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 Post subject: Re: SOX lamps
PostPosted: Tue Apr 07, 2015 3:11 pm 
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More info here from lamp packaging - all 35W SOX.

Philips Oct '89.

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Thorn Feb '86.

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Osram early '90s.

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 Post subject: Re: SOX lamps
PostPosted: Tue Apr 28, 2015 9:21 pm 
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Found it: http://www.lighting.philips.com/main/pr ... er-sox-psg

Look at the bottom under features.

"Burning position SOX 35 W and 55 W: base-up ±110° (universal burning position when luminaires installed in shock-free positions)"

Perhaps it only applies to their PSG but I don't see why it would. In my experience the sodium doesn't move of its own accord even when red hot unless you induce movement to the bulb, and in fact tends to migrate naturally to the U bend over time.

Told you I wasn't talking out my hat!


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 Post subject: Re: SOX lamps
PostPosted: Wed Dec 02, 2015 6:41 pm 
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Hi

I have an Eleco GR150 with 135W Osram SOX plus bulb on a Philips BSX 135 H96 ballast and SX74 ignitor, however I had an issue yesterday, where the ballast overheated literally within a minute or two of turning on, didn't think much off it until the ballast made some odd noises and a odd smell came from it, then I heard a slight pop from the bulb and the bulb flickered and the whole inner tube inside the bulb cracked and split in two pieces and also has a black burn patch at the end of the lamp.

Now I am wondering what could of caused this, could it of been the lamp reaching the end of its life and drawing too much power thus causing  build up pressure in the bulb and also the ballast to overheat or something else?  

Now I have to find a cheap place to get a 135W SOX lamp this time Philips as I prefer them  :(

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 Post subject: Re: SOX lamps
PostPosted: Fri Dec 04, 2015 2:48 am 
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The lamp is at end of life. One of electrodes has run out of emissive material which causes the arc tube to act as a rectifier. This increases the current which overheats the electrodes. This in turn may cause the inner arc tube to crack which was the pop you heard. Sodium will then migrate to the outer envelope which blackens - as you have seen.

The lamp rectifying and increase of current will overheat the ballast but its very unlikely that the ballast has suffered any damage.

There is no increase in pressure in either the arc tube or outer envelope and that is not the failure mechanism.


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 Post subject: Re: SOX lamps
PostPosted: Fri Dec 04, 2015 9:24 pm 
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Hi

Thanks for your reply, bit of odd way to reach the end of its life, usually they just stop powering up don't they? Does anyone know where the best place to get cheap HID bulbs from the lowest i've seen for a 135w SOX is £27.57 without vat brand new?

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 Post subject: Re: SOX lamps
PostPosted: Fri Dec 04, 2015 9:40 pm 
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Nope, they don't just stop working. SOX lamps have several different failure methods, the one I described is just one of them.

That price is very reasonable but I would check that they will replace the lamp if it gets broken in transit - large SOX lamps are very fragile.


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 Post subject: Re: SOX lamps
PostPosted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 7:11 pm 
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Hi

Another thing I've been wondering, why do some SOX bulbs glow a very intense bright red on start up while most just have have a  dim reddy pink colour? I ask because I have bought some new 135w SOX lamps, 4 to be exact, as I have more than one 135W lantern and I was testing the new bulbs out and one did this while the other were normal, not very intense and a dim pinky red colour.


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 Post subject: Re: SOX lamps
PostPosted: Thu Jan 14, 2016 6:41 am 
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It's to do with the amount of neon in the arc tube. Phillips lamps tend to have more neon and those lamps start deep red. Osram (and other cheaper brands) use, the bare minimum of neon and they start more pink.

To reduce costs, neon fill can be reduced but it will affect reliability of starting of older lamps - or encourage early lamp replacement , which is fine from a lamp manufacturers point of view...


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 Post subject: Re: SOX lamps
PostPosted: Thu Jan 14, 2016 7:22 pm 
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Hi

Thanks for the reply

I have had it running for a few minutes before I got worried as it started flickering very quick once every  20 seconds so I think its faulty ?

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 Post subject: Re: SOX lamps
PostPosted: Thu Jan 14, 2016 9:17 pm 
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I assume its still red/pink, when it flickered? Maybe faulty or it could be the gear. Try another lamp and see what happens. SOX lamps either work or don't, unlike SON lamps at end of life which can start and then go out.

I'd be inclined to leave it to warm up and see if it reaches full power.


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