This document provides information about HID luminaires, including how they work by producing light through an electric arc passing through gas between two electrodes. It discusses quartz metal halide lamps, their typical uses and specifications like wattage and lumen output. It also covers metal halide lumen depreciation, probe start vs pulse start operation, warm-up times, and quartz metal halide and high pressure sodium ballasts. Backup options for HID luminaires like HID backup ballasts, quartz restrike emergency lighting, and battery backup emergency lighting are also summarized.

1. HID Luminaire
Basics
September 19, 2014

2. How it works
Electric arc passing through a gas
between two electrodes produces light

3. Quartz metal halide lamp
Typical uses:
• Sports fields
• Parking Lots
• Airports
• Construction lights

4. 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

5. Metal halide lumen depreciation

6. Probe start vs. pulse start

7. Warm-up and restrike

8. 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.

9. Probe start ballast wiring

10. Pulse start & HPS ballast wiring

11. High pressure sodium lamp
Typical usage:
• Roadways

12. 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

13. High pressure sodium ballast
• Includes coil,
capacitor, and igniter
• Available with or
without multitap input
(120/208/240/277)

14. 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.

15. “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

16. 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