Gallery of Lights

Lanterns/Fixtures => News about Lanterns/Fixtures => Topic started by: Mercuryvapor123 on December 24, 2014, 09:16:50 AM

Title: OH NO!!!
Post by: Mercuryvapor123 on December 24, 2014, 09:16:50 AM
I just received a quote from Graybar on a GE M4AR fixture and it indicated no lead time because it is in the process of becoming OBSOLETE ! again. I better get it soon.
Title: Re: OH NO!!!
Post by: Mike on December 24, 2014, 09:58:42 AM
AAAAAAGH!!!! No!!!!! The only decent medium-sized cobrahead! :( I had a feeling it wouldn't stick around forever. I wonder if they have any plans to replace the M-250R2/A2 with a new line?
Title: Re: OH NO!!!
Post by: Mercuryvapor123 on December 24, 2014, 10:09:57 AM
I know, didn't they do this in the past but brought it back? I'm also worried about the Power Bracket ! I'm probably going to get two M4AR's just for the fact they may never have them again. One might be a 150 watt hps 120/240 volt and the other might be a 250/400 watt hps multivolt. Because I want big ballasts in them. One will have a autoreg ballast and the other will have a magreg ballast.
Title: Re: OH NO!!!
Post by: slz on December 30, 2014, 08:08:36 AM
I heard these original M400A2's were still being produced since the M400A3/R3 "AE lookalikes" came out in 1997. However, I never seen any new M400A2's installed since before 1997 anywhere. Just the M400A3/R3's. Where were these older design fixtures being used to warrant them to continually be built? I pulled a spec sheet on the GE M4AR and GE had a rev date on the forms as late 2014. Wonder if these were used only internationally after the 1997 GE M400R3/A3 release. Those are everywhere.
Title: Re: OH NO!!!
Post by: mercuryvaporrocks on December 30, 2014, 06:07:11 PM
I like the M-400A2/M-400R2s better. I don't like the newer M-400/M-400As at all.
Title: Re: OH NO!!!
Post by: Mike on December 30, 2014, 09:59:27 PM
The M-400A2s are still used in mass-numbers in Chicago. Maybe the M-400R2/A2 will still be made special for Chicago? Afterall, the M-250A2 crimefighter is made for Chicago and isn't listed as a part.

BTW, as far as I know, the M-400R2 and M-400A2 were never actually stopped from production, rather they were just an "under the table" offering. Then in 2008 they decided to "relist" them. The M-400R2/A2 are still on the GE site as of now... I have a M-400A2 made the third week of 1997 and I've seen them with dates as late as 1999 on ebay, so they must have still been made after the newer M-400/M-400A came out, though for some reason they weren't popular. :(
Title: Re: OH NO!!!
Post by: slz on December 30, 2014, 10:42:10 PM
I wish GE didn't push the M400r3/a3 so much onto the scene. The M400's distinctive round refractor look was so recognizable with that company then they copy cat Thomas & betts 125 visually into their own offering even using the same refractor as the ae model 25/125's. I liked the different look the 125's had vs others but the 400r3/a3 just ripped it off and flooded the market with them, yet still built the previous gen version in the background?? The post 1997 to present 400r2/a2's are certainly not being used in New England. Even though the FCO version of the M400a/a2 was a bizzare beast, I still liked them due to a look all it's own, yet still had that recognizable GE look to it. Would like to own one someday but are rare in mass
Title: Re: OH NO!!!
Post by: Mike on December 30, 2014, 11:57:04 PM
I've only seen the M-400A/A2 FCOs in parking lots here. They are oddballs, thats for sure, but nice GE lights. I like the M-400A2 because it still resembled the 60s M-400 (from far away, as the PC socket position is the same) and they were virtually a modified M-400A. I'd like to get a M-400R2 someday too. They're in use widespread on RIDOT freeways but with the threat of LEDs, I wonder how much longer they'll be around. The Cooper OVM is another one I'd like someday.They're also used by RIDOT in the mid-to-late 80s but not as common as the GEs are.