Author Topic: MV strange behavior  (Read 2475 times)
lightingcollector84
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MV strange behavior « on: April 06, 2009, 11:25:26 PM » Author: lightingcollector84
I have noticed 3 175 MV streetlights that had some sort of flickering thing going on.  The bulb was dim, like in start up, but it had this flickering like it was trying to start.  Upon another visit, I witnessed another light doing this, while the first I saw the last one I saw was on and seemed to be working fine.  What is going on with these?  Is it a lamp that is approaching EOL or a problem with the ballast?
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lightman64
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Re: MV strange behavior « Reply #1 on: April 07, 2009, 09:39:11 AM » Author: lightman64
Mercury Vapor lamps usually don't have EOL, they just dim out over time. (lumen depreaction) It is probally a problem with unsteady line voltage or current, or just a ballast going bad.
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TudorWhiz
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Re: MV strange behavior « Reply #2 on: April 07, 2009, 09:50:47 AM » Author: TudorWhiz
I have two CWA ballasts that makes MV act like this both brand new and old...

Also if you hot restrike with a CWA MV ballast they will strobe by flashing on and off until finally strike they can flash as few as 1 time and as many as 100 times!

I remember powering off a group of 100 watt clear MV square recessed fixture then hot restriking them
they after a few minutes started to strobe then others joined to strobe and it was kinda like a party room with strobe lights except slower flashes and then one by one would fire up!
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lightingcollector84
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Re: MV strange behavior « Reply #3 on: April 10, 2009, 08:55:48 PM » Author: lightingcollector84
Well in regard to what you said earlier, I have seen quite a lot of MV lamps just die, not dim out. I am guessing these would be newer bulbs and the older ones are the ones that dim out.
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don93s
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Re: MV strange behavior « Reply #4 on: April 14, 2009, 12:02:54 AM » Author: don93s
I've seen plenty of older lamps die completely. They just take a lot longer....way past the super dim stage. Eventually, the emitter will disappear and something happends inside lamp to contaminate or destroy the argon fill as well.
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arcblue
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Re: MV strange behavior « Reply #5 on: April 28, 2009, 12:21:23 AM » Author: arcblue
I think I've seen every type of HID failure imaginable. I've seen some mercury lamps flicker brightly/rectify, flicker dimly, flash randomly on & off, glow dim green, glow just between the starting & main electrodes, glow dim red, glow incandescent colour, start slowly, cycle, and just go dead.

Usually the lower wattages seem to exhibit the flickering/blinking behavior, but I've seen it on large lamps too. And any lamp if left burning long enough will eventually go out completely (ballast can't sustain the voltage required by the worn lamp electrodes) but some fight for life for a LONG time.
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TudorWhiz
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Re: MV strange behavior « Reply #6 on: April 28, 2009, 05:51:35 AM » Author: TudorWhiz
I have seen some MV lamps that were out for YEARS (but ballast still powered) then one day, it works again for a day, then doesn't work again for a long time.....

I have seen this in Amazing Savings store in Wheeling, Illinois where I went once a week usually....and there were many recessed 400 watt MV fixtures in there but not serviced since they put new 8 foot fluorecent fixtures in......I believe most of the fixtures had Westy BT 400 watt lamp, all fixtures but about 3 - 5 fixtures had a working MV lamp....the working ones I saw was I believe a clearbander BT Sylvania and one unknown ED lamp which was really dim and one bright BT in the back, unknown....one day I saw one of the  BTs had a glowing something inside making phosphor in mostly the base side glow pink! Which had never happened and didn't after (I was there 3 years time slot) When I left Illinois, the ED lamp was already dead but the clear bander BT and the one in the back continued to work!

Another case, we have a bunch of wallpack or ceiling fixtures under overbridges in I-95, most mercs but most seemed out of service.....there's one near my off ramp that just suddenly during last winter glowed as I passed by....and did for a few nights but went out again but a few days later, it came back to life.......and so on for a few weeks....now once again its out.....I believe they are 175 watters.....

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