Anyone into Sodium lamps?

Hi all,

my interest in lasers has, inevitably, led me astray into other types of lighting - or more realistically, rekindling an interest I had as a child for bulbs of all types and sizes.

I've recently been learning about sodium lighting, in particular low pressure sodium which is still in use over here in the UK (though declining slowly), the monochromatic kind at roughly 589nm that we refer to as SOX.

I just wondered is anyone else here also into sodium lighting or other similar types often used in commercial settings?

This actually caught my eye on Amazon and I'm quite tempted to get it, all I'd need to sort is a ballast so I could run it off ordinary 240V from the wall and I'd have myself sorted a gorgeous yellow light which uses less power than the average incandescent and an ace party trick to boot.

You can even buy whole street lanterns off ebay that are fully wired and ready to go on the 240V wall supply as well - mental!

These photon related hobbies are a very slippery slope... :drool:

no low but have a couple of high pressure sodium lights a few metal halide's and a T5.

Yup there's a whole thread about sodium lamps in the geek's corner that we started some years ago. Therein is cheap readily available ballast info, wiring info, and lots of pics!!


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Thanks I never even thought to check there.

At least I think it was there, it's been a while. It should show up in a search anyway.

Edit;
Oops looks like it was in this sub forum; http://laserpointerforums.com/f66/lps-sox-sodium-lamps-73309.html?highlight=Low+pressure+sodium

thanks, I'll be sure to read over that with a cup of tea.

later EDIT:
that thread was thoroughly enjoyable.
To match the Philips 35 W bulb I linked earlier, I've found a UK supplier of ballasts that'd do it.
http://www.commercial-lamps.co.uk/item/39/philips-ballast-for-sox-lamps

unclear from that link though whether it includes the igniter (that's the 600V jump that gets it going right?)
Going to research this one a bit more but it doesn't look too distant a goal even for a guy like me who loves all things electric but was sh#te at physics class.