street lights

cena

any reason they are orange colour. Why not use a white blub in the lamps

Praetorian Saighdiuir

White lights are for Batman only

AlmightyCushion

No idea, but I assume it has something to do with the brits, those prod bastards.

Biggins

cena wrote: »

any reason they are orange colour. Why not use a white blub in the lamps

Orange street lights are common in most London boroughs. They certainly are where I live, about 1.5 miles from the river.

The original [and existing] purpose of the orange street lights, is they can penetrate fog extremely well. I cannot remember the last time we had fog here, but you just never know, especially with the River Thames so close.

This link below will explain the orange street lamp : -

Sodium vapor lamp - Wikipedia, As a result they are widely used for outdoor lighting such as street lights ... dark pink glow when first struck, and a pinkish orange light when warmed up. ...
http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_…;

See also here: http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100718134149AApl2xX

The main drawback to the orange street lamp, which I only found out when I was called as a witness and was quite unable to be sure what colour top the guy was wearing who did the bad deed. So, case dismissed.

Some London boroughs, I think Wandsworth, have already got rid of their orange street lamps and replaced them with white light. Keeps the bad guys off the streets - that's the theory anyway.

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070910114516AATcjYN

See also here: http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100718134149AApl2xX

charlemont

For some reason I prefer the orange ones, The old rectangular orange ones from the late 70's 80's.

Eathrin

I don't think it's an orange bulb, it's a current being passed through sodium gas.

Captain Chaos

They are SOX lamps, sodium glows orange,yellow when heated. Its a chemical reaction.

mikemac1

No to orange lamps

We want green

antodeco

They had to change all the light colours because of the amount of light emitting from earth into space. It was causing issues (to aliens I'm assuming) so they had to change them all.

True story!

Chorcai

Thought it was to do with foggy weather ?

Sky King

The yellow sodium lamps are extremely energy efficient too.

PS not all street lighting is yellow.

chin_grin

...........people.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NQIPVqLMUg

arse..biscuits

Highest efficacy lamp available, 180 lumens per watt. We dont use them in other locations because of their bad colour rendering

Canis Lupus

I think it's mostly down to the fact that the sodium bulbs are the most cost efficient.

EDIT: what Mr Biscuit said ^^

rusty_racer94

Because the difference between the energy levels of excited Sodium electrons emits the difference as its characteristic colour, which in this case is Orange.














*excuse me for sounding like a fecking geek in AH.

Capt'n Midnight

rusty_racer94 wrote: »

Because the difference between the energy levels of excited Sodium electrons emits the difference as its characteristic colour, which in this case is Orange.

Orange ?

They start out as red neon lights until they get hot enough to light up the sodium emissions

90% of the light is at 589.0 and 589.6 nm

CavanCrew

They make you look so tan.

Sky King

I liked them at their early red stage when I was a kid because they reminded me of these:

humbert

Also, it's technically not a chemical reaction.

Sky King

Lads in fairness, it's Saturday night.

phill106

Sky King wrote: »

Lads in fairness, it's Saturday night.

Yet here we are....

Sky King

I know.

So anyway, which do you prefer, high pressure sodium lighting or low pressure sodium lighting?

MickySticks

Sky King wrote: »

Lads in fairness, it's Saturday night.

Yet here we all are fascinated by the colour of street lights.

Sad times indeed.

Sky King

High pressure cost more to run but this is offset by the broader spectrum their light affords.

arse..biscuits

There is some neon gas mixed with the sodium as neon is easier to ignite at low pressure, thats why they are red initially. The pressure will increase over the next few minutes and the sodium will discharge causing the yellow glow.



Heh heh heh...... discharge

arse..biscuits

Sky King wrote: »

I know.

So anyway, which do you prefer, high pressure sodium lighting or low pressure sodium lighting?

I think a better question is sodium versus mercury

Capt'n Midnight

Sky King wrote: »

I know.

So anyway, which do you prefer, high pressure sodium lighting or low pressure sodium lighting?

low for light pollution reasons

Fire engines have big areas that aren't red these days.