Author Topic: What kind that vintage street light?  (Read 3416 times)
AZTECH
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What kind that vintage street light? « on: February 08, 2021, 03:51:55 PM » Author: AZTECH
Saw at estate sale, It is a GE Form 109 street light?  :wndr:

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joseph_125
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Re: What kind that vintage street light? « Reply #1 on: February 08, 2021, 07:28:55 PM » Author: joseph_125
Yeah it does look to be a Form 109. Worth looking into getting if it's a good price and you have the room. Who knows, maybe it might even have a rare lamp inside.
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AZTECH
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Re: What kind that vintage street light? « Reply #2 on: February 09, 2021, 08:37:21 PM » Author: AZTECH
I am going try buy it tomorrow and it probably just 300 - 500 watt  :inc: inside.  I was wondering why would be possible rare bulb inside a GE form 109.
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AZTECH
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Re: What kind that vintage street light? « Reply #3 on: February 10, 2021, 04:13:24 PM » Author: AZTECH
I brought it the GE form 109! And it come with 4 of 500 watt clear  :inc: bulbs.  What surprised I found two pre-heat deco fluorescent fixtures that can hold 4 of F40T12 and two survived old tubes. 

I did brought interesting blue F30T8 and Red F15T12 tubes.  I did not buy Gold F20T12/F15T12 but still some left at estate sale.

They also have about 20 qty big 4x4 ft approx commercial fluorescent fixture rapid start type that can hold many 8 of F40T12!   
« Last Edit: February 10, 2021, 05:40:08 PM by AZTECH » Logged
AZTECH
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Re: What kind that vintage street light? « Reply #4 on: February 10, 2021, 05:32:37 PM » Author: AZTECH
Here some pictures  :'-)

It seem GE Form 109 has a coil resistor inside in the head cap to reducer watt usage or dim the bright level from 500 watt? 
   
« Last Edit: February 10, 2021, 05:43:50 PM by AZTECH » Logged
joseph_125
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Re: What kind that vintage street light? « Reply #5 on: February 10, 2021, 09:14:04 PM » Author: joseph_125
Hmm nice finds! and cool that you got the Form 109, looks like they had some good stuff there.

Anyway, the coil is a arc shaping coil used to allow the vertical burn only medium pressure MA/V type mercury lamps used at the time of the Form 109 to be used in a horizontal luminaire. Modern mercury lamps do not have such a burning position restriction and can be run with the coil disconnected.

The 500w incandescent would probably be something installed by the owner. Incandescent Form 109s were made but they had a taller head and a vertically mounted lamp as see in this photo. The ones with the shorter head and horizontal mounted lamp were designed for MV lamps. The ballast would be remote mounted to the pole or pole base using one of those paintcan style enclosures.
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AZTECH
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Re: What kind that vintage street light? « Reply #6 on: February 10, 2021, 10:19:08 PM » Author: AZTECH
Hmm nice finds! and cool that you got the Form 109, looks like they had some good stuff there.

Anyway, the coil is a arc shaping coil used to allow the vertical burn only medium pressure MA/V type mercury lamps used at the time of the Form 109 to be used in a horizontal luminaire. Modern mercury lamps do not have such a burning position restriction and can be run with the coil disconnected.

The 500w incandescent would probably be something installed by the owner. Incandescent Form 109s were made but they had a taller head and a vertically mounted lamp as see in this photo. The ones with the shorter head and horizontal mounted lamp were designed for MV lamps. The ballast would be remote mounted to the pole or pole base using one of those paintcan style enclosures.


Thanks for input! Interesting old tech MV arc coil that something I do not know and now I do see bit different the true Incandescent design for GE form 109 was much like that picture from someone else.
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joseph_125
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Re: What kind that vintage street light? « Reply #7 on: February 10, 2021, 11:59:15 PM » Author: joseph_125
Yeah, that's a much better picture you found of the incandescent version.

Anyway I think the arc shaping coil was quite rare as I think only the Form 109 and early model LM Ovalites had them.
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Joe Maurath, Jr.
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Re: What kind that vintage street light? « Reply #8 on: February 11, 2021, 12:52:29 PM » Author: Joe Maurath, Jr.
The Form 109s we are familiar with using MV were also available as incandescent. The vertical socket was way up inside the head (located as such to allow enough space for the reflector to swing open without hitting the lamp and also positioned for the correct light center of the filament in reference to the optics). I grew up with lots of these. These were multiples used PS-40 lamps.
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Re: What kind that vintage street light? « Reply #9 on: February 11, 2021, 07:56:55 PM » Author: vintagefluorescent
I brought it the GE form 109! And it come with 4 of 500 watt clear  :inc: bulbs.  What surprised I found two pre-heat deco fluorescent fixtures that can hold 4 of F40T12 and two survived old tubes. 

