Photo Gallery

Philips MLU300 'Ultraphil' UV Tanning Lamp

Here is a Philips MLU300 lamp, used in the [url=https://trad-lighting.net/gallery/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pid=1123#top_display_media][b]Ultraphil[/b][/url] tanning lamp that was popular in the UK until the 1980's. It is a blended mercury lamp with a 125W arc tube ballasted by a tungsten filament.

The date code is E3 which going by the style of packaging comes back as May 1963, but I believe that this code did not come into general use until 1964..? I have another of these lamps with the older dot style of code which translates as June 1963, made in Eindhoven, so could different factories have been using different code styles at this time..?
Keywords: Lamps

Philips MLU300 'Ultraphil' UV Tanning Lamp


Here is a Philips MLU300 lamp, used in the Ultraphil tanning lamp that was popular in the UK until the 1980's. It is a blended mercury lamp with a 125W arc tube ballasted by a tungsten filament.

The date code is E3 which going by the style of packaging comes back as May 1963, but I believe that this code did not come into general use until 1964..? I have another of these lamps with the older dot style of code which translates as June 1963, made in Eindhoven, so could different factories have been using different code styles at this time..?

Philips_MLU300_UV_Tanning_Lamp~2.jpg Westinghouse_Mazda_A-H1_400W_Medium_Pressure_Mercury_Lamp.jpg Westinghouse_450W_Clear_Self-Ballasted_Mercury_Lamp.jpg Siemens-Ediswan_240V_500W_MAT-V_Lamp_in_display_case.jpg Osram-GEC_80W_MB-D_Lamp_Lit.jpg
Lamp/Fixture Information
Manufacturer:Philips Lighting
Model Reference:MLU300
Lamp
Lamp Type:Self ballasted mercury vapour 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
Electrical
Wattage:300
Voltage:220-240
Physical/Production
Factory Location:Turnhout, Belgium
Fabrication Date:May 1983 (Date code E3)
Application/Use:Home tanning or other health uses
File information
Filename:Philips_MLU300_UV_Tanning_Lamp~2.jpg
Album name:Ria / Mercury Lamps
Keywords:Lamps
Filesize:185 KiB
Date added:07 Mar 2026
Dimensions:1352 x 1491 pixels
Displayed:6 times
URL:https://trad-lighting.net/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=1122
Favourites:Add to Favourites

Comment 1 to 3 of 3
Page: 1

Sammi   [Sat 07 Mar 2026 at 15:52]
I believe that these or something similar were used during the Second World War to ensure that the girls in the underground control rooms got enough Vitamin D due to the fact that they spent all day under artificial light. Wonder
Max   [Sat 07 Mar 2026 at 19:07]
Not sure about that, but I'm sure this lamp was not made in Tienen, but in Turnhout instead (Tienen is where the Sylvania HID lamp factory was established). As for the production year, it's May 1983 for sure. Turnhout was a tungsten-halogen lamp factory only before 1979.
Ria   [Sat 07 Mar 2026 at 19:35]
Thanks, I'll update the information.

Comment 1 to 3 of 3
Page: 1