BULBS PAGE

WELCOME TO THIS PAGE ,  It is all about Bulbs .


In streetlights they used to use Fluorescent Tubes, SLI/H Tubes, GLS Bulbs , Mercury Bulbs , SOX Bulbs and Gas .

Nowdays they use SON-T , SOX , Metal Halide and Compact Fluorescent Bulbs .

The modern trend now is to use SON-T bulbs instead of SOX in the 1990s.

Nowdays (Year 2010) they use SON-T ,LED,Compact Fluorescent Bulbs (CFL), CosmoPolis Cosmo White bulb (CPO-TW)  and Metal Halide .


Sodium Lamp Classification

As with mercury lamps, a letter classification system has been developed to assist lamp identification .

Classification Meaning

S or SQ Sodium

LI Linear lamp with cap at each end

X Standard single ended low pressure

N High pressure

T Tubular single ended lamp

TD Tubular double ended lamp

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SON is a

S or SQ Sodium

N High pressure

I do not know what the O means? in SON.

SOX is a

S or SQ Sodium

X Standard single ended low pressure

I do not know what the O means? in SOX.

SLI/H is a

S or SQ Sodium

LI Linear lamp with cap at each end

I do not know what the H means? In SLI/H


 This is a Bulb Colour Temperture Chart

 

Type of Fluorescent Tube colours

Colour Temp (K) KELVIN

 Type of Bulb colour

 

1700

Colour of a SLI/H bulb

 

1750-2000

Colour of a SOX bulb

 

1900-2100

Colour of a SON bulb

HOME-LITE

2600

 

WARM WHITE

2700

Colour of a GLS bulb

 

2720-2880

Colour of a CosmoPolis Cosmo White bulb (CPO-TW)

WARM WHITE

3000

 

DE LUXE WARM WHITE

3000

 

WHITE

3400-3500

Standard colour for offices ,etc .

PLUS WHITE

3600

 

DE LUXE NATURAL

3600

 

 

3750-4300

Colour of a MBF bulb

NATURAL

4000

 

KOLOR-RITE

4000

 

COOL WHITE

4000-4100

 

Neutral white

4100

Moonlight

Neutral white

4100K - 4250K - 4800K

 

DAYLIGHT (COOL WHITE)

4300

 

 

5000

Horizon daylight

DAYLIGHT

6000

 

COOL DAYLIGHT

6500

 

NORTHLIGHT/COLOUR MATCHING

6500

 

ARTIFICAL DAYLIGHT

6500

 

 

Natural sunlight ( morning , afternoon ) is between 2500-3000K range and  at highnoon it is very near 6000K .

Light is measured in (K) KELVIN  ( Bulbs Colour Temperture ) .

 


SOX

This is a single ended bulb,with low pressure sodium with neon and gives of poor monochromatic light.

when the bulb starts  up ,the current passes through the neon gas( red light) which in turn heats up the solid sodium  which changes it  in to a gas ,then the current goes through the sodium gas which the light changes  to  an yellow light . It take between 2-7 mins to warm up depending on the wattage of the bulb used.

MOUNTING HEIGHT FOR BULBS

5 M

6 M

8 M

10 M

12 M

SOX

18W

35W

55W

90W

135W

180W

SOXE

18W

26W

36W

66W

91W

131W

All the lamp caps are BC

This is the most efficient bulbs you can buy.

This needs  control gear to run the bulb.

These two charts showing the nominal output of these bulbs and the colour of them .

SOX

10W

18W

35W

55W

90W

135W

180W

Light output ( Lumens at 100hrs)

1000

1800

4500

7400

13000

22500

33000

Colour Temp (K)

2000

2000

2000

2000

1800

1800

1750

Nominal bulb voltage

 

57V

70V

109V

112V

164V

240V

Nominal bulb current

 

0.35V

0.6A

0.6A

0.94A

0.95A

0.91A

Run up time

 

 

7min

7min

9min

10min

12min

 

 

SOX-E

18W

26W

36W

66W

91W

131W

Light output ( Lumens at 100hrs)

1800

3500

5700

19700

17500

26000

Colour Temp (K)

2000

2000

2000

1800

1800

1750

 

 This chart showing the nominal size of these bulbs .  

