Who can clear this one up re discharge lamps

[PeterG]

When I was a kid, we had a load of floodlights in my local swimming pool. Very unusual - they were twin lamp and the floods themselves were massive with remote gear boxes. On the left hand lamp holder was a SON-T clear tube, and on the right hand lamp holder was another clear tubular lamp - looked exactly like a SON tube in terms of tubular and clear except this one produced light that was a lovely cool white with a blue-ish tint to it. Possibly 250 or 400w sort of size. I think the idea was that they could alter the colour temp of the room.

Anyone have any suggestions what those clear, tubular silver-blue output colour lamps might have been? - we're talking 1980's-1990's era so not too long ago. I'd be interested to know what they might have been running. Any thoughts appreciated. I assumed all mbfu lamps were elliptical and white/Phosphor coated but these definitely were clear tubes yet kicked out a silver-blue-ish light like mbfu.

[GreatNorburyStDepot]

Although it’s been a while since you submitted your question, I would hazard a guess that the mystery lamp is an MBI/T (tubular metal halide lamp).

Assuming the fittings were originally twin SON-T, you are probably correct that one of the lamps was replaced by the MBI /T, as the control gear circuit would be broadly the same.

Of course, it is also interesting to consider an earlier type of mercury lamp which might have also been used at your swimming pool - the MB lamp.

Basically an MB lamp is a high pressure mercury vapour type in a clear tubular envelope. The design superseded the earlier medium pressure ‘MA/V mercury lamps (which were also clear / tubular but had an arc tube of glass, rather than quartz).

The light from an MA/V lamp was quite a sickly greeny / blue colour, compared to the cool white light of an MB lamp, but it found favour in early streetlighting installations.

The original MA lamps were designed to be burned in a vertical position (hence the designation of MA/V). If the same lamp was burned in a horizontal position, the discharge path would naturally convect up towards the top inner wall of the arc tube and cause it to rupture.

It was subsequently discovered that an inducted magnetic field above the arc tube, would deflect the discharge path back to the centre location. Early street lanterns were fitted with magnetic arc deflector units.

The high pressure MB lamp with its quartz arc tube, was able to be used in both vertically and horizontally, without the need for a magnetic deflector. It was also more efficient and gave a slightly better colour rendition.

Once the basic structure of a MB lamp was subsequently provided with an elliptical envelope with a phosphor coating on the inside, the MBF lamp took the improvement in mercury lamps even further.

[AngryHorse]

We’ve been here before if I’m not wrong?, you can still see the floods here on the pillar by the skip in this photo of it’s sad destruction.

IMG_2748.jpeg

[Kev]

It doesn’t even look old why does everyone want to knock everything down these days!
This is only going to get worse now with this shit new government and their 1.5 million new homes so we can house the entire 3rd world.
Litterly the whole world is laughing at us right now.

[AngryHorse]

As I recall, I think both Peter and me agreed this was one of the worst crimes in North Wales!, this was the sad demolition of the Sun Centre in Rhyl that was stated in many Welsh papers as being ‘dilapidated’!
It really wasn’t, and it wasn’t loosing customers either!
Like Peter, I spent many happy holiday days out here as well as our girls, and it wasn’t that far away for just a weekend out if you weren’t on holiday at the time!
What was extra upsetting for me was, I’m old enough to remember it being built in 1980!
Definitely a sad ending for a Welsh icon!

[Kev]

What is on this site now? 1000 shite houses?

[dor123]

I thought that only in Israel, non-stop constructions.

[Kev]

No we have it here to house all the new cultural enrichment the government seem to like to thrust upon us.

[Ash]

Do people (of either culture) go to the pool less nowadays per cap ?

There were say 500 residences there + a pool, and that pool would of been deemed necessary back when it was built

Now there are 1000 residences + one pool less in the area ? - Or its that another one was or is being built ?



PS. Reminds me of a protest act of Ben Gvir, a politician in Israel, which involved multiculturalism and a public pool. That was a good one. I don't want to hijack Peter's thread, but if Kev is interested i can open an offtopic thread

[AngryHorse]

I think Sun Centre 2 is just next to this site now, but it’s half its size and ‘industrial’ in looks, (like a warehouse)!, full of fake plants and plastic, and a tiny pool!
When SC1 was built in the 80s a lot of care was taken in its building, it had two huge wave pools separated by a sandstone island and walkways, in the walkways they planted REAL palm trees and exotic plants, this added to that well known swimming pool smell we’re all familiar with, with an island paradise smell that you would get if you were abroad!
As well as the duel SON/MBI floods on the pools, the whole outer walkways were lit with globe lanterns using Philips SL lamps, the whole complex was kept at a steady 25 degrees C to keep the palms and plants happy, and the place looked stunning at night!

There was also a huge pipe coming up from the pump room, to the roof, and across the whole of the main pool that delivered a heavy rainstorm into the main pool as the wave machinery fired up, accompanied by a loud rumble of thunder from the centres sound system!

Like I said, a Welsh icon that met a sad end!