MLU300 Mercury Blended Sun-Tanning Lamp
The Philips MLU lamp was perhaps the most popular form of artificial sun-tanning lamp found in the UK until this technology died out in the 1980s, in favour of high power fluorescent tube-based systems.  It was offered in three different versions - the most popular being this 300-watt model with a 3-pin bayonet cap.  A screw-capped equivalent was also offered for industrial ultra-violet applications, and where a higher power density was required, a large 500W lamp with 2-pin prong-type base was produced.  These latter two were phased out during the 1960s though.

From the technical standpoint the Philips MLU series is no different than Osram's latest generation of the Ultra-Vitalux, or the RS Sunlamp which used to be available in the USA.  At the heart of the lamp is a 125W MB type quartz mercury arc tube, equipped with platinum painted ends in an effort to raise the mercury vapour pressure a little higher than in normal lamps.

The arc tube is ballasted by a tungsten filament coil which also contributes to the infra-red output of the lamp.  This has no benefit to the majority of industrial applications, but in domestic use it delivers a great deal of warmth in the beam from the lamp, which used to be marketed as offering other therapeutic values in addition to the ultraviolet output.  For industrial applications where the infra-red is strictly not required, the type HPR lamp is offered as an alternative.

The outer glass envelope of this bulb is of the hard glass type (necessary because of the high lamp wattage in the small physical size) .  It transmits ultra-violet radiation down to about 300nm and infra-red out to 3000nm.  The inside frosting helps mix the light from the filament and arc tube.
Manufacturer: Philips Lighting
Lamp Power: 300 Watts
Lamp Current: 1.30 Amps
Lamp Voltage: 220-240 Volts
Cap: B22d-3/25x26 (Nickel Plated Brass)
Bulb Finish: Ultraviolet Glass, Inside Frosted and aluminised
Bulb Type: R-125
Overall Length: 177 mm
Light Centre Length: N/A
Electrodes: Backwound tungsten with triple carbonate emitter
Atmosphere: Inner : Argon  Outer : Nitrogen
Luminous Flux: N/A
Luminous Efficacy: N/A
Colour Temperature & CRI: N/A
Chromaticity Co-ordinates: N/A
Rated Life: 1000 hours
Factory: Eindhoven, Holland
Date of Manufacture: October 1968
Original / Present Value: Not Known
 
 
References: 1) Philips Compact Lighting Catalogue, 1978.