Author Topic: Exploding mercury lamps  (Read 8509 times)
mr_big
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Exploding mercury lamps « on: October 08, 2006, 04:31:55 PM » Author: mr_big
Hi all,

Tonight, just about 20 minutes ago, (time of post 9:29PM here) I was walking home in the darkness and I saw a couple of kids shaking a streetlight holding a mercury lantern. I just stood there watching them shaking the column and the light got brighter and brighter until it exploded. Why did it explode?

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dp
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Re: Exploding mercury lamps « Reply #1 on: October 08, 2006, 04:47:39 PM » Author: dp
Vandalism again did they jump when it exploded I have tested this with my old NEMA head and a chinese mercury same exact thing I think it is because the arc is able to touch the arc tube walls
And you know kids these days really have nothing better to do than to waste the time of other people and to cause mercury fixtures to have to be replaced with HPS
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mr_big
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Re: Exploding mercury lamps « Reply #2 on: October 08, 2006, 04:54:56 PM » Author: mr_big
Hi mr_big

Nahh..... over here we replace mercury with metal halides or compact fluorescents.

Unfortunately they didn't jump, they just ran away. Here in Gt Britain, we call the vandals "yobs" or "neds"
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dp
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Re: Exploding mercury lamps « Reply #3 on: October 08, 2006, 04:57:49 PM » Author: dp
That stinks how they didn't jump it would have been funny if they did and did the whole bulb explode or just the inside
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mr_big
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Re: Exploding mercury lamps « Reply #4 on: October 08, 2006, 04:59:04 PM » Author: mr_big
Just the inside, fortunately. That means that we can fit a new mercury lamp when I go into work soon. I'll just mention it to the lighting engineer that I work with.
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dp
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Re: Exploding mercury lamps « Reply #5 on: October 08, 2006, 05:00:12 PM » Author: dp
That's cool if you see those vandals again you should get on them about it
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mr_big
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Re: Exploding mercury lamps « Reply #6 on: October 08, 2006, 05:02:08 PM » Author: mr_big
Hmmm.... I think that they were in my year in high school and probably still be going there... I dropped out because of the job.... Maybe I should tell the school they didn't look mor than 14 years old.
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dp
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Re: Exploding mercury lamps « Reply #7 on: October 08, 2006, 05:02:36 PM » Author: dp
That's a good idea
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mr_big
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Re: Exploding mercury lamps « Reply #8 on: October 08, 2006, 05:05:37 PM » Author: mr_big
I'll have to be a bit careful in case if they were from a neighbouring town. How would they feel like if they got shooken and their brains blew up!
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dp
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Re: Exploding mercury lamps « Reply #9 on: October 08, 2006, 05:07:04 PM » Author: dp
LOL :) ;D good one
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mr_big
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Re: Exploding mercury lamps « Reply #10 on: October 08, 2006, 05:08:58 PM » Author: mr_big
To make the matters worse, though, the lantern is made in the 1950s. It was on a metal column, if it was a concrete, it wouldn't shake so much.
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dp
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Re: Exploding mercury lamps « Reply #11 on: October 08, 2006, 05:10:01 PM » Author: dp
That stinks but hey at least the lamp can be replaced
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mr_big
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Re: Exploding mercury lamps « Reply #12 on: October 08, 2006, 05:11:14 PM » Author: mr_big
And the only thing that is damaged is the lamp, and probably the fuse has blown in the cutout unit in the base of the streetlamp (cutout is a fuse and also an isolator)
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dp
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Re: Exploding mercury lamps « Reply #13 on: October 08, 2006, 05:14:04 PM » Author: dp
Why is there a cutout fuse in the base and it is a good thing that it was just the lamp
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dp
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Re: Exploding mercury lamps « Reply #14 on: October 08, 2006, 05:43:38 PM » Author: dp
To prevent electrocution risk in case if the group switched streetlamp came on while you are working on it or if it has a photocell, it allows you to isolate the light to protect from 230v. It is all because of the British Standards and the IEE Wiring Regulations. It is an legal requirement over here. The fuse is 4,5,6A or 10A for 400wSON\MBF.
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