M.V bulbs (1 Viewer)

The price of MV bulbs has always been a bit of a pain for the entomologist who has to work on a tight budget. However, if you keep your eyes open you may just be able to obtain them for nothing.

A couple of years ago my local council decided to change over all local main road street lighting from M.V to Sodium lighting.

An entomological friend of mine happened to be passing the local council yard during this period and saw workmen emptying dozens of bulbs into a skip. He had a word with the foreman and got permission to help himself.

Many bulbs of course were broken, but he managed to rescue over 100 bulbs in working order, including some 60 still in their original packaging, completely unused. Some were standard 3 pin, others were of the Eddison Screw type.

He shared out these bulbs between local trapping enthusiasts everyone getting at least 10 each.

Typical of local councils, wasting money like this but it was nice to get something back for all the Community Tax I have to pay.

The motto here is: Keep your eyes open, if changes take place in the street lighting in your area, a visit to the council yard may be very well worth your while.

Harry Eales.

Nice! Now that's what I call good spotting.
You've not got any going spare have you Harry?

Chris

Hi Chris,
I just KNEW someone would ask that. In short the answer's I haven't that many left, I have started off several people with free gifts to help then get into trapping so my stock is rather depleted, I'm down to one in each of two traps, with a spare bulb for each. These have to last me a long time, or at least until I find another Council changing the lights. Nice try though

Harry Eales.

Worth a try!

I am a Cable Jointer and I actually connect the electricity supply to new columns, I am regularly in contact with the council chaps that remove the old columns. I also check all the old ones that are removed, but they are always Sodium lamps that they are taking out. I'll have to ask the lads next time I see them whether they remove any MV lamps.

I bought mine from a very helpful and friendly lighting wholesaler I discovered next door to an even more helpful and friendly battery wholesaler I also discovered... on a local industrial estate!

I was given foc two returned but fully working 12v. small batteries by the one, and bought my MV bulbs for about a fiver each from the other - far, far less than any other source I could find.