This was announced by lighting supplier, Atlanta Light Bulbs near the end of September.

https://www.atlantalightbulbs.com/blog/heads-up-philips-low-pressure-sodium-sox-bulbs-are-going-the-way-of-the-dodo/


Just came back from visiting Pala in North San Diego County this afternoon. The trip took us through Murrieta and Temecula which are also located in the light pollution controlled zone around Palomar observatory. I have not confirmed the announcement but if true, this would affect one of the largest Low Pressure Sodium installations in the region.

It was only a matter of time, SOX has long disappeared from the area I live, the few remaining SOX fixtures I know of around Chicago are small installations under freeway overpasses, and those are quickly going LED. It will probably be awhile yet before companies begin to stop production of mercury vapor, but its a safe bet that theyre the next to go. I then suspect metal halide and HPS will likely follow a few decades later, the last remaining discharge lamps will likely be T8 and T5 fluorescent.

It means it time to stock up while u can. once supplies dewindled  price for even vintage ones will shoot up
Like crazy.

I figured this was coming, but BOOOOOOOOO

Edit: [pages full of thumbs down emoji]

Edit2: RIP SOX, the most efficient commercially available environmentally friendly light source in existence that STILL has untapped potential for improvement in efficiency by using modern materials and manufacturing methods.

 It would be difficult considering the heat insulation required, but I believe that induction low pressure sodium could have been a reality. Combine this with SOX-E insulation or better, the possibilities...

Personally, I won't be missing sox. I hated how it made everything looking yellow and black.

I figured this was coming, but BOOOOOOOOO

Edit: [pages full of thumbs down emoji]

Edit2: RIP SOX, the most efficient commercially available environmentally friendly light source in existence that STILL has untapped potential for improvement in efficiency by using modern materials and manufacturing methods.

 It would be difficult considering the heat insulation required, but I believe that induction low pressure sodium could have been a reality. Combine this with SOX-E insulation or better, the possibilities...

Induction LPS?!?!? Now I wanna see something like that!

Induction LPS?!?!? Now I wanna see something like that!

Philips had a patent in 1992 for such a lamp but I don't know if any prototypes were ever made.

http://www.google.com/patents/US5336971

someone around here should maybe design one of these.... imagine how efficient it would be, it'd probably blast induction flourescent right out the window....

Wow! Nice find, I knew something like this was possible because of how similar SOX is to fluorescent in its operating needs ballast wise.

If we join hands, we could possibly try saving the production equipment instead of any number of lamps

If we join hands, we could possibly try saving the production equipment instead of any number of lamps

I like the idea.. but would the company even allow it? i though philips was trying to kill off LPS.... perhaps not though and it may have just became less profitable to them... what would be required for such a task???

I like the idea.. but would the company even allow it? i though philips was trying to kill off LPS.... perhaps not though and it may have just became less profitable to them... what would be required for such a task???

They haven't been maintaining there patents or trade names so they might not care, because maintaining those really doesn't cost that much so most of there intellectual properties are up for grabs right now...

And induction SOX lamps would be awesome and getting rid of the electrodes would make then last so much longer.. 

And induction SOX lamps would be awesome and getting rid of the electrodes would make then last so much longer.. 

You got that right!

I would LOVE to tour the manufacturing facility and if I could shoot a bit of a documentary of how SOX lamps are made for posterity before they stop making them. If not me, at least somebody. I'm guessing they're still mainly manufactured in the UK by philips?

Man that sucks, I better stock up too

You got that right!

I would LOVE to tour the manufacturing facility and if I could shoot a bit of a documentary of how SOX lamps are made for posterity before they stop making them. If not me, at least somebody. I'm guessing they're still mainly manufactured in the UK by philips?

I think the only place they are made currently is by Philips Lighting at Hamilton in Scotland, there was some posts about China also making them and the company was called SNAPFAST website :>  http://www.visionillumination.com/products/lps-s-plus/ but I don't know anything about them or if they are going to drop them, or if they are competitive price wise / lifespan as they only seem to be available in the UK and there is nothing on Ebay or other websites like that selling anything by Snapfast / Vision..