Picture This

What it's not: That pink napkin ring you lost last Thanksgiving.

What it is: The new sockets required by the 2005 NEC for indoor HID metal halide luminaires with open optics. These protected sockets are constructed of pinkish-color porcelain and will only accept open-rated lamps. The center contact tab is surrounded by a barrier that excludes ANSI Type E & S lamps, preventing contact between the center pin on the lamp base and center tab on the lamp socket. Type O rated lamps have a narrow center pin that fits in the barrier to make contact with the center tab. Just remember, the pink shield around the arc tube isn't just decorative — it prevents the bulb from shattering during a catastrophic eruption of the tube. This should help keep any stray shards of glass from finding their way into Aunt Mary's stuffing.