May 2008 and Sep 2009
Update: Sometime after September 2009 (the last time we checked on these lights) they were all removed. No trace of them remain in any of the areas shown below.
Burbank, CA
26 pics
RemovedChecked on "as of" date (either in person or via latest GSV available), removal happened as late as that date or before
as of Sep 2009
This is N Kenneth Rd, maybe a mile North of Olive and downtown Burbank. An unusual sight anywhere in LA, let alone here- suspended gumballs.
You'll have to get the full size pics to see the details here. These gumballs were probably incandescent first, then mercury later but now they have HPS lamps fitted. There are several different kinds, but they are mostly GE 101-D with gumball lenses.
Some detail of the wiring here- on the left is the line voltage output to the suspended head, and on the right the series isolation transformer- you can see how the series line is interrupted with an insulator, and connected to the thick leads on the transformer.
A view of the light, the suspension and the pole with the series transformer.
Just round the corner, this is Cambridge Dr at Richard, this street and Kenneth seem to be the only place there are some of these suspended lights left. There are more modern luminaires on conventional poles also round here.
RemovedChecked on "as of" date (either in person or via latest GSV available), removal happened as late as that date or before
as of 2009
The land for this used Subaru lot was just about to be redeveloped when we passed by. Of interest here were the metal halide ball lights, looking at the layout suggested this lot had been an auto dealer since the 1980s.
20 Sep 2009
RemovedChecked on "as of" date (either in person or via latest GSV available), removal happened as late as that date or before
as of Sep2009
This is the last time we saw these fixtures, late 2009. They were still working, and were looking a bit battered but otherwise OK. Burbank removed all its remaining series systems in 2009/2010 and at time of writing (June 2025) has no series left.
20 Sep 2009
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By this point these old lights weren't really needed any more as there were plenty of more modern HPS fixtures lighting the street, but they were kept going and relamped right until the very end when the whole series loop was decommissioned.
20 Sep 2009
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To finish, a random sight seen at a gas station- I like the look of these integral ballast mercury floods, but don't know who made them.
