Finding the correct lens for a 1970s GE m-400 A2 Power-door street lamp « on: August 22, 2023, 11:32:48 AM » Author: Robotjulep
I have recently got a GE m-400 A2 power-door cobrahead from the salvage, but unfortunately, it was missing its glass bowl lens and ballast. I wonder if this AEL one on eBay will fit: https://rb.gy/rzhrd Also, I am not sure how to mount a 400w ballast on the power door. If anyone is able to help thanks in advance!
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	Re: Finding the correct lens for a 1970s GE m-400 A2 Power-door street lamp « Reply #1 on: August 22, 2023, 01:33:02 PM » Author: Burrito
First things first: this is an M400A with the two extra slots to the sides of the GE logo. Second: there are lenses if you search "ge street light" on eBay (Well at least one that i found). What type of ballast was this fixture originally? was it mercury converted to HPS or just mercury? power modules for these fixtures have specific mounting holes so you wouldn't be able to fit a standard CWA ballast kit (such as those Advance ballasts).
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	Re: Finding the correct lens for a 1970s GE m-400 A2 Power-door street lamp « Reply #2 on: August 22, 2023, 02:20:29 PM » Author: Robotjulep
It was an h33 400w mercury vapor according to the door tag labeling. Does it mean this street light will only fit an OEM General Electric ballast? Or is it possible to make a custom bracket that will fit a Sylvania 400w HPS CWA ballast on the door?
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	Re: Finding the correct lens for a 1970s GE m-400 A2 Power-door street lamp « Reply #3 on: August 22, 2023, 02:21:45 PM » Author: Burrito
Yeah sadly you'd have to find an OEM GE ballast. If you have the original ballast bracket inside the fixture then this should fit you https://www.ebay.com/itm/175535126809
« Last Edit: August 22, 2023, 02:23:51 PM by Burrito »		Logged

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	Re: Finding the correct lens for a 1970s GE m-400 A2 Power-door street lamp « Reply #4 on: August 22, 2023, 04:45:55 PM » Author: wide-lite 1000
You can install any ballast in there. All you need to do is make your own brackets. Plus , most aftermarket ballasts come with universal mounting brackets .  You DO NOT need an OEM ballast unless that's specifically what you want .
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	Re: Finding the correct lens for a 1970s GE m-400 A2 Power-door street lamp « Reply #7 on: August 22, 2023, 09:28:18 PM » Author: Burrito
OH YEAH! i forgot that Advance made those
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	Re: Finding the correct lens for a 1970s GE m-400 A2 Power-door street lamp « Reply #9 on: August 22, 2023, 09:31:35 PM » Author: Burrito
I've got the instructions to a 175 watt MH Advance kit and it did show those brackets
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	Re: Finding the correct lens for a 1970s GE m-400 A2 Power-door street lamp « Reply #10 on: August 23, 2023, 06:21:22 PM » Author: Robotjulep
Thank you all for the information everyone! I have already mounted the ballast and it was very tricky doing so but it works great. Ideally, if I had 400w mercury vapor gear, I would install that in the fixture. Instead, I have 400w HPS gear instead so I will use that. As far as getting a new lens/refractor, I'll have to save up money to get that, probably near the end of the year or so I will have fixed this light. By the time it is fixed, I'll probably upload it on LG as a collage. On a side note, I wonder what makes this luminaire a GE M400A instead of a GE M400A2 besides the vent holes beneath the logo. Could it be the latch was of a different design than the M400A2? Or could it be the reflector bowl shape?
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	Re: Finding the correct lens for a 1970s GE m-400 A2 Power-door street lamp « Reply #11 on: August 23, 2023, 06:23:45 PM » Author: Burrito
The vents on the power door, the latch being a thumb latch rather than a hook-bail latch and the presence of the slipfitter bolts sticking out of the top. The photocontrol is also moved back while the A2 has no vents on the power module and there is no bolts on the top and the photocontrol is moved forward.
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	Re: Finding the correct lens for a 1970s GE m-400 A2 Power-door street lamp « Reply #12 on: August 23, 2023, 06:27:40 PM » Author: Robotjulep
I wonder why GE changed the design of their latches.
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	Re: Finding the correct lens for a 1970s GE m-400 A2 Power-door street lamp « Reply #13 on: August 23, 2023, 06:28:28 PM » Author: Burrito
Probably to make it easier for the person to use and less likely to corrode and break
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	Re: Finding the correct lens for a 1970s GE m-400 A2 Power-door street lamp « Reply #14 on: August 23, 2023, 06:35:07 PM » Author: Robotjulep
Another street light I got confused with was the AEL-125 and the GE M400R3. I later found out that the difference was simply the latch and the AEL was slimmer. I bet they used the same lens though.
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