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Osram-GEC 250W MA/V Lamp

Here is an Osram-GEC MA/V Medium Pressure mercury lamp. This particular example is an ex-military lamp, as evidenced by the NATO stock number on cap and box, as well as the broad arrow symbol. Interestingly, the seller I bought it from told me that he got several of them from the store room of the old John Player cigarette factory in Nottingham when it closed. How it ended up there is a mystery..! An unusual feature of this particular lamp is that the starting electrode and resistors are at the top end of the lamp rather than the cap end, I have not seen this before. Also, there is only one arc tube support, usually on this design there are two, I have no idea why this is.
Keywords: Lamps

Osram-GEC 250W MA/V Lamp


Here is an Osram-GEC MA/V Medium Pressure mercury lamp. This particular example is an ex-military lamp, as evidenced by the NATO stock number on cap and box, as well as the broad arrow symbol. Interestingly, the seller I bought it from told me that he got several of them from the store room of the old John Player cigarette factory in Nottingham when it closed. How it ended up there is a mystery..! An unusual feature of this particular lamp is that the starting electrode and resistors are at the top end of the lamp rather than the cap end, I have not seen this before. Also, there is only one arc tube support, usually on this design there are two, I have no idea why this is.

DSC02904.JPG DSC02903.JPG DSC02617.JPG DSC02858.JPG Brendan___Louie.jpg
Lamp/Fixture Information
Manufacturer:The General Electric Company of England Ltd.
Model Reference:MA/V
Lamp
Lamp Type:Medium pressure mercury vapour lamp
Filament/Radiator Type:Aluminosilicate glass arc tube
Base:E40
Shape/Finish:Tubular, clear (T50)
Burning Position:Vertical, cap up
Electrical
Wattage:250
Voltage:110-140V for 230-240V mains
Current:2.13A
Physical/Production
Dimensions:290 x 48mm
Factory Location:Shaw, Oldham
Fabrication Date:August 1957 (Date code 92)
Application/Use:Street/industrial lighting
File information
Filename:DSC02617.JPG
Album name:Ria / Mercury Lamps
Keywords:Lamps
Filesize:434 KiB
Date added:Aug 10, 2024
Dimensions:2464 x 1386 pixels
Displayed:12 times
DateTime Original:2019:09:02 16:50:43
Exposure Time:1/40 sec
FNumber:f/2.8
File Source:Digital Still Camera
Flash:No Flash
Focal length:5.35 mm
ISO:320
Model:DSC-W120
White Balance:0
URL:https://trad-lighting.net/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=181
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Comment 1 to 2 of 2
Page: 1

Max   [Aug 10, 2024 at 01:25 PM]
That's an odd one for sure! I'd venture to say that this was done on purpose to optimize the lamp's performances in the base down position.
Ria   [Aug 10, 2024 at 01:55 PM]
That's a possibility, although it's clearly labelled MA/V which indicates base up operation..? I don't recall ever seeing another one like this, anyway, nor any marked as MA/D which would be the usual way of indicating base down operation. Strange...

Comment 1 to 2 of 2
Page: 1