bulb_tester2009
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Resolutely crack down on inferior LED lighting!!
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I've been collecting light bulbs since I was 2 years old and I've been collecting them ever since.
One of the few Chinese users here
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Bulb base in China:E12(CES) E14(SES) B22d(BC) E27(ES) E40(GES)
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BlitzBiker2001
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| Another clue is if the tube has the old Philips shield on it, it is made before 2005. It helps out alot when a tube shares a date code with a newer lamp. For example, H1 means August 1981, 2001, or 2021. If it has the Philips shield on it, you can rule out 2021 since they stopped using the shield before 2005. If it were from 1981, it wouldn't have green end caps that's characteristic of the Alto series. It would probably have black or silver end caps. Through process of elimination, you can conclude the lamp was from August 2001.
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Exit signs, emergency lights, fluorescent tubes, NEMA heads.
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bulb_tester2009
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Resolutely crack down on inferior LED lighting!!
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Another clue is if the tube has the old Philips shield on it, it is made before 2005. It helps out alot when a tube shares a date code with a newer lamp. For example, H1 means August 1981, 2001, or 2021. If it has the Philips shield on it, you can rule out 2021 since they stopped using the shield before 2005. If it were from 1981, it wouldn't have green end caps that's characteristic of the Alto series. It would probably have black or silver end caps. Through process of elimination, you can conclude the lamp was from August 2001.
This also makes sense, and it's a good idea to use features at different times. |
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I've been collecting light bulbs since I was 2 years old and I've been collecting them ever since.
One of the few Chinese users here
Note:
Bulb base in China:E12(CES) E14(SES) B22d(BC) E27(ES) E40(GES)
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108CAM
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Diehard MV, HPS, SOX & Preheat Fluorescent Fanatic
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| Does anyone know if the date codes used by Electronic Lamp Manufacturers of Australia follow the same system that North American Philips lamps use?
I'm trying to decipher a whole bunch of codes on the many ELMA lamps & tubes I have.
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Fluro starter pings combined with a 50hz ballast hum and blinking tubes is music to my ears.
Rest in Peace Electronic Lamp Manufacturers of Australia
1925-2002
Bring back the AJF Zodiacs!
Total incidents since joining LG: 18
Lamps accidently broken or smashed: 15
Ballast explosions/burnouts: 3
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Al_M
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GEC Z9464 90w SOX/LPS
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| The letter & number Philips date code system is used world wide for lamps produced at Philips plants. Sometimes other brands used it too as it's very simple I guess.
Tubes and incandescents manufactured at ELMA Newcastle I believe are all made to Philips specification and thus use Philips date codes whether they are badged Philips, Osram, Thorn, Sylvania or Crompton. Thorn and Sylvania ones only from around 1980 onwards.
The exception to this are the Atlas, Thorn and Sylvania T12 tubes made up to the late 70's, these use a unique date code system that I've been unable to decifer. These tubes are recognisable by the non-crimped caps and oval bakelite pin insulators. I'm not even sure if those ones were made at the Newcastle plant or not as they definitely weren't made to Philips specification. They resemble more the British Atlas/Thorn tubes.
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108CAM
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Diehard MV, HPS, SOX & Preheat Fluorescent Fanatic
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| Features like etch design, fonts, model numbers, endcaps and logos can all be used alongside the date code to help determine the date that the lamp was made.
Some examples of this are the Philips shield logo not being used after 2005 and the silver capped Altos made during November & December 2020.
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Logged
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Fluro starter pings combined with a 50hz ballast hum and blinking tubes is music to my ears.
Rest in Peace Electronic Lamp Manufacturers of Australia
1925-2002
Bring back the AJF Zodiacs!
Total incidents since joining LG: 18
Lamps accidently broken or smashed: 15
Ballast explosions/burnouts: 3
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