1990s is a correct estimation! It could be from the late 80s as well.

I've got a non-GTE version of this.
How did it perfom on preheat I wonder, being designed for RS? Seems it would work since rapid start circlines are often included in preheat adapters.
Did you keep it for your collection?

No, i didn't keep any of the bad lamps. It probably performed fine. This came out of the light with the other lamp that was good (i'm assuming the good lamp is one of these) He seemed to use hubbell FS-4 NEOSTART starters for all the lights. The relamped units got new starters though. Three of the removed starters still work and do reside in my collection.

Are the lamps in the trash yet? Because I'd save the Sylvania LifeLine and Westy blackender if I were you.

I don't know but i won't find out until thanksgiving. I don't want dead lamps anyways. I don't have the space for the extra lamps.

Darn...but still try to get the Westy blackender and LifeLine Sylvania...at least one of the LifeLines.

Yeah these were kinda bad lamps...had many failures in some batches i got like the etched end didn't have enough emitter on the cathode
At some point they did improve these but don't know when

Well the ones I have (a pair, but with different date codes) had thin enough phosphor at the ends that the cathodes were visible when lit. They also are only rated a 12,000 hours. The shoplight they came in is now giving me grief with the Sylvania CWP lamps I put in it after one of these started rectifying.

Crappy lamps designed for crappy fixtures eh? I'm assuming workshop lamps are the residential grade version of their "true" F40t12 lamps since Sylvania is normally exceptional quality.

Yep you hit the nail right on the head Mike

I'm starting to think that the Hubbell starters were the original starters to these fixtures due to the fact that all the starters were the same. He probably only replaced the lamps as they died. On the other hand, he may have had a stash of replacement starters from the same box. My cousins' grandmother mentioned their being parts for the fixtures in the basement but she didn't really seem too comfortable with me going into the basement so i didn't ask. I think she said there are some more fixtures in the basement too (who knows if those work) which are probably the same style though maybe they're different. For all i know there are T17s down there! I don't even think she goes down there. She does her laundry in my three cousins' and aunt and uncle's side of the house so i guess she really doesn't need to go down there. Maybe i'll ask her sometime if i can get pics of them and maybe sometime i can replace them. I'd probably install incandescent JB fixtures with random incandescents i have laying around (probably 100W). Man the suspense really eats me but i feel awkward asking her if i can go into her basement and look at the lights lol.