Security Light: Metal Halide VS High-pressure Sodium????

[grsthegreat]

Im an electrical contractor and have installed 100's of different security lights over the years.

For pole mounted lights that stay on from dawn to dusk I generally install MH lights. You cannot install a standard MH lamp in a HPS fixture. the starter is missing.

The newer MH lamps use a pulse start mechanism for more efficiency.

Personally you have never seen bugs collect under a light until you install a MH or mercury light. they attract bugs like a magnet. On my own barn i have used HPS fixtures ( I dont mind the yellow light) to control the bugs, and those lights attract NO bugs. I also HATE leaving lights on past 9-10 pm, so all my lights are on ASTRONOMIC TIMER to shut down at preset time. I love to see the stars at night. My arena uses 5,000 watts worth of MH flood lighting, and its like daytime when working in it. But an entomologist would also like working there...nice bug catching site.

Metal Halide lights put out a great amount of light for the power input, but get dimmer as they age. After 5,000 hours they can be reduced to 1/2 the original output.

You can also consider florescent yard lights. They have trouble starting below 0F, but after a few minutes of warm-up they get nice and bright for little operating $$$.

I too am not a fan of the LED lights...yet. But their getting better. In a few years they may be worth the $$.
I just tried out a LED wall pack that produced 175 WATTS of lighting for 40 watts of used energy. They were actually very bright. but also $500.00. Ill never get any client to bite on that.

 

[LD1]

Im an electrical contractor and have installed 100's of different security lights over the years.

For pole mounted lights that stay on from dawn to dusk I generally install MH lights. You cannot install a standard MH lamp in a HPS fixture. the starter is missing.

The newer MH lamps use a pulse start mechanism for more efficiency.

Personally you have never seen bugs collect under a light until you install a MH or mercury light. they attract bugs like a magnet. On my own barn i have used HPS fixtures ( I dont mind the yellow light) to control the bugs, and those lights attract NO bugs. I also HATE leaving lights on past 9-10 pm, so all my lights are on ASTRONOMIC TIMER to shut down at preset time. I love to see the stars at night. My arena uses 5,000 watts worth of MH flood lighting, and its like daytime when working in it. But an entomologist would also like working there...nice bug catching site.

Metal Halide lights put out a great amount of light for the power input, but get dimmer as they age. After 5,000 hours they can be reduced to 1/2 the original output.

You can also consider florescent yard lights. They have trouble starting below 0F, but after a few minutes of warm-up they get nice and bright for little operating $$$.

I too am not a fan of the LED lights...yet. But their getting better. In a few years they may be worth the $$.
I just tried out a LED wall pack that produced 175 WATTS of lighting for 40 watts of used energy. They were actually very bright. but also $500.00. Ill never get any client to bite on that.

Thanks for the well informed post.

I am not too worried about bugs.

As I mentioned, my parents have had a MV light for YEARS. They only recently installed a second HPS light on the other side of the house. I dont like it nearly as well.

I was all set to go with a MH, it was just a matter of figuring out the cheapest way to do it since I can get HPS fixtures for free. BUT that was because I though MV was no longer available. My fault...I should have looked.

I think I am going the get a MV light from the "bay". Bulb included. They are like $56 to the door. Just dont come with the "gooseneck" pole. But I can steal one off the HPS fixture I have.

I dont mind the bugs being attracted to the light. Actually, I would rather have them attracted to the light 30' in the air rather than be buzzing me