sitelights
09-20-2002, 05:18 PM
Hadco's recently released 5016 spotlight is the latest generation of their compact Bullyte. The original 616 rated for 35w max received an upgrade to 50w max in the early 90s when the body was lengthened to increase the cavity size. At about the same time the stem was converted to what I refer to as the Lightolier stem which is substantially larger than the original. The 616 doesn't make the cut in terms of handling 50w: the crimps or butt splices (both types were used) cooked and cracked over time exposing the bare conductors; the sockets suffered from the heat (Hadco even went to a replaceable socket that could be changed without tools for a while) and the tempered glass lens would invariably crack over time. After a year or two I dropped to 20w max for this item (all the units with 50w lamps of which I used very few failed within two years) and the problems went away. The problem for other users is compounded by the 616 label that states "50 watt only" rather than "50 watt max" something that Hadco, despite my numerous urgings never corrected. Good-bye 616 which could not pass the tissue paper scorch test at 50 watts for UL and hello 5016 which could. In the latest catalog the 616 is still illustrated and I expect that it will continue to be available as a 35w max item; the catalog still states 50w max but don't believe it. I have an installed base of thousands of 616s and will continue to use them with 20w lamps as long as they are available.
The 5016 is not a "compact" fixture in my estimation but rather "mid-size" being somewhat larger in every dimension. Both the 616 and the 5016 are die-cast aluminum with a powder coat finish and the castings are of high quality. The 616 lens/gasket assembly slips inside the shroud and is held in place by compression of the gasket around the top of the body. The 5016 has a slanted (about 10 degrees) tempered glass lens siliconed into the shroud to allow the lens to self-clean by shedding water and debris through a small scupper at the low end of the 45 degree, slightly curved shroud edge. In the same vertical position the 616 allows water to pool on the lens while the 5016 self-bails. My dark brown "bronze" sample was offered and provided by Hadco without charge; the shroud on this unit had a slightly rough top edge. The rather ingenious slant lens detail is marred by a lip of sealant that partially blocks the scupper and the sealant (a "high temperature adhesive") was not neatly applied. These minor cosmetic flaws have probably been corrected during the course of production fine-tuning. The portion of the shroud that slips into the body (an accurate fit) has two silicone O-rings captured in channels and a third channel that the locking bolt engages to make a secure closure. The 616 can be opened without a tool if the compression provided by a nut and bolt squeezing the gasket against the body is not tight. How tight was later limited by a boss cast into the flanges to prevent overtightening the bolt and breaking the flange. This was a running change in the 616 as Hadco was probably flooded with cracked shroud claims from over-zealous installers.
The 5016 has a fixed socket, Teflon-coated leads and butt splices between the leads and the 18/2; the butt splices are protected by being pulled into the stem and thus are outside the heated cavity. The socket is the same old item with a mica facing that is, of course, not water resistant. Condensation deteriorates this mica (one wants to say "paper') exposing the pin jaws. All closed low voltage luminaires accumulate a small amount of internal condensate which is normally driven off by heat during the operating cycle so this problem applies to all manufacturers that use these cheap sockets. Unlike the 616 the 5016 does not have a heat shield under the socket. Hadco continues to ignore the spring clip lamp holder I showed them 6 years ago while Vista uses it throughout their MR-16 line*. (search: lamp clip) The 616 has a "floating" socket which makes re-lamping a breeze; the rigid mount of the 5016 socket means you are lamping "blind" i.e. by feel to seat the pins. This mounting method has the advantage of regressing the lamp and the disadvantage of placing all the lateral stress on the pins so that a mild impact can pop the lamp out of the socket or slightly loosen the lamp to the same effect. The 616 floating socket is hung from the pins rather than vice versa and the socket weight is much less than that of the captured lamp. Instead of a floating socket and a captured lamp we now have a floating lamp and a captured socket. Go figure.
