Metal halide Bulbs exploding

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Electric-Light

Senior Member
Make sure that the lamp is operating on proper ballast and the lamp is rated universal orientation or the correct orientation for how you're using it. Make sure the ANSI ballast code corresponds to lamp's supported ballast and that line voltage is within acceptable range.
 

sgunsel

Senior Member
Drops of water from condensation can be deadly to a hot lamp. Running 24/7 can help prevent, but obviously costs money too.
 

Electric-Light

Senior Member
Drops of water from condensation can be deadly to a hot lamp. Running 24/7 can help prevent, but obviously costs money too.

I believe you're supposed to shut them off for a little while once a weak. My understanding is that faulty lamp won't strike and gets left out, but if left on, they can stay on until catastrophic failure.

The first thing I would check is the burn orientation and ballast match. Some lamps are quite restrictive, such as "horizontal +/- 15 deg", or vertical either way, vertical base down only" etc. You could have a proper lamp-ballast match, yet your supplier or your own purchasing personnel could have screwed up and got wrong burn position lamps.
 

stevebea

Senior Member
Location
Southeastern PA
I believe you're supposed to shut them off for a little while once a weak. My understanding is that faulty lamp won't strike and gets left out, but if left on, they can stay on until catastrophic failure.

The first thing I would check is the burn orientation and ballast match. Some lamps are quite restrictive, such as "horizontal +/- 15 deg", or vertical either way, vertical base down only" etc. You could have a proper lamp-ballast match, yet your supplier or your own purchasing personnel could have screwed up and got wrong burn position lamps.

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong but I believe there are only three HID lamp orentations. (BU) base up (BD) base down and (U) universal.
 

stevebea

Senior Member
Location
Southeastern PA
In sealed high bay lights, 1000w metal halide bulbs aparently are exploding once a month. is it temperature change? defective bulbs?...any feedback would be appreciated...thanks!

Powerplay, Let us know what you find please. Obiviously there is something drastically wrong going on here. What you have described can happen but it is a very uncommon occourence.
 

StevenR

New member
Protected Metal Halide Lamps

Protected Metal Halide Lamps

All of what has been written may be correct, but it is not likely that the wrong lamp would work with a ballast for very long if at all. Try purchasing a protected 1000w metal halide lamp and make sure it has the correct base position, such as base up. The lamps will still eventually fail but when the do it will be without the explosion. Think about swapping out the lmaps and ballasts for pulse start metal halide too. You can replace a 1000w metal halide with a 750w pulse start metal halide and save about 25% on energy. Again be sure to specify a protected lamp and the correct base position or a universal position lamp. The payback is usually quick.
 

stevebea

Senior Member
Location
Southeastern PA
All of what has been written may be correct, but it is not likely that the wrong lamp would work with a ballast for very long if at all. Try purchasing a protected 1000w metal halide lamp and make sure it has the correct base position, such as base up. The lamps will still eventually fail but when the do it will be without the explosion. Think about swapping out the lmaps and ballasts for pulse start metal halide too. You can replace a 1000w metal halide with a 750w pulse start metal halide and save about 25% on energy. Again be sure to specify a protected lamp and the correct base position or a universal position lamp. The payback is usually quick.

Will the protected lamp seat right in the mogul lampholder? I think the protected lamp takes a special socket.
 

Electric-Light

Senior Member
Will the protected lamp seat right in the mogul lampholder? I think the protected lamp takes a special socket.

open rated lamps have a special base to allow use in open rated lamp only fixture (pink) and fits enclosed fixture as well.

Enclosed only lamps have a standard base and exclusion socket prevents on open fixture prevents the lamp from being energized.
 

stevebea

Senior Member
Location
Southeastern PA
open rated lamps have a special base to allow use in open rated lamp only fixture (pink) and fits enclosed fixture as well.

Enclosed only lamps have a standard base and exclusion socket prevents on open fixture prevents the lamp from being energized.

Thanks Electric-Light. I forgot it was a pink socket (EX39) for the MP lamp.
 
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