I did brought interesting blue F30T8 and Red F15T12 tubes.  I did not buy Gold F20T12/F15T12 but still some left at estate sale.

They also have about 20 qty big 4x4 ft approx commercial fluorescent fixture rapid start type that can hold many 8 of F40T12!


Congratulations on that score !

F40t12 fluorescent bulbs dead or alive from the 1940s are extremely rare nowadays,
The champions appear to date to around the mid to late 1940s,

If You don’t have all the glass endcaps for the fluorescent fixtures- No problem- That Art Deco glass end cap style shows up frequently on eBay ,

That Red F15T 12 is nice too!

I would if You get a chance try to return to the estate sale and pick up the the vintage gold Fluorescent bulbs You left behind or any other old fluorescent bulbs because after the sale they usually trash what’s left behind, The vintage golds are collectible and You may be able to use them for future trades 🤞,

Anyway- So glad You saved all these beautiful treasures 👍! Wonderful!
« Last Edit: February 11, 2021, 08:01:23 PM by vintagefluorescent » Logged
AZTECH
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Re: What kind that vintage street light? « Reply #10 on: February 12, 2021, 06:41:18 PM » Author: AZTECH
The GE form 109 finally found new home at my front yard!  :)

I did put it there by myself and oh boy those old street light head so heavy. I am thinking to find weatherproof 400w cylinder shape ballast for use MV or MH bulb.


BTW, I can go back to estate sale if anyone want to get small GOLD fluorescent tubes or other stuffs they have big old "bowl" (I do not know what it called) :inc: fixtures designed to take big  :inc: mogul base bulb. I'll try post in Sale
« Last Edit: February 12, 2021, 06:48:13 PM by AZTECH » Logged
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Re: What kind that vintage street light? « Reply #11 on: February 12, 2021, 08:46:22 PM » Author: xmaslightguy
You should deff pick up some of those Golds.. and that bucket full of 3-footers looks like it might contain some good stuff! (like the slimline for example
)
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joseph_125
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Re: What kind that vintage street light? « Reply #12 on: February 19, 2021, 01:57:48 AM » Author: joseph_125
Great job mounting it. The can style weatherproof ballasts are available on eBay in most wattages and can be had for cheaply sometimes. I would go with 175w MV and use a socket extension instead of the full 400w. Unless if you have a big yard.

The gold lamps are probably a pretty nice find too and who knows maybe there's a T17 or a Powergroove lurking in that stash of fluorescent lamps.

The incandescent floodlight might be desirable to some too, especially at that price.
« Last Edit: February 19, 2021, 02:02:38 AM by joseph_125 » Logged
AZTECH
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Re: What kind that vintage street light? « Reply #13 on: February 20, 2021, 04:41:40 PM » Author: AZTECH
Great job mounting it. The can style weatherproof ballasts are available on eBay in most wattages and can be had for cheaply sometimes. I would go with 175w MV and use a socket extension instead of the full 400w. Unless if you have a big yard.

The gold lamps are probably a pretty nice find too and who knows maybe there's a T17 or a Powergroove lurking in that stash of fluorescent lamps.

The incandescent floodlight might be desirable to some too, especially at that price.


Yes, I do have big yard and I probably looking for 400w MH/MV ballast outdoor type but I did see some on ebay MV 400w bulb MV do have self ballasted and I am not sure if self ballasted MV bulbs are reliability. and I do have GE Powerflood light (not installed yet) used to have 400w MV can mount along with GE form 109.  There no T17 or PG17 bulbs found at estate sale.  I'll try collect many as possible.

 
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AZTECH
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Re: What kind that vintage street light? « Reply #14 on: March 13, 2021, 08:06:56 PM » Author: AZTECH
Added 1000w MV Westinghouse power floor light above of GE form 109  @-@

I think wayyy too heavy than Wide-Lite it can hold two HID ballast behind the lamp housing.  (1000w/400w) hidden 400w ballast for GE form 109  :lol:
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