Ahh, the B2255 and B2227 was also sold in a FCO version but that was just the regular fixture with flat glass. I guess the R47 was the first Powerlite that was designed with FCO in mind.

I guess they didn't design it mind but isn't the M-100 and MO-8 the first FCO fixtures made in the US?

Yeah I guess it is unless you'd consider the admiral's hat light with a small sized lamp FCO.

whats with the refractor? O_o

It's a rarely seen Lexalite plastic refractor.

It looks a little small for a GE-M250

Well it's an M-250A. The refractor is the same kind used on American Electric 13s and 25s. It's plastic so that's why you rarely see them there. Here there are lots of plastic refractors so a little more variety. There seems to be fewer varieties of glass refractors. BTW, the GE glass lens is shallower. See my M-250A here.

I didn't think that GE would use plastic refractors

this wasn't the original lens. the original lens would have been an flat glass lens since this is the FCO version of the M-250A. And yes, all light manufacturers offer a choice of glass or plastic lenses. Plastic lenses are available for wattages up to 175. Most lighter here under 250W have plastic lenses and the same is true for most places since plastic is cheaper. Sometimes a plastic lens makes its way into a 250W fixture.

here are 113s with plastic lenses even westinghouse offered plastic lenses back in the late 50s The model 25 was offered with a plastic lens for 200 and 250W HPS lens too, though glass is standard for medium sized lumes. My Cooper OVC came with a plastic lens too/

Yeah, I think the plastic lens was put in when the light got refurbed. It's very rare for the utilty to put up a refurb though, I think I only saw it happen three times. (This which replaced a AE 13, A Crouse Hinds OV15 which replaced a FCO M-250R2, and a OVC which replaced a Unidor 175)

Plastic lenses were even offered for teardrops I think Alain (arcblue) has a GE teardrop with a plastic lens.

@Mike, didn't the original M-250 (the one with the M-400 body) have a plastic lens?

yep it had a M-400 body with a really long mogul socket (not an extender screwed into a regular mogule socket) to center the lamp, and a plastic lens. Back then plastic lenses were all polycarbonate and they yellowed badly. I guess maybe they didn't UV treat them or something. sometime between the late 60s and mid 70s acrylic lenses were introduced, which is what is used today since it's cheaper (and maybe also since it doesn't yellow so it's life is virually unlimited, but its appliation is limited in comparison to glass).

I've never heard of the long mogul socket before any pics of it. I suppose the M-400 didn't have a adjustable socket then since my B2255's socket can centre both BT-28 and BT-37 lamps.

I don't think the long mogul sockets are still made too. My highbay needed a long socket but they just used a metal spacer instead.

i've never seen one but jace had mentione them before in a pic with a row of M-250s. We all thought they were 400W M-400s but he said they're 175w with long sockets so the lamp is centered in the reflector.

Hmm, interesting. I'd always figured the M-400 had a adjustable socket so a M-250 was basically just a M-400 with the socket set all the way forward.

i thought so too. I thik the M-1000 was made in 400W MV too early on wasn't it? i don't know though.

I think it was made in 400w too. I supposed they offered the M-1000 in 400w for people who were using coated lamps at the time. The early 400w coated lamps came in BT-56 bulbs since the early phosphors couldn't handle the heat as well as newer types.

Replaced by a Philly Waffle.

Woah how'd you get twwo comments in a row? GERGWBGMNVJFNDFNVDFNVFKF!!! Poor M-250A.

Tehehe, I changed it so that its easier for everyone to post updates on their pics lol.

oh so everyone can double-comment if they need to? That's good since I end up deleting my comment to make an update if i made the last comment. BTW, i got four of the five EOL tubes i replaced at my cousin's grandparents' garage. I left one of the Westies because it was missing an endcap. I got one westie, one GTE Sylvania, and two lifelines. All cool white and all dead. I tested them on my 1973 shoplite with one good EcoLux lamp and they all struggled for a few seconds, started up, swirled at the ends, and then went to a dim state and both tubes were dim and striating. Well I guess I'll have a few good EOL shows this April Vacation.

Yeah, I figured it be better than having you guys deleting your comments just to post an update. Ahh yeah, if you really want a good EOL show, you should hook it up to something like a HID ballast.