Philips NGX 018

This bulkhead dates from 1995, but is in a virtually new condition thanks to its being used indoors for its entire life - it was used to provide illumination in a passageway within a block of flats.

An assortment of refractors of varying sizes and directions are moulded into the front cover in order to maximise useful light output. This is different from other Philips bulkheads in the collection: the covers of the XGC 001, XWC 120 K and XWC 121 KP all feature diffuser lines, but not actually refractor prisms.

This view shows that the refractors are engineered in such a way that the main beam is concentrated downwards.

Furthermore, the cover is angled in such a way that also helps in directing the beam in a downwards direction.

A provision for photocell control is included on the top of the bulkhead. Owing to this fitting being used indoors, no such control has ever been fitted. A 20 mm stopping plug can be seen in the centre; this can be removed, in order to allow the supply cable to enter the bulkhead from above.

Unlike the other Philips-made bulkheads, the cover on this bulkhead does not hinge in order to gain access to the lamp and wiring; instead, four screws hold the cover in place under normal circumstances. The lamp is kept in alignment thanks to a v-shaped length of sprung wire that the outer bulb fits between. Incidentally, the lamp seen here is an OSRAM made in January 1994 at the (now closed) Shaw factory near Oldham.

With the lamp removed, the two gaps in the reflector (allowing the lamp support to pass through) can be seen.

According to the internal label, the bulkhead should draw a miniscule 0.12 Amps at full power, with a Power Factor of 0.87. The manufacturing date code 5J, located top-right, represents September 1995.

Removing the reflector reveals the bulkhead's control gear; the capacitor was manufactured during week 21 of 1995 (the 22nd - 28th May). The fitting was originally drilled for back-entry operation; however, I have plugged the rear hole with a 20 mm closed grommet, as I will, instead, be using the underside cable entry hole.

The fitting was powered up on Saturday, 20th February 2010. Notice how the refractors cause the lamp to appear elongated within the bulkhead.

Lamp warm-up video:

Testing the fitting with my energy monitoring device revealed the following results:

The label was, therefore, correct in providing 0.12A as a running current, however the Power Factor is slightly lower than predicted. This is perhaps because the figure given on the label is for a new capacitor, whereas the capacitor fitted may have lost a little capacitance over the years.

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