SOX , SOX-E

10W

18W

26W-35W

36W-55W

66W-90W

91W-135W

131W-180W

Length of bulb

150mm

216mm

310mm

425mm

528mm

775mm

1120mm

Diameter of bulb

41mm

54mm

54mm

54mm

68mm

68mm

68mm

 

 


SLI/H

This is a Double ended bulb,with low pressure sodium with neon and gives of poor monochromatic light.

when the bulb starts the current passes through the neon gas( red light) which in turn heats up the solid sodium in to a gas ,then the current goes through the sodium gas which the light changes to an yellow light . It take between 2-7 mins to warm up depending on the wattage of the bulb used.

You used to buy these bulbs in these wattages 140-200W .

The  Bulb has a Bi-pin cap

A LOT of councils replaced these bulbs in 87-90 with either SOX or SON-T lanterns.

In Bucks they used SOX and Berks SON-T .

I seen some of these bulbs still working in 93 in Essex with thorn alpha 6 lanterns.

I seen some more  working in 1999 in Luton ( near the airport) with THORN ALPHA 6 lanterns.

This needs  control gear to run the bulb.

 

This chart showing the nominal output of these bulbs , the colour of them and the size of them .

SLI/H

140W

200W

200W High output

Light output ( Lumens at 2000hrs)

20000

25000

27500

Colour Temp (K)

1700

1700

1700

Length of bulb

909mm

909mm

909mm

Diameter of bulb

39.5mm

39.5mm

39.5mm

Nominal bulb voltage

175V

145V

145V

Nominal bulb current

0.9A

1.6A

1.6A

 


SON.

This is a single ended bulb,with  high pressure sodium with mercury and gives good golden white light.

The bulb shape is Elliptical Hard glass (outer envelope ),with white internal coating.

When the bulb starts  up ,the current passes through the mercury gas( blue light) which in turn heats up the solid sodium  which changes it  in to a gas ,then the current goes through the sodium gas which the light changes  to  an golden white light.

It take between 2-7 mins to warm up  depending on the wattage of the bulb used.

The  Bulb has a ES/GES cap depending on the wattage of the bulb used.

You can get these in different types ,ones with ignitors in them and ones with out.

This needs  control gear to run the bulb.


 SON-T

Same as SON,except for the bulb it is made of clear glass  and it is tubular.

You can get these in different types ,ones with ignitors in them and ones with out.

This needs  control gear to run the bulb.

This is a rough guide on the mounting height for SON-T bulbs .

 

4 M

5 M

6 M

8 M

10 M

12 M

15 M

HIGH MAST

SON-T

50W

50W-70W-100W

70W-100W

150W-250W

150W-250W

250W-400W

400W-600W

400W-600W-1000W

 

This chart showing the nominal output of normal SON-T bulbs and the colour of them .

SON-T

50W

70W

100W

150W

250W

400W

1000W

Light output ( Lumens at 100hrs)

3800

5850

10000

14500

25000

48000

130000

Colour Temp (K)

1900

1900

1900

1900

2000

2100

2100

 


MERCURY BULBS

MBF ( HPL )  This is the type of  Mercury Bulb .

This bulb has got mercury in it which this gives of a blue -white light.

It take between 2-7 mins to warm up  depending on the wattage of the bulb used.

This needs control gear to run the bulb,you can buy them in ES/GES caps and in the 80W type they do them in 3pin BC cap .

You can get these in different types

This chart showing the nominal output of normal MBF ( HPL ) bulbs and the colour of them .

MBF ( HPL )

50W

80W

125W

250W

400W

700W

1000W

2000W

Light output ( Lumens at 100hrs)

1800

3700

6300

13000

22000

40000

58000

125000

Colour Temp (K)

4300

4050

3850

3700

3800

3900

3750

3750

 


FLUORESCENT  Tubes .

This is a double ended tube,with low pressure mercury gas in the tube .

When the bulb starts it flash about 2 or 3 times ,then stay on if it is a switch start type . You can get these in QUICK START TYPE and these come on straight away . You don't need starter switches in the circuit.

The bulb gives out is a white light.

The  Bulb has a Bi-pin cap

This is a normal household fluorescent tube.

This needs  control gear to run the bulb.

You can get these in all type of colours . Here is a few of them.

 

Fluorescent Tube colours

Colour Temp (K) KELVIN

 Type of Bulb colour

HOME-LITE

2600

 

WARM WHITE

2700

Colour of a GLS bulb

WARM WHITE

3000

 

DE LUXE WARM WHITE

3000

 

WHITE

3400-3500

Standard colour for offices ,etc .

