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Philips 'Ultraphil' UV Tanning Lamp This is a type of home sunlamp popular in the 1960s & 70s before sunbeds with tubes became available. The lamp is a [url=https://trad-lighting.net/gallery/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pid=1122#top_display_media][b]Philips MLU300[/b][/url] mercury blended type with a 125W high pressure arc tube, ballasted with a tungsten filament which provides additional heat. It was also promoted for other health uses, the instruction booklet says "To be used only when prescribed by a doctor" (!!) The lamp transmits UV down to 300nm and infrared up to around 3000nm. Keywords: Lanterns

Philips 'Ultraphil' UV Tanning Lamp


This is a type of home sunlamp popular in the 1960s & 70s before sunbeds with tubes became available. The lamp is a Philips MLU300 mercury blended type with a 125W high pressure arc tube, ballasted with a tungsten filament which provides additional heat. It was also promoted for other health uses, the instruction booklet says "To be used only when prescribed by a doctor" (!!)

The lamp transmits UV down to 300nm and infrared up to around 3000nm.

PCA.jpg Westinghouse_Twin_Arc_50W_HPS_Lamp.jpg DSCF1428.JPG Philips_MLU300_UV_Tanning_Lamp~2.jpg 20200124_165739.jpg
Lamp/Fixture Information
Manufacturer:Philips Lighting
Model Reference:Ultraphil
Lamp
Lamp Type:MLU300 mercury blended UV tanning lamp
Filament/Radiator Type:125W HPMV arc tube with tungsten filament ballast
Base:B22d-3 (3-pin BC)
Shape/Finish:R125 reflector
Service Life:1000 hours
Burning Position:Universal
Fixture
Fixture Type:Table Stand
Ballast Type:None
Socket Type:B22d-3 (3-pin BC)
Electrical
Wattage:300
Voltage:220-240
Physical/Production
Factory Location:Eindhoven, Netherlands
Fabrication Date:Lamp - June 1963. Fitting - unknown, possibly 1959 judging by a faint stamp on a label on the underside of the base.
Application/Use:Home tanning or other health uses
File information
Filename:DSCF1428.JPG
Album name:Ria / Lanterns / Fixtures
Keywords:Lanterns
Filesize:386 KiB
Date added:07 Mar 2026
Dimensions:2464 x 1848 pixels
Displayed:9 times
DateTime Original:2018:03:05 18:39:39
Exposure Time:1/15 sec
FNumber:f/3.1
File Source:Digital Still Camera
Flash:No Flash
Focal length:4.3 mm
ISO:800
Model:FinePix S4000
Software:Digital Camera FinePix S4000 Ver1.02
White Balance:Auto
URL:https://trad-lighting.net/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=1123
Favourites:Add to Favourites

Comment 1 to 7 of 7
Page: 1

Sammi   [Sat 07 Mar 2026 at 18:48]
And we have on occasion used it, just for a short time though.
Max   [Sat 07 Mar 2026 at 19:21]
Is there any prescribed exposure time indicated in the booklet? Or was that defined by the physician?
Ria   [Sat 07 Mar 2026 at 19:31]
If I recall correctly, you were supposed to start with a very short time of about a minute, then gradually work up to a maximum of 15 minutes. The problem with that was, I think, that the short usage times would dramatically reduce lamp life.
Max   [Sat 07 Mar 2026 at 19:32]
Yes, it must not have been good for the lamp!
Ria   [Sat 07 Mar 2026 at 19:35]
Maybe that was why they only quoted it as 1000 hours Wonder
Max   [Sat 07 Mar 2026 at 19:46]
Could well be!
Sammi   [Sun 08 Mar 2026 at 18:09]
If I recall from the documentary I saw about the Second World War, the light stayed on and people took it in shifts under the lights, not really practical in domestic use, unless you have a really big household all wanting to use it... Wonder Laughing

Comment 1 to 7 of 7
Page: 1