Quote from: wattMaster on May 29, 2016, 08:10:53 AM

Also, What about MV induction? Essentially an induction lamp but with MV technology.

What is supposed to be that?
The hot electrodes are the most efficient way known to feed the arc (only suffers from principal limited life and that is the only reason for the induction to exist at all; but the MV technology itself allows already quite decent electrode life). And even with that the MV's are quite short in efficacy compare to the other lamps, so when induction fed, it would be even way worse.
The induction get rids of the electrodes, but the only efficacy benefit from that wold be "to free your hands" in choosing other gas mixtures, more efficient in emitting light (but not usable with electrodes because chemically attacking them). That is the only way the induction may exceed the efficacy of a metallic electrode lamp, but then we are talking about whatever, but not about MV.

Hmmm... Our options are running out.
What about a Metal Halide MV simulator? Just MH without some of the salts.

Funny thing is, here Induction is promoted as more energy efficient alterrnative to HID -_-. And cities buy into it. For example Acre that used FCO HPS in some of its latest projects, then suddenly replaced it all to Induction in an "energy efficiency" program. Comes to show that its marketing and lobbying that does the trick, whether for Induction or LED....

Though i must say, Acre's Induction lighting provides impressive visibility despite the very low Lumens compared to the HPS it replaced

Funny thing is, here Induction is promoted as more energy efficient alterrnative to HID -_-. And cities buy into it. For example Acre that used FCO HPS in some of its latest projects, then suddenly replaced it all to Induction in an "energy efficiency" program. Comes to show that its marketing and lobbying that does the trick, whether for Induction or LED....

Though i must say, Acre's Induction lighting provides impressive visibility despite the very low Lumens compared to the HPS it replaced

If only Induction was common here.
The only place I ever saw induction was in St. Pete, And it might have been something else.

I have an idea, if Self Ballasted MV is legal, then can it be called a lamp or ballast? if it's a lamp, then you could have a regular MV in parallel with another item, which would be called a "Lamp controller lamp", so essentially,you start the circuit with a boost transformer which make the voltage high enough to keep the MV lamp going, then a high power resistor to lower the voltage, then a regular MV lamp parallel with the "Lamp controller lamp" which would sink some current and provide enough functionality to run the regular MV lamp.
Then you could maybe add a incandescent light to the "Lamp controller lamp" to make it a Lamp rather than a kind of ballast. But maybe you could omit the incandescent lamp and call the voltage booster and resistor a "resistive voltage reducer" and the "Lamp controller lamp" a "lamp striker and sustainer".

The "problem" with Mercury is, that at its 55 Lm/W it is GOOD ENOUGH for many purposes, low cost, and excellent lifetime/reliability. This pulls users away from the other light sources. Any solution incorporating a resistive ballast is too inefficient, so the Mercury lamp with such ballast loses the "good enough" place

The only thing i can recommend is screw official ballast ratings and energy efficiency regulations, and use Mercury lamps on HID gear intended for "allowed" lamps. For example, Europe 125W Merc lamp is perfect match for 100W PulseMH ballast (without the ignitor). Dont know the ratings of US Merc lamps, but im pretty sure we can find which of them are good match with what "allowed" ballasts

The "problem" with Mercury is, that at its 55 Lm/W it is GOOD ENOUGH for many purposes, low cost, and excellent lifetime/reliability. This pulls users away from the other light sources. Any solution incorporating a resistive ballast is too inefficient, so the Mercury lamp with such ballast loses the "good enough" place

The only thing i can recommend is screw official ballast ratings and energy efficiency regulations, and use Mercury lamps on HID gear intended for "allowed" lamps. For example, Europe 125W Merc lamp is perfect match for 100W PulseMH ballast (without the ignitor). Dont know the ratings of US Merc lamps, but im pretty sure we can find which of them are good match with what "allowed" ballasts

I just need to know truthfully if my Lumatek ballast can run MV. At least it says "For HID lamps".
Maybe my ballast lamp + transformer can be made to not use resistors, could you use a electronic resistor substitute?