T
Travis Evans
- Jan 1, 1970
- 0
I recently started buying HID light fixtures to have fun with/use in my room
[yes, I'm crazy. My favorite part is the warm-up period!]. A few days
ago, I got a 100-watt MH fixture and just wanted to find out whether the
following behavior is normal, as this is my first "hands-on" experience
with a MH lamp.
After the first several "normal" starts, the lamp then developed a behavior
where it would flash a very bright red (sometimes startling me) a couple of
times for a fraction of a second just an instant before warm-up was
complete, then it would return to its normal color and operate normally.
This happened for the next few starts and then did not occur for the next
couple of starts.
Now, while ago, I just experienced a much more dramatic behavior. I wanted
to find out how long the lamp takes to restart when switched off and right
back on again, so I was power cycling it and recording the time until
restriking occurred. My plan was to do only three trials (I know that
starting causes wear). On the second trial, the very bright red color
appeared again just before the end of warm-up, but remained stable for a
whole 10-20 seconds or so! I think it may have gradually faded to a very
incandescent-lamp-like orangish color, then after a few more moments jumped
to a yellowish-white. Now I think the lamp is closer to its normal white
color, except I think it seems a tiny bit more yellow than usual.
I know that it's normal for MH lamps to slowly shift colors over their
lives, but I haven't heard anything about sudden changes, particularly
during warm-up and with a brand-new lamp. Just wanted to know what this
group's thoughts were about this. Is it okay, or should I stop messing
with it before it explodes on me? (Actually, it is an open-fixture
rated lamp, though.)
[yes, I'm crazy. My favorite part is the warm-up period!]. A few days
ago, I got a 100-watt MH fixture and just wanted to find out whether the
following behavior is normal, as this is my first "hands-on" experience
with a MH lamp.
After the first several "normal" starts, the lamp then developed a behavior
where it would flash a very bright red (sometimes startling me) a couple of
times for a fraction of a second just an instant before warm-up was
complete, then it would return to its normal color and operate normally.
This happened for the next few starts and then did not occur for the next
couple of starts.
Now, while ago, I just experienced a much more dramatic behavior. I wanted
to find out how long the lamp takes to restart when switched off and right
back on again, so I was power cycling it and recording the time until
restriking occurred. My plan was to do only three trials (I know that
starting causes wear). On the second trial, the very bright red color
appeared again just before the end of warm-up, but remained stable for a
whole 10-20 seconds or so! I think it may have gradually faded to a very
incandescent-lamp-like orangish color, then after a few more moments jumped
to a yellowish-white. Now I think the lamp is closer to its normal white
color, except I think it seems a tiny bit more yellow than usual.
I know that it's normal for MH lamps to slowly shift colors over their
lives, but I haven't heard anything about sudden changes, particularly
during warm-up and with a brand-new lamp. Just wanted to know what this
group's thoughts were about this. Is it okay, or should I stop messing
with it before it explodes on me? (Actually, it is an open-fixture
rated lamp, though.)