# lamps



## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

electron plumber said:


> standard metal halide work in pulse start fixture???


Not for long.

Are you an Electrician???


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## nolabama (Oct 3, 2007)

What's the difference Harry?


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

nolabama said:


> What's the difference Harry?


A standard metal halide Lamp will not last long in pulse start fixture because the lamp is made for a standard fixture.

With metal Halide lamps ,,,They must match the ANSI rating on the ballast.

For more info look here.....http://www.hydroponics.net/productdocs/HID_Pocket_Guide.pdf


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## Vintage Sounds (Oct 23, 2009)

nolabama said:


> What's the difference Harry?


Regular metal halide lamps have a metal probe inside the arc tube that gets energised and starts the arc when the lamp is cold. Once it starts the probe gets disconnected by a switch inside the lamp. 

A pulse start lamp has no probe, it relies on a ballast that will give it high voltage pulses over 1 kV to vapourise the compounds inside the arc tube. They are more efficient and longer lasting than a regular probe start, but the socket and wiring have to be rated for whatever the voltage pulses will be. Imagine what might happen if you put kilovolt pulses on a lamp that was never designed to accept them. :thumbsup:


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## nolabama (Oct 3, 2007)

Ones got a starter and one only has a capacitor?


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

nolabama said:


> Ones got a starter and one only has a capacitor?


The pulse start has a starter and capacitor ,The other just the Capacitor.


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## Vintage Sounds (Oct 23, 2009)

They both have capacitors, but pulse start also requires an ignitor to deliver the high voltage pulses.

Edit, oops too slow.


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## pudge565 (Dec 8, 2007)

Vintage Sounds said:


> Regular metal halide lamps have a metal probe inside the arc tube that gets energised and starts the arc when the lamp is cold. Once it starts the probe gets disconnected by a switch inside the lamp.
> 
> A pulse start lamp has no probe, it relies on a ballast that will give it high voltage pulses over 1 kV to vapourise the compounds inside the arc tube. They are more efficient and longer lasting than a regular probe start, but the socket and wiring have to be rated for whatever the voltage pulses will be. Imagine what might happen if you put kilovolt pulses on a lamp that was never designed to accept them. :thumbsup:


Lamp explosion is normally the result.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

Vintage Sounds said:


> They both have capacitors, but pulse start also requires an ignitor to deliver the high voltage pulses.
> 
> Edit, oops too slow.


I must have beat you by a second...:laughing:


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## nolabama (Oct 3, 2007)

All mine have an igniter and capacitor


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

nolabama said:


> All mine have an igniter and capacitor


That would make them pulse start, and it should say that on the fixture.


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

You can tell one lamp from the next very easily, even if the stamped text on the lamp is long gone. Just look at the arc tube configuration:










If it has 2 penetrations, it's pulse-start; if it has 3, it's probe start.


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## electron plumber (Jan 22, 2013)

I actually installed a standard 400w in a 400w pulse start fixture with the ignitor and its been working for three months now, just wondering if anyone had a guess as to how long it would last? Didn't have any pulse start lamps and it was on of those "has to be done today projects" in the middle of nowhere.


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