SON light bulb help?

[astro_al]

Hi guys - anyone know about SON bulbs?

I have 4 low-bay external ignitor 400W SONs in my workshop.

I bought a replacement bulb from toolstation, but it is classic sodium colour (streetlamp yellow).

Anyone know where I can get a proper white (ish) light bulb from?

Is there a low-energy option for these jobbers? Its 1.6kw in constant use - would be good to reduce the bill...

Cheers for any help. Al.

 

[madkayaker]

it sound like you are after a metal hailide bulb to me. the only low cost option is to replace the fittings but you will need more low energys to do the same job as the hailides

 

[jaykay]

try tlc electrical factors.not sure if they are over your way,but can order on line

 

[penetrator]

Just be carefull you might start getting taller.

 

[steve.h]

moahahaha, i had a few sodium lights a few years ago, BUT not NOW ok. they will give a yellow light as it covers more of the red end of the spectrum, like late summer.... you will want as said metal halid, but dont try just fitting them in the same unit, the best place to ask is a "grow shop", really not sure what they grow honest....
What you are really after is more blue in the light, like with fluorescents, you would want daylight white not warm white HTH.
Steve

 

[jugs]

Hi al,

here you go > 400w T white SON gives a warm golden white light.

If you want a true crisp white light, change to > Metal Halide


If you are changing fittings, fit more smaller units - to get better spread of light, less shadows & less glare.

Lights in workshops should be on at least 2 separately fused & switched circlets, (if one lot go out your not in total darkness with machinery thrashing about )

 

[astro_al]

Ok, ta.

The first link is what I have tried - useless yellow light. The second one looks like its worth a try - colour temp is 4200 K. Around 2000 K is the type that are very yellow.

This is what I have been using - finally found it, thanks! Thought it was a SON, not metal halide - duh...
http://www.alertelectrical.com/prodvar/2034/400w-tubular-metal-halide-e40-ges-cap-white

Yup - 2 circuits and I'm currently adding some fluoro tubes just to beef things up a bit.

Cheers, Al.

 

[bump]

By switching to a higher kelvin output you will have a brighter light using the same amount of watts, all to do with the human eye.

Just be careful with that lamp, as it is a metal halide lamp to run with a SON geartray and an external Pulse igniter to get the initial arc going. I would suspect that you have been running a T-SON based on the yellow light you describe.

If your unsure I can take a snap of a white surface under one of the SON lamps that run in my garden.

 

[Ed.]

Hi, I used to run a nursery growing orchids and such and used a variety of lights, The orangy ones are High Pressure Sodium Lamps, the brightest white lights were the Metal Halide and slightly less bright whites were the Mercury vapor types. The highest light output for the given wattage are the Metal Halides and there seem to be some that are slightly different in colour even from the same batch. I had a batch that were bright white but there were 3 that had a slighty more yellow look about them even though the specs were the same.

If you ask a lamp manufacturer about them they will most likely tell you that each type will need a specific ballast, ignitor etc., but I found that generally they will interchange, technically speaking they all have been or are designed to operate in a specific level, such as horizontal or vertical or in between, and some are multi position. As I had a heap of them I just ran them as I saw fit and they seemed to work OK.

 

[Fintray]

Why not try led replacement lamps as they can increase the lumens at about 25% of the power consumption. You can get a loan to purchase them which is paid back via the savings in your electricity see:
http://www.ledecolights.com/products/led-high-bay/ledhighbay-100w

 

[astro_al]

Loan??? How much are they??? I bet you could run a workshop for a looooong time before you pay for one light?

I can't see a light output rating, makes me suspicious...

Al

 

[madkayaker]

so far i have found LED lighting very poor with no range to the light unless you are running the very high power units which are costly and use nearly the same amount of energy

 

[Fintray]

astro-al

What about induction lighting for your workshop?

http://www.lightnation.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=61&products_id=269&osCsid=f49d131cdccfc710aa4c7efdbf4617c0

 

[jugs]

astro-al

What about induction lighting for your workshop?

http://www.lightnation.co.uk/catalo...d=269&osCsid=f49d131cdccfc710aa4c7efdbf4617c0

Very expensive for std workshop lighting, you'd only use these in places where access is difficult (maybe £150 to change a light bulb so only do it every 10yrs)