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 Post subject: Lantern design faults
PostPosted: Tue Dec 22, 2009 5:29 pm 
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Carrying on from Ukastle 2, what are the design faults that lanterns have? A few from me to start this off.

Revo Sol D'or - Bowl toggles seize  (stainless steel in an ally housing - the WORST 2 materials for electrolytic corrosion) meaning bowl can't be removed or toggles are left in the open position. Grub screws in top of "shoe" leading to corrosion as rain gets in.

Revo Horizon - Grubs screws on top of canopy - like Sol D'or.

Thorn Alpha 1 - Opticell splits along manufacturing seam as glue could not cope with UV and British weather.

Thorn Alpha 8 - bowl toggle goes brittle and snaps.

Thorn Beta 5 - Plastic clip models tend to fill up with water...

Thorn Alpha 5 and Beta 8 - Tend to lose bowls over time.

GEC 9554 - Glue used to secure refractor panels eventually eats through bowl, causing it to fall apart.

Urbis Sapphire - Looses canopy

Philips Iridium - Looses canopy

Philips SGS306 large Traffic Vision - Plastic gear tray melts (several spotted like this at a depot). Lantern rotates on bracket when side mounted and turns upside down.

Urbis ZX3 - canopy securing clips fall out when canopy is opened resulting in lost canopy.

Urbis ZX1 - Canopy becomes loose (don't know how as some models have thumb screws and clips..)

Phosco P152/P153/P157 - bowl securing toggle falls out when bowl is opened.

Revo Prefect - Lamp holder wing nuts made from zinc and break.

Thorn Gamma 5 - Later models have canopy securing screws - sealing washer perishes and screw seizes, water gets into bowl.

GEC "large saucer" - Canopy becomes detached, lantern turns into large bird bath.. :lol:


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PostPosted: Tue Dec 22, 2009 6:09 pm 
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I've heard that the early 600w SON curved glass WRTL (Industria) Arcs' bowls crack and fall out under the intense heat. But as far as I am aware, WRTL have reviewed this now.

Z9554 - Fill up with water to the extent the lamp can't switch on.

GEC Z9555 - Clips into the bowl area break, resulting in lanterns having to be taped up. [Well something like that?]

MA90s/50s/60s - Fill up with water.

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PostPosted: Thu Dec 24, 2009 4:05 pm 
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Location: Cleveleys nr Blackpool
:arrow: Urbis Albanys- fill up with water despite supposed Sealsafe system
:arrow: Urbis Hestias- lose their canopies in the wind
:arrow: Thorn Beta 79s (GRP version with shallow bowl)- fill up with water. For some reason this doesn't seem to affect the deep-bowl versions  :?
:arrow: Thorn Alpha 3s- often lose bowls
:arrow: Thorn Alpha 2000s- lose their canopies in the wind
:arrow: Philips SGS203s- bowl turns brown with age
:arrow: WRTL SRL8s (GEC Z8830s)- canopy becomes scabby with age
:arrow: Thorn Gamma 6s- easily damaged by knocks etc, lose china-hat canopies, bowl becomes wonky

Have you noticed how many Thorn lanterns have faults?  :mrgreen:


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PostPosted: Thu Dec 24, 2009 5:52 pm 
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Another thing about the Beta 79, the door to the gear area normally falls down and unhinges itself. There are two like this in the carpark opposite me [one shallow bowl and one deep bowl] The one with the shallow bowl had been taped up for ages but the tape has recently snapped forcing the door to swing open and act as an anti-glare shield for the houses behind.

I lost the picture of the deep bowled one but some of you have seen it before... gear door taped up twice, really scabby canopy, deep bowl with water in it...

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PostPosted: Thu Dec 24, 2009 6:04 pm 
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Beta 79s across Lancashire were largely replaced in the mid 90s presumably because of their water-retention problems as most of them were only 10 years old at that time. Thorn seriously do seem to have some build-quality issues with their older lanterns, I wonder if the newer ones are any better?


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PostPosted: Thu Dec 24, 2009 6:09 pm 
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Gramma6 wrote:
Beta 79s across Lancashire were largely replaced in the mid 90s presumably because of their water-retention problems as most of them were only 10 years old at that time. Thorn seriously do seem to have some build-quality issues with their older lanterns, I wonder if the newer ones are any better?


I'm not too experienced with new Thorn equipment [is anybody?  :D ] but I'd guess they definitely have got better. I haven't seen any Rigas with water ingress, nor 7418s, nor Civics. Infact, these three seem like very sturdy lanterns considering it is Thorn!

Alpha 9s also have ingress problems, along with Alpha 8s [I think], Alpha 5s and some Alpha 3s, though I guess this could just be due to the lanterns' ages.

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PostPosted: Thu Dec 24, 2009 6:59 pm 
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Another fault on the Beta 79 is that the gear door frequently rusts away to nothing. The fibreglass of the canopy is thin (lets light through) and very quickly starts to shed fibres. The Riga is also another "flimsy" and to be honest cheap and nasty lantern. Funny how Thorn also make the heavy, large and practically bombproof Alpha 2000. They must be robust as they are fitted to the 2nd Severn bridge (a bit of an exposed location) although some have been replaced - I wonder if due to gear failure?

Like Indust said, bowl loss and water ingress on Alpha 5 and 9s could be due to their age - missing gaskets and tired bowl clips. I bet Thorn never imagined some of there designs would still be in use after 40 years service?


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PostPosted: Thu Dec 24, 2009 8:39 pm 
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It's quite a shame because Thorn did/do make some good looking lanterns. I think the Beta 79 looks good, along with the Alpha 1,3,4,5,6 and 9. I find the Alpha 7 [with gear] and 10 quite ugly but due to the rareness of them, I think that just about lets them off. [I'm shallow :D]

New lanterns that look a bit odd are the Riga, Civic... and what is up with the Triumph.  :?

The Oracle is obviously modelled on a rather bulky iglu-like looking lantern, and I think we can all guess what...

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PostPosted: Thu Dec 24, 2009 11:30 pm 
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Another ZX3 weakness -  Gear failure.
Phosco and sotonsteve saw the new ZX3s at the M6/M69 interchange they have been hooked up to 240v about two months ago! And four are out already!!!!
(The old MA60's are still standing though!!!  ;) )
But better news is that they are not 250w nor 400w but 150w as there quite dull so the suntan is on hold!
(Also the Idirium heading into Coventry from the junction is out and one on a double bracket has lost its bowl also.

So gear reliability is a major issue!


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PostPosted: Fri Dec 25, 2009 12:07 am 
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I know that the Gamma 6's bowls do get dislodged, a hosuing estate near me has has the bowls smashed, shot at or violently shaken. suprising they still work but only just.

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