long life ballast could be build, but it won't be a cheap thing and for normal "mortals" definitely an unobtanium...

Well the "century light" was technically deffective since brand new, as thelight output below spec because running too cold, but that is then the principal reason why it was able to stay lit that way over the 100 years... So definitely not any quality piece, in fact a quality escapee...

I think the "Century light" has had better output when it was new. Of course with age everything diminishes. Nothing is meant to stay as strong from day one forever. That bulb was definitely a night light for the fire dept. and still is but i'm thinking it was brighter before.

All I need is someone to advise me on the best fluorescent lamp brand that can last a awful long time. Oh well, I will just keep the mindset of using preheat start or rapid start (magnetic) on the bulbs.

Duro-Test made some of the best fluorescent lamps ever.

Ok, good to know. I'll definitely take a look into it.