Urbis ZX1 (2006)
Lantern acquired in May 2007.
This
lantern is another from eBay, and as a result is also brand new. There are
several differences between it and my other ZX1 - the most obvious being that
this one is finished entirely in black whereas the other is two-tone grey. With
production of the ZX1 finally ceasing in early 2007 (in order to make way for
the production of the similar
ZXU1), my thought was that new examples would become
difficult to find; therefore, I decided to purchase one while they were
still fairly common!
A big box...whatever could
be inside? The big text at the top of this page could be a clue, possibly.
A very well-packaged ZX1 of
course!
The box beneath the lantern contained various
accessories, including the photocell and lamp.
Every item had been wrapped in a separate
piece of bubblewrap!
With the bubblewrap
removed, the 'curios' can now be identified as a lamp, photocell and post-top
adaptor. This is a 'VT60' adaptor which means that another adaptor is required
for it to fit on 76 mm diameter columns - this is what the silver component
beneath the VT60 is. A length of flexible conduit is provided to allow the
supply cable to pass through the adaptor without becoming trapped. This
example is also fitted with a NEMA socket - something that my older ZX1s do not
have. Although a space for a socket is provided on the canopy, in reality it is
usually fitted in the position shown above instead due to the lampholder access
being in the way. The four canopy clips have been done away with on this ZX1 as
the two thumbscrews on the underside of the lantern were found to be sufficient.
This example has a shallow curved
polycarbonate bowl. The positions of where the clips would normally
be can be seen on the canopy.
The reflector in this ZX1
features a series of dimples above the lamp. The contemporary Schréder logo is
visible between the two canopy thumbscrews; this being the parent company to
Urbis Lighting.
Although the lamp control gear
carries Urbis branding, it is identical in appearance to Philips gear, and is
likely to have been produced by that company.
The ZX1 was mounted to a
mini-column on Friday, 18th May 2007. It was then powered up. Although a SON-T
lamp was supplied with the lantern, a
White-Lux metal halide lamp was
fitted instead, for variety.
Owing to the mini column being
required for another lantern, the lantern went into storage; only being removed
in late May 2018, when instead of being installed post-top, it was fitted to a
wall bracket.
