Crompton Galaxy Minor
This floodlight is very common throughout the UK, although the 100 Watt MBI version (of which this example is) is significantly rarer; indeed, the only examples I have seen are in the same local building that a number of Thorn SONPak fittings are installed in; the Crompton fittings there were installed in May 2002 and replaced inefficient linear halogen floodlights that had been installed in the mid-1990s as a means of improving the colour rendering in the area being illuminated. This example is new and unused, and entered the Collection in December 2011.
Although the design of this floodlight post-dates the design of the original SONPak by a number of years, the two products are, intentionally or otherwise, similar in appearance.
The floodlight's mounting bracket offsets the floodlight's position by a few degrees. Some versions of the floodlight include plastic caps that fit over the securing bolts.
The main floodlight body is of a polycarbonate construction, and not of aluminium, as you may have expected.
Access to the inside of the floodlight is gained by firstly releasing the two screws that hold the polycarbonate visor in place during normal operation, and allowing the visor to hinge down. The reflector comprises a curved sheet of smooth, polished aluminium. The screw on the opposite side of the reflector to the lampholder, and located in the centre of the dip, secures the reflector to the inside of the floodlight body.
The technical details of the fitting are all included on a label that is applied to the lower portion of the reflector; curiously, this label would be upside-down during operation.
With the reflector removed, the lamp control gear is revealed. All of the components were manufactured in 2011.
Another couple of labels are included adjacent the gear; the larger of the two is pictured above. The part code for this floodlight is GA100MBI.
The floodlight was quickly connected and powered up; however, the Venture White-Lux lamp that came with it was a clear envelope type, and I know from personal experience that a clear lamp combined with a smooth, non-diffusing reflector results in a rather glary output, so I exchanged the White-Lux for a coated envelope Sylvania MetalArc lamp. The output was still rather blinding, but then again, these floodlights are not normally installed at point-blank range to where people will see them!
Lamp warm-up video:
Testing the floodlight with my energy monitoring device revealed the following results:
| Test Voltage (V) | Current being drawn at full power (A) | Measured wattage (W) | Apparent Power (VA) | Frequency (Hz) | Power Factor | True Power (W) | Difference (W) | Percentage Difference |
| 234.5 | 0.52 | 111 | 122 | 49.9 | 0.90 | 109.75 | 9.75 | 9.75% |
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