I am quickly growing more and more frustrated with the short life span and EOL explosive tendencies of expensive metal halide bulbs.  Since MV is no longer an option for many commercial applications, I wonder if this would not be a good alternative. Especially where a white color is needed instead of the orange/yellow from HPS. 

I saw this article.  Very interesting. 


http://www.sylvania.com/en-us/innovation/case-studies/Pages/phillies-sign-case-study.aspx

It may work only on places without any optics - so only for such signs, tunnels or so. An efficient road lightning require tight beam pattern control, what require all light being emitted in small area (clear HID, LED) and it is impossible with so large surface lamps (LPS, fluorescents,...), so there the Icetron would be unusable (very poor beam control)

I think the panic from exploding MH's is sometimes exaggerated.
How many MH bulbs (let say from group of 100) really exploded so violently, the outer was not able to contain it? And count only the "enclosed only" rated and operated on the correct gear.
Yes, few of them may explode. Yes, some system failures may lead to violent lamp explosion. So the fixture must be designed to contain such explosion, that it is. With that fulfilled there is nothing to worry about at all...
And there are internally protected versions, what do not need external explosion proof containment. Yes, these cost a bit more, but the experience with quartz MH show (and it was afterwards technically explained), than the quartz shroud used as the guard does actually double duty: Beside the absorbtion of the eventual burner explosion energy it become positively charged, so repel sodium ions from the arctube wall, prolonging the life of the lamp (arctube darkening and sodium loss progress are slowed down).

The life of high light quality commercial lighting MH's is a bit shorter, mainly as the major application do need the high light quality, but the relamping is not as problematic, so expensive.
For street use (where relamping labopr is a major operation cost) are intended lamps like "City white" (I guess from Philips) or so, these have the usual 24000 hour rating, so 4 years relamping cycle for 10hour/day use.

If the light does not have to be focused (si where the Icetron could work) I would better use long life versions of traditional fluorescents (e.g. /XXT, when we speak about Osram/Sylvania).
They have nearly the same average rated life as the Icetrons, but it is traditional thermionic electrode discharge lamp, so do not need so fancy and technically challenging (so questionable reliability) near-MHz range ballast.

I'd go for normal good quality fluorescents (Tx, PL-L, ...) on magnetic ballast and electronic starter with long preheat time

The big problem with the Endura/Icetron range is exactly the same as with the Philips QL system as far as outdoor/streetlighting applications; that the ballasts are too complicated, and as a result too unreliable.  They are a good bet for indoor use no doubt, though the Philips lamps I've heard reports of the lamp bases disintegrating etc, and with a well ventilated enclosure and remote ballast should hopefully live a long life.  Proper protection against spikes though is critical, especially in an industrial setting.

I do wonder though what advantages they offer in a real world setting over normal fluorescent run on decent gear.  Sure the theoretical life span is longer, but unless you're talking about lamps in a hundred foot high ceiling over a swimming pool, is having to change a tube once every few years that much of a hassle - especially when you take into account the eye-watering system costs involved in induction lighting.  ...Especially when one well aimed power surge is going to take out your £100 plus ballast just as likely as it is a £20 electronic fluorescent one...

Good information to have gentlemen, thank you.  Unfortunately fluorescent won't work with the outside applications where I need them.  Compact fluorescent maybe but the lifespan of those probably wont be much better than those of MH.  How I wish I could make MV work here but alas. Not meant to be. 

"Unfortunately fluorescent won't work with the outside applications where I need them."

I guess the problem is with the low temperatures.
But in that matter the Icetron is just another fluorescent - if you do not reach the correct temperature, it would only glow dimly exactly like any other fluorescent. The way to create the plasma (using electrodes vs induction) does not make any difference...

Induction is NEVER a good choice -it can interfere with radios, wireless networks, etc, and doesn't work as well in cold temperatures. Best choice would be a CMH, but they are quite expensive. They also use WAY more power (induction fluorescent) compared to a MH. They are advertised so they appear efficient, when the HV/HF generator, which spits out a ~300-1000v @ ~225 MHz wastes a HUGE amount of energy to couple to the tube. Thus, I would choose any HID over a induction fluorescent. MV would be good, but the ballasts can't be found in US. (In Canada, I can still buy the MV ballasts. BTW, the equivalent wattage MH ballast, (i.e. 400w MH can be usually used for a 400w MV as well.)