Local firms light the way 

Working closely with a local moulding company and fellow Stockport chamber of Commerce member, Protec Mouldings Ltd, PR Designs provided their mutual client with a lighting product second to none. Their client contacted them with a view to designing and producing an external, low voltage light bulb holder primarily for festoon lighting.

 Taking up the challenge Philip Ridgway of PR Designs explains, ‘it is always the seemingly ordinary objects that really test your design skills, when they asked for an externally rated light bulb holder, we were puzzled as to why they needed a special holder for such a simple job.’ They explained that they had a worldwide patented method of automatically switching lights on and off as well as fade on and off, and they used a bespoke chip and PCB to activate each light bulb individually in a pre-programmed sequence. They could not find anything in the market that would be suitable to house the electronics, cable and lamp, so they instructed PR Designs to design one.

What is unique and innovative about this product, is that the main housing is split along it’s length, usually lamp holders are moulded cylindrically using a number of components. Being moulded in two halves allows for the insertion of the electronics and the self-piercing pins. These pins pick up the electrical supply from the festoon cable, pass through the PCB to the bayonet pins and finally lighting the lamp. The two halves are held together by an assembly 'nut' and with the help of a moulded gasket, the electronics area of the unit is rendered IP67 water tight.

The lamp holder is designed to take standard low voltage BC lamps rated at 48Vac 5W. Up to 200 lamps can be fitted to a 100 metre string of cable, additionally, up to 500 strings can be linked via a serial cable between the PSUs. Each lamp can be programmed individually via a hand held programmer, or because each lamp has a unique number, they can be programmed on a PC and downloaded to the array via RS232 to create an impressive lighting display.

So when you see masses of festooned illuminations, all twinkling and flashing, marvel not only at the lighting display but consider the hard work and innovation that has gone into the humble light bulb holders. (released to press August 2004)

PR Designs info@prdesigns.co.uk 

Protec Mouldings Ltd  sales@protec.f2s.co.uk