BULB DISCUSSION BOARDS > Modern Electric Lighting
self-balasted metal halide lamp
Max:
Hi all,
I recently acquired a self-balasted (!) metal halide lamp (Sodium - Scandium) made by GE in 1982/83 for the US market. Its reference is: Miser Maxi-Light. This is a 55 Watts, 110-125 V, E26 lamp that operates on the base down position only (2250 lm / 5000 hrs).
This is the first lamp of this kind that I ever met.
Do you know if any other lamps of this kind have been made in the past?
Max.
Chris W. Millinship:
Would this be a Sylvania lamp by any chance? If so, you have there, the "Holy Grail" to discharge lamp enthusiasts, that lamp was made for an extremely short time and is near enough impossible to find today, such is its rarity. It`s right on top of my "would love to find" list.
They were an experiment in energy efficient home lighting that failed, due mostly to the restricted burning position. The public didn`t like that, nor did they like the high cost of the lamp. I believe it also emitted a slightly odd colour-temperature of white light (odd compared to compact flourescent/filament bulbs) that wasn`t too popular.
Very nice find! Any chance of any pictures? I`m sure I`m not the only one keen for a peek at it.
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visit my world of electrical things that glow!
Chris W. Millinship:
Don`t know why I just enquired as to if it were a Sylvania lamp as you state GE and I just checked- and it is indeed a GE lamp I was referring too. It`s friday evening, I`m tired, my mind was convinced it were a Sylvania lamp. Sorry for`t confusion....
..anyways there is some information on the "GE Halarc" that I refer to above, on this page from the Smithsonian Institut`s web site "Lighting a Revolotion"
http://americanhistory.si.edu/lighting/promo20.htm
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visit my world of electrical things that glow!
Max:
Hello Chris!
Yes, this is exactly the lamp you refer to. On the picture of the web page of your link, the lamp is the one in the middle.
This lamp is really stunning! the arc burner is DC operated in order to compensate the Na-Sc demixing due to the upright burning position. the upper electrode is a cathode and pump up the sodium in order to decrease the color temp.
Unfortunately I don't have a digital camera at hand, but I have a copy of the lamp user's manual. I will try to find a scanner and post the scans.
Max.
Max:
since we are talking about self-ballasted MH lamps, I did some patent research. I did not find my lamp but I found something interesting from Toshiba:
http://l2.espacenet.com/espacenet/viewer?PN=JP58129742&CY=ep&LG=en&DB=EPD
http://l2.espacenet.com/espacenet/bnsviewer?CY=ep&LG=en&DB=EPD&PN=JP58129742& ID=JP+358129742A++I+
(go to page 5)
Max.
[This message has been edited by Max (edited July 27, 2002).]
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