Pulse Start Metal Halide Vs Ceramic Metal Halide

Probe start metal halide lighting.

Pulse start metal halide vs ceramic metal halide.

Lamp configurations include low and high wattage types both clear and coated. For years there has been one main technology for middle wattage metal halide fixtures lamps. You can t just use your new cmh bulb in your old mh ballast. Ceramic arc tubes allow higher arc tube temperatures which manufacturers claim results in better efficacy color rendering and color stability.

Even if they share a lot of the same technology they have fundamental differences in the way they re constructed and how they operate. Common screw base metal halide lamps are workhorses for applications such as big box retail sports arenas parking garages pole mounts and other commercial outdoor applications. Probe start lamps have three electrodes in the arc tube a starting probe electrode and two operating electrodes. Metalarc pulse start lamps utilize metal halide per formance with proven ignitor technology for longer life improved lumen maintenance and reduced color shift over lamp life compared to standard metal halide products.

What is the difference between probe start and pulse start lamps. Trying to do so would be very dangerous. First of all ceramic metal halide and metal halide bulbs are not the same thing. Pulse start technology is designed to increase lamp life as well as to have both the energy efficacies of high pressure sodium hps lamps and the desirable color characteristics of mh lamps.

Ceramic metal halide lamps are 10 20 more efficient than the traditional quartz metal halide and produce a superior color rendition. To start the lamp a discharge is created across a small gap between the starting probe electrode also called the starter. Ceramic arc tubes allow higher arc tube temperatures which result in better efficacy color rendering and color stability. A starting probe electrode and two operating electrodes see figure 2.

High intensity discharge hid metal halide mh lamps are widely used in commercial lighting applications because they are about three times as efficient as incandescent lamps. Metalarc pro tech lamps less than 150 watts and powerball ceramic lamps also utilize pulse start. Metal halide is a high intensity discharge hid lamp with energy efficiency comparable to or better than fluorescent. Traditional metal halide mh lamps use probe start technology.

Traditional metal halide mh lamps use probe start technology. Three electrodes are present in the arc tube of a probe start mh lamp. Metal halide mh lamp arc tubesare made of either quartz or ceramic see figure 1.