Control gear is an essential requirement for the operation of "Discharge Lamps" such as SON, SOX, Mercury and Metal Halide.

This is normally made up of three items, a ballast or choke an ignitor and a capacitor.

This section deals with just the control gear for Sodium Lamps which give an orange light, we have included all the common wattages but if you need other gear please call us as we have a vast range in stock.

Son lamps commonly have these brand names, NAV, NAV-E, NAV-T, LUCALOX, SHP-T, SHP-E, SHX and many variations on these!

If you are in doubt as to what you need please call us and we will be able to help you.

Son lamps come in two shapes either like a cucumber or a rugby ball shape, they are often interchangeable and the shape doesn't affect the control gear.

Some son lamps have a built in ignitor and don't need an external one, those that have an ignitor have a symbol like this on the glass /I\

Those that need an ignitor have /E\ on the glass.

If you have a problem with a SON light first check the bulb, then the Ignitor, then the ballast and finally the capacitor, the ballasts are the most reliable part.

The most common fault when you go to replace the light bulb is that the ignitor has failed as well, this is because it keeps trying to light up the dead lamp and burns itself out.

Change the lamp before it dies and this won't happen.

Son lamps have a long life, 25000 hours plus! Hence they are often chosen for street lighting where maintenance must be minimal.

SON lamps give an orange light, you can often change to a white light without changing the operating gear, to check this out get the make and numbers off the ballast and ignitor and give us a call, we will be able to help you.

If you have a white light it may be difficult to determine the type of operating gear as a white metal halide may have been fitted! Also the SOX lamp burns orange just like the SON but uses different operating gear! The lamps are normally long and thin, more like a fluorescent tube, again if you are not sure call us with the make and numbers off the gear and we can help.


These are common code numbers from Son Ballasts:

PHILIPS BSN50, PHILIPS BSN70, PHILIPS BSN100, PHILIPS BSN150, PHILIPS BSN250, PHILIPS BSN 400, PHILIPS BSN 1000,

MAGNETEK N70-24.2-34

HELVAL NK400T

PARMAR HSV40024521 400W
PARMAR HSV412 400W
PARMAR HSV162224 150W
PARMAR JDV26024 250W
PARMAR JAV410245 400W

ATLAS G53400T 150W

VOSSLOH SCHWABE NaHJ 250.727 250W

ELT VSI40/22-3T-GI-P

For volume / bulk enquiries please call us on 01392 446666 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday, we like to talk!