BulbCollector Forums
BULB DISCUSSION BOARDS => Antique Bulb Discussion => Topic started by: silvertoneman on July 20, 2008, 11:29:55 am
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I'm new to this, so bear with me. I had always supposed that the Mazda S-1 and S-2 sunlamp bulbs were immediately followed by the RS reflector sunlamp. The other day at a thrift shop I picked up a Sears suitcase style sunlamp that, judging from the graphics and construction, dates from the late thirties. With it were two Mazda S-4 sunlamp bulbs, one by GE, the other by Westinghouse. They are of very heavy clear glass, A-21 envelope, Edison admedium base, and contain a small quartz arc tube, starting resistor, etc. The GE has had some use, and shows end-darkening from electrode sputtering. The Westinghouse seems almost unused, and has nicer construction than the GE; pretty mica insulation plates, and a higher-quality resistor. Both bulbs operate well. I have searched old advertising, company literature, and can find absolutely nothing on these bulbs. Are these bulbs perhaps a short-lived step between the S-1-S-2 and the RS, or am I overlooking something? Was there an S-3 sunlamp bulb? Any help at all would be appreciated. I will send a picture when I can get hold of a digital camera. Thanks...Dave Salny
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Welcome to the forum Dave. I have not seen any documented evidence that an ?S-3? was ever made, but I?ve often wondered why there was an S-1, S-2, and S-4, but no ?S-3?. Anyway, the S-4 is well known among collectors and James Hooker has some nice information here:
http://www.lamptech.co.uk/Spec%20Sheets/GE%20S4.htm
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Thanks Tim for directing me to that site. Mr. Hooker is quite correct; I am now comparing my S-4 and H-4 and they are internally identical. One more question: was the RS the last GE sunlamp, or were there others after? Dave S.
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GE also made a blacklight version which is interesting. Here's a photo of mine lit, using a similar suitcase sun tanning fixture. The bulb has the same electrical characteristics and works perfectly in the fixture.
http://bulbcollector.com/gateway/Gas_Discharge_Lamps/Mercury/image/mb0001.jpg
I don't know if the RS was the last sunlamp that GE made. Maybe someone else can jump in and confirm.
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The S4 name is logical, because this is basically a Sun-Tanning version of the ordinary H4 100W mercury lamp. The number 4 indicates the type of ballast required to operate the lamp, and since both versions used the same control circuit the same number was used.
The H3 (85W) mercury lamp was only ever marketed with a normal glass bulb for general lighting applications. Had there ever been a version in UV-transmitting glass it probably would have been branded an S-3, but the market obviously did not require tanning lamps in all versions!
The RS was indeed the last version of the suntanning lamps produced by GE. Incidentally there were two versions. Initially it had an E26s medium screw base, but later it was marketed in a second version with an E32s Admedium screw base, for use in certain GE tanning equipment.