In an informal survey of my suppliers and anyone else who would talk to me I have determined that the 50 watt MR-16 is not a popular lamp for outdoor applications. The ratio of 20w to 50w sold is about 20 to 1. The manufacturers continue to opt for a one size fits all approach as they clone eachother's goods. Where is the market research that tells them that their luminaires must be rated for 50w? Many of the problems that Hadco and others have been struggling with to achieve a 50w rating would disappear if they would recognize that the bulk of their products for landscape lighting applications are purchased by people that do not need and do not want 50w rated fixtures. As the high heat generated by a 50w MR-16 determines how large a luminaire must be there is a trend toward larger housings that require more raw material and the size increase creates a more obtrusive fixture in the landscape. Perhaps this is why there is such a range of colors now available from all manufacturers. I have never used anything but black. Note that the 5016 label states "USA 50w; Canada 42w". This means that no matter what Hadco has done 50w is still too hot for our friends to the North.
*The clip is illustrated as an attachment "MR clip socket" on this forum.
The 5016 is not a "compact" fixture in my estimation but rather "mid-size" being somewhat larger in every dimension. Both the 616 and the 5016 are die-cast aluminum with a powder coat finish and the castings are of high quality. The 616 lens/gasket assembly slips inside the shroud and is held in place by compression of the gasket around the top of the body. The 5016 has a slanted (about 10 degrees) tempered glass lens siliconed into the shroud to allow the lens to self-clean by shedding water and debris through a small scupper at the low end of the 45 degree, slightly curved shroud edge. In the same vertical position the 616 allows water to pool on the lens while the 5016 self-bails. My dark brown "bronze" sample was offered and provided by Hadco without charge; the shroud on this unit had a slightly rough top edge. The rather ingenious slant lens detail is marred by a lip of sealant that partially blocks the scupper and the sealant (a "high temperature adhesive") was not neatly applied. These minor cosmetic flaws have probably been corrected during the course of production fine-tuning. The portion of the shroud that slips into the body (an accurate fit) has two silicone O-rings captured in channels and a third channel that the locking bolt engages to make a secure closure. The 616 can be opened without a tool if the compression provided by a nut and bolt squeezing the gasket against the body is not tight. How tight was later limited by a boss cast into the flanges to prevent overtightening the bolt and breaking the flange. This was a running change in the 616 as Hadco was probably flooded with cracked shroud claims from over-zealous installers.
The 5016 has a fixed socket, Teflon-coated leads and butt splices between the leads and the 18/2; the butt splices are protected by being pulled into the stem and thus are outside the heated cavity. The socket is the same old item with a mica facing that is, of course, not water resistant. Condensation deteriorates this mica (one wants to say "paper') exposing the pin jaws. All closed low voltage luminaires accumulate a small amount of internal condensate which is normally driven off by heat during the operating cycle so this problem applies to all manufacturers that use these cheap sockets. Unlike the 616 the 5016 does not have a heat shield under the socket. Hadco continues to ignore the spring clip lamp holder I showed them 6 years ago while Vista uses it throughout their MR-16 line*. (search: lamp clip) The 616 has a "floating" socket which makes re-lamping a breeze; the rigid mount of the 5016 socket means you are lamping "blind" i.e. by feel to seat the pins. This mounting method has the advantage of regressing the lamp and the disadvantage of placing all the lateral stress on the pins so that a mild impact can pop the lamp out of the socket or slightly loosen the lamp to the same effect. The 616 floating socket is hung from the pins rather than vice versa and the socket weight is much less than that of the captured lamp. Instead of a floating socket and a captured lamp we now have a floating lamp and a captured socket. Go figure.
In an informal survey of my suppliers and anyone else who would talk to me I have determined that the 50 watt MR-16 is not a popular lamp for outdoor applications. The ratio of 20w to 50w sold is about 20 to 1. The manufacturers continue to opt for a one size fits all approach as they clone eachother's goods. Where is the market research that tells them that their luminaires must be rated for 50w? Many of the problems that Hadco and others have been struggling with to achieve a 50w rating would disappear if they would recognize that the bulk of their products for landscape lighting applications are purchased by people that do not need and do not want 50w rated fixtures. As the high heat generated by a 50w MR-16 determines how large a luminaire must be there is a trend toward larger housings that require more raw material and the size increase creates a more obtrusive fixture in the landscape. Perhaps this is why there is such a range of colors now available from all manufacturers. I have never used anything but black. Note that the 5016 label states "USA 50w; Canada 42w". This means that no matter what Hadco has done 50w is still too hot for our friends to the North.
*The clip is illustrated as an attachment "MR clip socket" on this forum.