Non-Cycling HPS Lamps / types of HPS « on: April 17, 2026, 10:13:58 AM » Author: Multisubject
Just searched the message boards and there is a lot of contradicting information. I have heard of the following HPS lamp types, some of which have been claimed to have non-cycling behavior: - Mercury Free HPS - High xenon pressure HPS - Unsaturated HPS - Regular HPS What are the characteristics of these lamps? Which ones cycle and which ones don't? How do I identify them? All of the HPS street lights near me are mercury-blue colored when they first strike, but my Ignitron lamp is white when it strikes. So obviously there are at least two types of HPS that are distiguishable by startup behavior. What are these lamps marketed as? I have heard of Philips Alto non-cycling HPS lamps, what category do they fall under? Never knew there were so many different types. Are unsaturated lamps ever used outside of retrofit lamps? Also do these lamps have anything to do with the whole HPS CWA compatibility mystery? (they say that saturated HPS retrofit lamps are incompatible with CWA MV ballasts, yet HPS CWA ballasts exist) Thanks!
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	Re: Non-Cycling HPS Lamps / types of HPS « Reply #1 on: April 17, 2026, 10:29:02 AM » Author: dor123
Mercury free HPS lamps can cycle, but rarely. Have much yellower color than standard HPS lamp. High xenon pressure HPS lamps can cycle, but rarely. Runs up much faster than regular HPS lamp. Unsaturated HPS lamps are the non-cycling HPS lamp. Runs up bluish mercury. have stable voltage over life. Regular HPS lamps can cycle. I think that European HPS lamps aren't compatible with CWA ballast for HPS lamps as well.
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	Re: Non-Cycling HPS Lamps / types of HPS « Reply #2 on: April 17, 2026, 10:30:51 AM » Author: Multisubject
What color do regular HPS lamps start up with?
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	Re: Non-Cycling HPS Lamps / types of HPS « Reply #3 on: April 17, 2026, 10:32:16 AM » Author: dor123
Purplish xenon color, and than LPS orange color.
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I"m don't speak English well, and rely on online translating to write in this site.
Please forgive me if my choice of my words looks like offensive, while that isn't my intention.

I only working with the international date format (dd.mm.yyyy).

I lives in Israel, which is a 220-240V, 50hz country.

	Re: Non-Cycling HPS Lamps / types of HPS « Reply #4 on: April 18, 2026, 08:04:42 PM » Author: Multisubject
Alright so that sorts out starting characteristics, but does anyone know about CWA compatibility issues with any of these lamps?
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	Re: Non-Cycling HPS Lamps / types of HPS « Reply #5 on: April 25, 2026, 08:59:05 PM » Author: Multisubject
I would also be interested in knowing if an unsaturated penning start lamp is feasible or has ever been done before, that would make penning start lamps suitable for CWA ballasts (I think)
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	Re: Non-Cycling HPS Lamps / types of HPS « Reply #6 on: April 26, 2026, 11:21:26 AM » Author: WorldwideHIDCollectorUSA
I think that standard saturated high pressure sodium lamps have been able to operate on CWI and CWA ballasts pretty well due to the low ballast OCV that can allow the lamps to safely cycle at end of life. Otherwise, a higher OCV would allow these lamps to operate at dangerously high power loadings when reaching end of life. As for identifying non-cycling high pressure sodium lamps, they would often contain “NC” in the ordering code or in Sylvania’s case, “PLUS” like LU250/PLUS/ECO. https://api.ferguson.com/dar-step-service/Query?ASSET_ID=3318438&USE_TYPE=SPECIFICATION&PRODUCT_ID=7311030
« Last Edit: April 26, 2026, 11:30:39 AM by WorldwideHIDCollectorUSA »		Logged

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DISCLAIMER: THE EXPERIMENTS THAT I CONDUCT INVOLVING UNUSUAL LAMP/BALLAST COMBINATIONS SHOULD NOT BE ATTEMPTED UNLESS YOU HAVE THE PROPER KNOWLEDGE. I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INJURIES.