Making Your Sidel SBO and Matrix Lamps Actually Fit
We wanted to make replacement lamps that just work, whether you’re running the classic SBO 20 Series 2 or the newer Matrix lines. But here’s the thing: making a lamp that fits both isn’t as simple as just cutting the glass to the right length. It’s all about the tiny details—the exact spot where the electrical contacts hit and how the light actually behaves.
The Power Stuff
You can’t mess around with voltage and wattage. If the power is too low, your PET preforms won’t get hot enough. That’s how you end up with those annoying “pearlescent” streaks or walls that are way too thin in some spots. To stop that, we use high-density tungsten filaments. It keeps the heat steady from one end of the tube to the other. Just a heads-up: make sure your power supply can handle that initial surge when the lamps kick on, otherwise you’ll be staring at a tripped breaker.
Quartz and the “Click”
We went with heavy-wall quartz glass. Why? Because thin glass bows when it gets hot, and that’s a recipe for disaster. The connectors are the real secret. We machined them to be incredibly precise. They should slide right into your SBO sockets. No forcing, no shoving. If the fit is loose, you get electrical arcing, and that’ll fry your socket in no time. We obsessed over the distance between the end-caps so you can just drop them in. You won’t have to mess with the reflectors or fiddle with the lamp holders. It just fits.
A Few Things to Watch Out For
High-output lamps are great because they speed up your cycle time. But there’s a catch. They put more heat on your machine’s cooling system. If you’re putting these in an older SBO 20, do yourself a favor and check your ventilation fans. If the oven gets too hot inside, your filaments will burn out way faster than they should. And a pro tip: keep those reflectors clean. The better they reflect the IR light, the less your lamps have to struggle. It’s a win-win.