Three-letter Codes on Ushio Lamps?

Stevens R. Miller

Well-Known Member
We pulled these dead lamps from our instruments last night. All have three-letter codes on them. The Osram code, "EHG," was easy to look up. But we can't find anything on the Ushio codes of "PRJ" or "PSB."

Anyone know what they mean?
 

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Hi Stevens, I can't help you with those unknown letter codes, BUT I will strongly advise you to replace the base in the instrument using the EHG. The dark build up is indicative of arcing in the base. Replacing with another lamp in the same base will result in SIGNIFICANTLY shorter lamp life. In addition I would consider this a fire hazard as there is arcing in the base. This is not something that may be easily observable, as the instrument is likely hung at trim height. And if something bad were to occur, not easily accessible--as the instrument is likely hung at trim height. Keep in mind the E-- series lamps are 2 generations behind the technology. I highly recommend upgrading to the GLE lamp, rated at 750 watts; 17,400 lumens; 1500 hours lamp life; 3050K; for about $15-25 depending on the vendor. IMO the GLE is a more efficient lamp, translating to more light output for just a few $$ more than the EHG. To be consistent and simple, I would replace all 3 of those lamps with GLE's.
 
I will strongly advise you to replace the base in the instrument using the EHG.
No argument there, John.

As anyone who has read more than a couple of my posts here can tell you, I do a lot of my work in public school auditoriums. That crud you see on that Osram is very, very typical of what we see when we replace lamps. The consensus here is that this is because whoever inserts them ahead of us doesn't apply the force necessary to push them all the way in. When we see that, and are in a position do so, we will sometimes try to clean the crud out of the socket or (if we've got the cash) we'll replace it. The local school system has probably received thousands of dollars of new equipment from the particular company I'm working with right now, and doesn't even know it.

Now, we could say something to the school administrators, but I can tell you with some confidence that our observations to the effect that something was imperfect about the theater gear in a given school would probably just mean we would not be welcomed back to that school in the future. Whether or not a theater company is allowed to rent a school's auditorium is up to the individual principals, and they are not all very welcoming to theater companies (because, among other things, we have been known to point it out when we discover fire hazards, broken gear, burned out lights, and so on; the principals very much prefer not to be confronted with those issues). To get an instrument replaced requires two things that are very, very hard to come by:

1. A work order resulting in a licensed electrician to replace the old instrument.
2. Money.

Dealing with gear that is not very well maintained is just a fact of life when you produce your shows in a public school. If we showed them that lamp, they'd probably tell us we had violated some rule by climbing the ladder to replace it, after which, for us, it would literally be the last curtain.
 
The EHG is actually an ANSI designation, and so cross vendor. The others seem to be somebody's poor cross over. The filament shape and wrapping differences are important to a well tuned fixture. Ushio makes EHG lamps.

Look to the fixture for what lamps to put in it, not whatever came out!
 
Let's turn on the bat signal and see if we can get @ship to join us on this one. Seems like his sort of thing. Also perhaps @DELO72 from Osram can help us figure out what is the deal with PRJ and PSB lamps
 
(looks up in the air) It's the bat signal!

Sorry folks, I'm at a complete loss as to a guess. My suggestion is to have the original poster contact Craig Asato @ Ushio. [email protected] Craig is great and should be able to assist.

Okay- check that. I'm not at a COMPLETE loss as to a guess. If I took one wild guess, it would be:

They are lamps made for the Semi-conductor industry, and those are possibly codes used in that market for the making of semiconductor wafers. (Believe it or not, one of the highest uses for Tungsten Halogen 1000W lamps are for that purpose still! They use them for the heat and ability to regulate that heat by dimming, not for the light output. )
But again, it's just a guess. I've never seen those 3 letters used before.
 
Man, he's a responsive guy! Here's what Craig Asato just told me:

Craig Asato of Ushio said:
They are lot codes. The first letter, P, is for our Philippines factory. The second is the year. The third letter represents the month the product was made so J = November and B = February.
 
JCS120v-750wCGXW Ushio #1000950 (?Disc.) CL, Quartz 750 w G 9.5
BWM G.E. #39793 CL, Quartz (Q750T7/4CL/T 750 w G 9.5 (No Data Avbl.)
BWM G.E. #39680 4CL, Quartz (Q750T7/4CL/TP) 750 w T-8 c-13D LCL 2.3/8" G 9.5 Low Noise Planar Filament, BDTH 3,200̊K 21,000 Lum 200
BWM Ushio #1000097 (JCS120v-750wC1) CL, Quartz 750 w T-22mm c-13D LCL 60.3mm G 9.5 Base Down to Horz 3,200̊K 21,000 Lum 200
BWM Wiko CL, Quartz 750 w T-7 c-13D LCL 60.3mm G 9.5 3,200̊K 21,000 Lum 200
BWM Norman Lamps 4/CL, Quartz 750 w T-8 LCL 2.3/8" Med 2P 3,200̊K 21,000 Lum 200
BWM Halco CL, Quartz 750 w T-8 c-13D 2-Pin Base Down to Horz 3,200̊K 21,000 Lum 200

