Thorn 'Popular Pack' PPC

Acquired in November 2008.

This and several other fittings were kept in MOD [Ministry of Defence] stores but were found to be surplus to requirements and thus were sold off. According to an internal date, this fitting appears to date from November 1998, making it ten years old at the time it entered the collection.

For those of you who aren't particularly interested in photographs of packaging being opened, please click here to miss them out.

The MOD packages its equipment in such a way that I can't help but wonder if it actually intend it to be used at all...

The fitting is packed with a diffuser, starters and lamps.

The fitting requires a small amount of assembly before it can be used.

The two lamps run in series off one ballast. Notice that the four lampholders are stored inside the fitting during transit.

The plastic diffuser end caps hook into the fitting, and are then held in place by springs (the 'V'-shaped objects fastened to the reflector).

The spring-loaded end caps hold the diffuser in place, and it in turn holds the end caps back far enough so as to prevent them being strained.

The diffuser does not provide cover for the top area of the tubes, which may be why the internals of these fittings are rather prone to becoming dusty in a short space of a time.

With the fitting installed, the diffuser does a good job of...er...diffusing the light! The open tops to the diffuser allow a certain amount of light to escape upwards onto the ceiling.

For some reason probably known only to myself, this picture looks as if it dates from the 1970s!

This video demonstrates the activation and operation of the three Popular Packs:

Crompton Churchouse | Thorn Minipack

CLICK HERE TO MAKE A MONETARY DONATION