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Metal halide lighting

2015-03-03 20:23:10

Metal halide (MH) lighting is often an intimidating choice for beginning reef aquarists and DIY enthusiasts alike. This article will provide basic background information on MH lighting systems, as well as an understanding of the basic vocabulary used when talking about metal halide lights, and the hardware components that make up a complete lighting system.

As the name indicates, the dedicated pulse start ballast uses a separate ignitor to send high-voltage pulses directly

across the main electrodes, ionizing the argon fill gas and starting the main arc very quickly. This eliminates the need

for the starting probe and bi-metal switch. The result is that the lamp will start in colder temperatures, plus provide

faster warm-up and restrike time.HID lamps are used primarily in applications where the most critical factor is creating as much visible light per watt as possible. Major applications include streetlights, gymnasiums, warehouses, large retail facilities, and stadiums, and plant growing rooms. Recently, these lamps have also been used in some high-end vehicle headlights. Since most HID lamps produce light which is either very cool white/blue or warm white/yellow, they are generally not used in applications where the aesthetic quality of light is important. Also, some HID bulbs require an extended warm up time and are not suitable for applications where lights are turned on and off on a regular basis.