PLUS WHITE

3600

 

DE LUXE NATURAL

3600

 

NATURAL

4000

 

KOLOR-RITE

4000

 

COOL WHITE

4000-4100

 

Neutral white

4100

Moonlight

Neutral white

4100K - 4250K - 4800K

 

DAYLIGHT (COOL WHITE)

4300

 

DAYLIGHT

6000

 

COOL DAYLIGHT

6500

 

NORTHLIGHT/COLOUR MATCHING

6500

 

ARTIFICAL DAYLIGHT

6500

 

 

 

Natural sunlight ( morning , afternoon ) is between 2500-3000K range and  at highnoon it is very near 6000K .

Light is measured in (K) KELVIN  ( Bulbs Colour Temperture ) .

General purpose tubes

Tube Wattage

Length of tube

Length of tube

 Tube Diameter

Tube Diameter

Tube Diameter

Cap

20

2FT

600MM

38MM

1.5IN

T12

Bi-Pin (G13)

40

2FT

600MM

38MM

1.5IN

T12

Bi-Pin (G13)

40

4FT

1200MM

 38MM

1.5IN

T12

Bi-Pin (G13)

65/80

5FT

1500MM

38MM

1.5IN

T12

Bi-Pin (G13)

75/85

6FT

1800MM

 38MM

1.5IN

T12

Bi-Pin (G13)

125

8FT

24000MM

 38MM

1.5IN

T12

Bi-Pin (G13)

 

This range of tubes brought out in the late 70s .

Tube Wattage

Length of tube

Length of tube

 Tube Diameter

Tube Diameter

Tube Diameter

Cap

18

2FT

600MM

26MM

1IN

T8

Bi-Pin (G13)

36

4FT

1200MM

 26MM

1IN

T8

Bi-Pin (G13)

58

5FT

1500MM

26MM

1IN

T8

Bi-Pin (G13)

70

6FT

1800MM

 26MM

1IN

T8

Bi-Pin (G13)

100

8FT

24000MM

 38MM

1.5IN

T8

Bi-Pin (G13)

 


Compact Fluorescent Bulb (CFL)

This is a small version of the Fluorescent  tube and it is a single ended tube,with low pressure mercury gas in the tube . The bulb gives out is a white light.

This needs  control gear to run the bulb and with some types they don't need it .

You can get these in all type of colours . Here is a few of them.

Type of colour

Colour Temp (K)

 

WARM WHITE

2700

Colour of a GLS bulb

COOL WHITE

5000-5550

 


 

Metal Halide    MBI

This is the same as the MBF ( MERCURY ) bulbs , and they also contain metal halides in a quartz discharge tube and they give more light and better light.

It take between 2-7 mins to warm up  depending on the wattage of the bulb used.

This needs  control gear to run the bulb.


 COSMO WHITE (CPO-TW)  CosmoPolis Cosmo White bulb (CPO-TW)

This is a new range of bulbs which PHILIPS brought out in the late 2000s.

This needs  eletronic control gear to run the bulb.

 

CPO-TW

45W

60W

90W

140W

Light output ( Lumens at 100hrs)

 

 

 

 

Colour Temp (K)

2720

2720

2880

2880

Nominal bulb voltage

 

 

 

 

Nominal bulb current

 

 

 

 

Run up time

 

 

 

 

 


LED bulbs.

 This is a new range of bulbs which brought out in the late 2000s.


GLS ( GENERAL LIGHTING SERVICE )

This bulb has got a tungsten filament in it which current passes through.This goes white hot and this produces the light.

This is a normal household Light Bulb.You can buy them in ES/GES /BC caps .

This bulb is not energy efficient and you don't need control gear for them .

This chart showing the nominal output of normal GLS ( pearl ) bulbs and the colour of them .

GLS ( pearl )

15W

25W

40W

60W

75W

100W

150W

200W

3OOW

500W

1000W

Light output ( Lumens)

115

225

420

710

940

1360

2180

2900

4650

8300

1840

Colour Temp (K)

2750

2750

2750

2750

2750

2750

2750

2750

2750

2750

2750


GAS

Along time ago when they first starting to have street lights along the roads , they had used gas to light them . Every day the gas lighter man used to turn the lights on in the night and turn them of in the morning .

There is still allot of gas lights in LONDON , CAMBRIDGE and BOURNEMOUTH . In LONDON  the gas lights has got switches in them . The old timeswiches are clockwork and the new timeswiches run from batteries. In some parts of LONDON they got photocells in the gas light lanterns which are run from batteries . In 1999 in LONDON I seen some with photocells on them.


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UPDATED 20 6 2014

I STARTED THIS PAGE ON THE 12 6 2001

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