Modular fluorescent lamp
date: label: date made
content: ca. 1978
label: Date made
content: ca 1978
name: label: manufacturer
content: General Electric
notes: label: Description
content: In the wake of soaring energy prices in the 1970s, several manufacturers quickly introduced new lamp designs to meet a demand for efficient lighting devices. General Electric mounted a circular fluorescent tube on an adapter that housed a starter and ballast, and that could screw into an ordinary fixture. Called the Circlite, this hybrid product was introduced to the public in 1976.
label: Description
content: Since circular fluorescent tubes were already a mature product (originally developed in 1943), GE could take advantage of existing research data and production lines for the Circlite. Also, retailers and consumers were familiar with circular lamps, which eased resistance to the introduction of the new unit. The modular design allowed users to replace the tube when it failed, without having to replace the more expensive ballast package. Ultimately, GE and other manufacturers produced several versions of the lamp and refined the product. A light-weight electronic ballast replaced the heavier, less-efficient magnetic ballast used in this 1978 model, for example. As of today Circlites remain in production.
label: Description
content: Lamp characteristics: A modular fluorescent lamp with three components: ballast, mounting frame, and lamp. Ballast: aluminum medium-screw base with brass contact and a glass insulator. A plastic skirt houses a magnetic ballast and a receptacle for a circular fluorescent lamp frame. Mounting frame: a three-arm plastic frame (made in two halves) with a sliding switch to release the ballast. The ballast mounts at center of mounting frame. Lamp: circular fluorescent tube with soft white colored phosphor.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: Place Made
content: United States: Ohio, Cleveland
setName: label: See more items in
content: Work and Industry: Electricity
label: See more items in
content: Energy & Power
publisher: label: Related Publication
content: Lighting A Revolution exhibition website
label: Related Web Publication
content: http://americanhistory.si.edu/lighting/
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: from General Electric Lighting Company, thru Terry K. McGowan
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1997.0388.25
label: accession number
content: 1997.0388
label: catalog number
content: 1997.0388.25
objectType: label: Object Name
content: discharge lamp
label: Object Name
content: fluorescent lamp
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: plastic (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: glass (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: mercury (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 5 in x 10 in; 12.7 cm x 25.4 cm