Can you touch metal halide bulb?
Yes, it’s going to be a problem for you. When the bulb is in contact with something that point on the bulb becomes a heat sink and the glass temperature on that point of the bulb will become unstable and may cause the bulb to burst. It’s the same reason that you don’t want water to ever touch a MH in operation.
Do metal halide lamps need a ballast?
Metal halide (MH) ballasts are required to start the lamp, regulate the lamp starting and lamp operating currents, and provide appropriate sustaining supply voltage. MH lamp voltage typically increases over time, and the ballast must continue to provide sufficient voltage to the lamp as it ages.
How hot does a metal halide bulb get?
2000 degrees Fahrenheit
When fully lit, the Metal Halide lamp will reach a temperature of 2000 degrees Fahrenheit and operates at a vapour pressure between 70 and 90 pounds per square inch. Normal use of Metal Halide lighting requires that they are very rarely, if ever shut off.
How long do metal halide ballasts last?
Most high quality ballasts have a life expectancy anywhere from 20,000 to 60,000 hours. The life is greatly dependent on operating temperature and the quality of components used.
How often should you change metal halide bulbs?
MH (Metal Halide) bulbs need to be replaced every 8 months on a 18 hour on 6 hour off cycle. MH bulbs lose 40% output in a year, so you lose around 40% yield.
How to tell if a metal halide light bulb or ballast needs?
Signs that a Metal Halide light bulb or ballast needs replaced: The lamp appears to be a different color, or are turning pink This is known as color shift, a natural effect of Metal Halide over long periods of operation. Usually the lamps will gain a pinkish hue when compared to other lamps in the same system.
What kind of LED light to use on metal halide?
When choosing the best LED replacement for metal halide fixtures, you will want to decide whether or not you want to remove the ballast and operate the bulb on direct line voltage 120-208-220-240 or 277v, or if you want to operate the bulb directly on the existing metal halide ballast.
How does a halide lamp work and how does it work?
1.) How it Works: The lamp uses mercury vapor to create the powerful light (like the high pressure mercury vapor) but includes other metals (halide salts) to improve the color. A Halide is a chemical compound of a halogen combined with an electropositive element, or in the case of lamps: a metal.
Can a mercury vapor bulb be used in a metal halide fixture?
Co-worker says that’s hog wash and knows a number of electricians that use MH bulbs in a MV fixture with supposedly good results. Beside this, is mercury vapor the same as metal halide?