HID LuminaireBasics

September 19, 2014

How it works

Electric arc passing through a gas between two electrodes produces light

Quartz metal halide lamp

Typical uses:• Sports fields• Parking Lots• Airports• Construction lights

Quartz metal halide lamp

• 50 to 1500 watts• 1,500 to 150,000 lumens

(maintained)• Both pulse start and probe

start• E26 or E39 base

depending on wattage• Probe start mean lifetime

6,000 to 10,000 hours• Pulse start mean lifetime

12,000 to 30,000 hours

Metal halide lumen depreciation

Probe start vs. pulse start

Warm-up and restrike

Quartz metal halide ballast

• Includes coil and capacitor. Pulse-start includes igniter.• Probe start ballasts available in multitap, multitap with 480, or 480 only.• Pulse start multitap is standard.

Probe start ballast wiring

Pulse start & HPS ballast wiring

High pressure sodium lamp

Typical usage:• Roadways

High pressure sodium lamp

• 50 to 1000 watts• 3000 to 125,000 lumens

(maintained)• E26 or E39 base

depending on wattage• Mean lifetime 12,000 to

24,000 hours

High pressure sodium ballast

• Includes coil, capacitor, and igniter• Available with or without multitap input (120/208/240/277)

HID backup ballast

• Activates when power to luminaire is cut off or sags• Catches and maintains arc for a few minutes until power is restored.• Normally installed external to the fixture.

“Quartz restrike” emergency lighting

• Activates when the HID lamp arc is extinguished• Current-sensing switch powers up a small backup quartz halogen lamp• Can run off emergency power generator

Battery backup emergency lighting

• Activates when the AC line power is lost• Emergency ballast with integrated batter powers up a small backup fluorescent lamp• Lasts for at least 90 minutes