EHF G.E. #39771 CL, Quartz (Axial 18x7mm Filmt.) (HRG) 750 w T-6 cc-8 LCL 2.3/8" G 9.5 Any Burn Pos. 3,200̊K 20,400 Lum 500
EHF G.E. #37051 (y2002 Not Disc. Yet) CL, Quartz 750 w T-6 cc-8 LCL 2.3/8" G 9.5 Any Burn Position 3,200̊K 20,400 Lum 500
EHF Osram/Sylvania #54510 CL, Quartz 750 w T-6 LCL 60.3mm G 9.5 Burn Any Pos. 3,300̊K 19,000 Lum 350
EHF Orsam/Sylvania #54510 (Disc.) CL, Quartz 750 w T-6 G 9.5 18,500 Lum 500
EHF Ushio #1000288 (JCV120v-750wCH) CL, Quartz 750 w T-15mm cc-8 LCL 60.3mm G 9.5 Any Burn Pos. 3,200̊K 20,400 Lum 300
EHF Wiko CL, Quartz 750 w T-18.5mm cc-8 LCL 60.3mm G 9.5 3,200̊K 20,400 Lum 300
EHF Norman Lamps 4/CL, Quartz 750 w T-6 LCL 2.3/8" Med 2P 3,200̊K 20,400 Lum 500
EHF Halco CL, Quartz 750 w T-6 cc-8 G 9.5 Any Burn Pos. 3,200̊K 20,400 Lum 500

EHG/100v Ushio #1001623 (JCV100v-750wBM) CL, Quartz 750w/100v T-19mm cc-8 LCL 60.3mm G 9.5 Any Burn Pos. 3,000̊K 15,400 Lum 2,000
EHG Philips #26972-0 CL, Quartz 750 w T-5 cc-8 LCL 2.3/8" G 9.5 (100CRI) 3,000̊K 15,000 Lum 2,000
EHG (3/03) Philips #924791736300 CL, Quartz 750 w T-17.5mm cc LCL 55mm G 9.5 Any Burn Pos. 3,000̊K 15,000 Lum 2,000
EHG G.E. #39770 (?disc.) (?Disc.) CL, Quartz (Axial 19x7mm Filmt.) 750 w T-20mm cc-8 LCL 60.5mm G 9.5 3,000̊K 15,000 Lum 2,000
EHG G.E. #43167 TP/CL. Quartz (HRG) 750 w T-6 cc-8 LCL 2.3/8" G 9.5 Any Burn Position 3,000̊K 15,400 Lum 2,000
EHG Osram/Sylvania #54512 (Q750/CL/TP), CL, Quartz 750 w T-5 cc-8 LCL 2.352" G 9.5 Any Burn Pos. 3,000̊K 15,400 Lum 2,000
EHG Ushio #1000289 (JCV120v-750wBH) CL, Quartz 750 w T-19mm cc-8 LCL 60.3mm G 9.5 Any Burn Pos. 3,000̊K 15,400 Lum 2,000
EHG Wiko CL, Quartz 750 w T-18.5mm cc-8 LCL 60.3mm G 9.5 3,000̊K 15,000 Lum 2,000
EHG Norman Lamps CL, Quartz 750 w T-6 LCL 2.3/8" Med 2P 3,000̊K 15,400 Lum 2,000
EHG Halco CL, Quartz 750 w T-6 cc-8 G 9.5 Any Burn Pos. 3,000̊K 15,400 Lum 2,000

Pre-my notes in lamps in this class. Wow! that is quite the filament in someone having a rep. recommending something, or a end user not understanding basic lamp filament concepts in the past.

As to schools and lighting, better to inspire than insult in general. Carefully walk around those charged with maintaining the lights for the school especially. Got to be a good friend of the head janitor for one school district - but was careful in not to hurt his feelings with my surpior knowledge of what was safe. Instead I became a advisor and recruitor for him in this school's theater program which really worked out later in teacher to janitor management of a program that was hostle before. That plus I got them more modern even if obsolete lights of quality in cross transfor of donations, and serviced their own older lights. Than drew them up a ight plot but stepped away in letting this relationshop build.

Been to a few schools over the summer where it was a big thing for them provided in funds by the PTSA so as to replace the 50+ year old and often ripped drapery. Very depressed towns. Lighting... if they could afford it was a dream in budget but sometimes they got the budget for doing so in a very basic way. Literally a day after seeing some asbestos wired PC fixtures for FOH lighting in a gymatorium, I looked up and sent the Kliegl catalogue link to the 1950's lights they were no longer using as per recommendation that I could re-wire for free or we could replace with better. No response even though my intent was to inspire by way of historic sense of what they had for fixtures, and they would be good as new and better for free if wanted for me to restore. At times you get a little too involved in attempting to help.

Shame is for the students, but this is going to be a teacher and principle motivated thing in the end. I grew up in a fully funded main stage theater, not just in high school, but also junior high school. Was amazing and set my career path in many ways. A shame other's have gymatoreums at best used for graduation cerimonies.
 
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We pulled these dead lamps from our instruments last night. All have three-letter codes on them. The Osram code, "EHG," was easy to look up. But we can't find anything on the Ushio codes of "PRJ" or "PSB."

Anyone know what they mean?
The two on the right appear to be FEL 1K
 
I highly recommend upgrading to the GLE lamp, rated at 750 watts; 17,400 lumens; 1500 hours lamp life; 3050K; for about $15-25 depending on the vendor. IMO the GLE is a more efficient lamp, translating to more light output for just a few $$ more than the EHG. To be consistent and simple, I would replace all 3 of those lamps with GLE's.

I'd suggest the GLD over the GLE. The GLE is the long-life version, with a lower color temp and less output. You can never make a long life lamp brighter. You can however make the brighter lamp last longer by dimming it. (basically turning it into a dimmer, long-life version by running it at 95-98% intensity.) So go for the one that gives you the most options. Bright when you need it, and long-life for when you don't need it.
 

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