For sale is your choice(s) of vintage Dialco pilot lights, left behind in the radio electronics inventory of my late father.  He was an active HAM radio operator for over 70 years, and was a radio and other electronics serviceman for much of his life.  He always kept a generous inventory of spare and replacement parts on hand, for speedy service calls for his customers, available for walk-in customers to his service shop, and handy for his own electronics projects.   All his components were stored in a dry, smoke-free environment. My husband did a "bit" of research on these pilot lights, and here is some of what he found:

DESCRIPTION:  These are varieties of vintage neon indicator lights, manufactured by Dial Light Co., of America, Inc., New York, USA, under their Dialco brand.  They have all been removed from vintage electronic equipment.  They feature RARE red, plain, domed high stove-pipe lens (250V, Series 95), red, fluted lenses (125V, Series 52), and clear, plain, domed, stovepipe lenses (125V, Series 52), and clear, plain, domed, stovepipe lenses (125V, Series 95).  All of the pilot lights contain T3-1/4 miniature bayonet neon lamps and have been photographed with power applied to each unit.  These rugged instrument panel lights are UL approved, and the Series 52 lights are also CSA approved.  The sockets are rated for 75 watts at 125 volt service.  The pilot lights incorporate an internal resistor, in series with the neon lamp.  Additional external resistance many be required (see Caution Note below).  These units are designed for panel mounting, and come equipped with a panel mounting nut and lock washer.  Discriminating Buyers will want these vintage artifacts for their rugged quality construction.  They will be especially desirable for restoration of vintage electronics, where OEM components are preferred.  (See individual descriptions below.)

 

MANUFACTURER:  Dial Light Co. of America, Inc., New York, USA

BRAND:  Dialco (registered trademark)

COMPANY HISTORY:   The Dial Light Co.of America, Inc. was founded in 1938, with manufacturing operations in Brooklyn, New York, where the company produced aircraft instrument panel light assemblies (pilot lights!) and signal jewels.  The company began marketing its indicator lights under the Dialco brand as early as December 1938.  In 1947, the Dialco brand became a registered trademark of the company.  During WWII, the company supplied components to the U.S. military for aircraft, ships, tanks, etc., under the manufacturer code "CAYZ."  In 1963, the Dialco business was absorbed by Philips, a Dutch company.  In 1990, Dialco products were acquired by the Roxboro Group, through a management buyout.  The business was renamed Dialight in 2005. 

APPROVALS:  UL (underwriter Laboratories (molded in base)

SOCKET RATING:  75 Watts at 125 volts (molded in base)

TERMINALS:  Two solder-lug terminals

CAUTION NOTE:  Neon glow lamps, like NE-51 and NE-51H offer the advantage of longer average lamp life, but they require external resistance in series with the bulb.  The pilot light assemblies offered here contain various amounts of internal resistance in their socket construction.  The selection of appropriate external resistance is the responsibility of the buyer.  Sylvania's 1983 Lamp Catalog (Cat. #203, page 59) recommends 220,000 ohms of external resistance for NE-51H bulbs.  They caution that failure to provide adequate resistance many damage the circuit or cause the NE-51 bulb to shatter!  These pilot light assemblies were photographed with 125 volts applied to the pilot light assembly (neon lamp plus internal socket resistor) in series with an additional external resistance of about 162.2K ohms. 

BODY:  Appears to be fabricated from metallic, non-magnetic material, with integral thermoset socket.

TRANSMITTED LIGHT:  Translucent or transparent light transmitted with an omni-directional or wide angle visibility.

DIAMETER OF PANEL HOLE:  About 11/16 inches

MAXIMUM PANEL THICKNESS:  3/8 inch

MOUNTING HARDWARE:  Magnetic, hex panel-mounting nut & internal tooth lock washer for panel mounting

CONDITION:  As found, as is, and as photographed.  This item may also exhibit some wear, scratches or residue from handling and use.  (Seller tested thes components at 125 volts AC with a 162,000-ohm resistance in series with the neon bulb & internal socket resistor.  Photos exhibit the bulbs during test.)   Some panel lights may require de-soldering.  Please review the photos.

WHO WANTS THESE??  Collectors of Dialco products, radio amateurs, experimenters, electronics buffs, collectors and restorers 
of vintage electronics

WEIGHT:  About 1 ounce

#1 RED LENS
     DIALCO SERIES:  Appears to be Series 95
     LENS:  5/8-inch, red, plastic (circular, smooth, high stovepipe Dome).  Lens has a male thread (9/16-27) that threads into the body
          of the pilot light.
     LAMP:  T3-1/4 miniature, bayonet, neon lamp (NE-51H neon lamp included)
     BODY PLATING:  Appears to be polished chrome
     SOCKET:  Appears to be black phenolic, with internal resistor for application on 210-250 volt circuits
     OVERALL LENGTH:  About 2.27 inches (over lens and terminals)

#2 CLEAR LENS
     DIALCO SERIES:  Appears to be Series 95
     LENS:  5/8-inch, clear plastic (circular, smooth, short stovepipe Dome).  Lens has a male thread (9/16-27) that threads into the body
          of the pilot light
     LAMP:  T3-1/4 miniature bayonet neon lamp (NE-51 neon lamp included).
     BODY PLATING:  Appears to be polished chrome
     SOCKET:  Appears to be black phenolic, with internal resistor for application on 105-125 volt circuits
     OVERALL LENGTH:  About 2.13 inches (over lens and terminals)
    
#3 RED LENS
     DIALCO SERIES:  Appears to be Series 52
     LENS:  5/8 inch, red, plastic (circular, fluted, short Dome).  Lens has a male thread (9/16-27) that threads into the body of the pilot 
          light.
     LAMP:  T3-1/4 miniature bayonet neon lamp (NE-51 neon lamp included).
     BODY PLATING:  Appears to be white nickel
     SOCKET:  Appears to be black phenolic, with internal resistor for application on 105-125 volt circuits.
     ADDITIONAL APPROVALS:  CSA (Canadian Standards Association) molded into base
     OVERALL LENGTH:  About 2.14 inches (over lens and terminals)

Wow!  That's a LOT of information!   I hope that these are pilot lights you would love to use to restore YOUR vintage equipment!!

Thanks for looking here!!  

(I'm also listing many other varieties of these pilot lights, and am always glad to combine shipping!  Notice that I will include any lights beyond the first one purchased free of additional shipping!  That includes my other listings, but e-mail me first, as the shipping on my other listings will not come off automatically.)


(pilot light box, radio shelves)