# Help finding arc tube bulbs for my Locator 350 Watt HID



## BVH (Oct 16, 2009)

*Help Finding Short Arc Lamps For My ORC Locator 300 Watt Searchlight*

I've searched high and low and have placed "Want To Buy" ads on Ebay for obsolete new old stock original bulbs for my Locator helicopter searchlight. Not sure if this is a GE or ORC part number - 1115985-3. The Locator was made by the now defunct Optical Radiation Corporation in Azusa, CA. They were bought out and I've had contact with someone in the new company who used to work for them when the were ORC. He turned me on to the GE MARC EZS, EZM and EZT series of bulbs of which I have all. The original bulb runs at about 39 Volts DC and about 9+ Amps at the bulb. The EZS is rated at 37.5 Volts DC, the EZM at 35 Volts DC and the EZT at 45 DC Volts. All seem to work OK powered from the Locator circuitry.

Modamag has made me adapters so that I can actually run the EZS in the light fixture but unfortunately, it's a yellow 3500K temp instead of the Diamond-White of the original 5000K bulb. 

All of the arc tubes of all the EZ Series are pretty much the same physical size and shape. All are potted into their metal ends with a ceramic'ish material. These are high pressure bulbs and for safety reasons, I really don't want to attempt to remove the glass envelope from the potting material and re-pot them - especially since they are all 25-Hour life bulbs.

I'm hoping more eyes might have seen some in the past or, in passing, might be able to find some new, old stock. Granted, since this was used on a Blackhawk helicopter, they're may not be a lot of them around and they're may not have been many produced.

Here's what I have.

The original GE bulb: 5000K







The GE Marc 300 EZS. 3500K





The GE Marc 300 EZM. 5500K





The GE Marc 350 EZT. 5000K





How the bulb sits in the light:


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## CajunJosh (Oct 17, 2009)

Well BVH looks like it's time for you to buy a NightSun


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## BVH (Oct 17, 2009)

Then I'd have to buy a bigger power supply!


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## IgNITEor (Oct 17, 2009)

aaahBVH,
I spoke with this fellow back around '91 when a non-working VSS-3 was sitting on my workbench. After rigging all sorts of wiring bypasses to get it to fire I wanted to know if the lamp was even functional.
He said he was capable of replicating the ORC lamp from scratch, but that handling and shipping of my lamp can be dangerous. That was my first "formal" introduction to World of Xenon. oo:

I think this is Steve Alexander's email:
[email protected]

And his company:
www.wolframlights.com

You may have already contacted him. If not, he may be of some help.
Hope you can the get your locator up and running again. I saw one like yours on Ebay a few ago and really had to restrain myself! Had not a dime to spare at the time.


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## BVH (Oct 18, 2009)

To everyone.....I'm after more Locators. If anyone sees one and doesn't want it for themselves, Please contact me right away!

IgNITEor, when you say you saw one "a few ago" hopefully, that is not "days" but "years"?

My light runs which I'm happy about but I really, Really want that 5000K color!

Thanks IgNITEor for the Wolf source. I've just emailed Steve. I've also paid a small search fee to Don at Dons Bulbs to see if he can locate some.


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## IgNITEor (Oct 18, 2009)

BVH, that was supposed to read a few "years" ago. Dumb typo. 

Really irks me that there are a few folks out there just sitting on these lights, pure opportunist's they may be :scowl: Can't imagine _all_ the remaining Locator's are sitting in some depot somewhere?


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## BVH (Oct 19, 2009)

My two serial numbers (got lights from two different sources) are both in the 2xx with 2 leading zeros. Someone else looking for bulbs overseas has a 3xx serial number light. I'm beginning to wonder if many of these were made. Might be less than 1000 or 500 even?

Just found a reference to unit 00628 so at least that many were made.


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