Since Jan. 1st 2009, probe start metal halide ballasts cannot be installed in new fixtures. Well IDA is going too far, they wanna ban all white light source to keep only HPS and LPS. Banning a light source won't solve the entire problem and will even make the problem worse. OK the orange light is easier to filter, but the problem is exactly there: the light disapear once filtered only. Banning obsolete optics (bucket light optics especially) would be a better solution. But no they prefer white light sources and spread the HPS everywhere. The light pollution problem appeared in the 70s and coincidence! the HPS appeared also in the 70s! But let's see something else than the stars: our enviromnent. The light pollution is a huge problem for animals and plants. The night is now not really the night. The IDA is spreading so many false informations and everybody believe them, governement included. I think the light pollution is a society problem and it's the society's responsability to solve it.

Well go ahead and write your thoughts like I did.

I don't think ANY light source should be banned. Period. Anyone who believes what IDA says is crazy but unfortunately the most ignorant are heard.

bucket refractors are really not that obsolete,true they do produce more glare than than a comparable semicutoff Drop refractor..but i agree with chapman84 no light source should be banned...

Another misconception that people have is that high pressure sodium lasts longer than mercury vapor lights. It's doesn't, I've seen mercury vapor lamps with the worst quality rating ever last longer than any high pressure sodium lamp. Another thing about high pressure sodium is that it contributes to 90% of lighting pollution in the skies at night. It's awful and very depressing.     

Well the cheap bucket optics included with Regent security lights are the worse, the NEMA optics are better. IDA is just making the problems worse. The fact that they want to solve the problem of light pollution is good, but their solutions aren't.

where is the source that IDA wants to ban MH? it was discussed in Yahoo group before and a IDA member came and told us they were not planning to do that far.....

Sometimes I suspect the probe start MH ballast/fixture ban was to close the loophole for mercury lamps, since these ballasts will operate either MH or MV. I've not read anything to confirm my suspicions, although I know the UL no longer lists replacement MH ballasts as MH/MV, just MH nowadays.

Jace: Well this IDA member can say what he want, I wouldn't trust him... Dave has a good point here.

Fox,

It is a discrimination to say "because he is a IDA member, I would not trust him" also what is the source where does it say they are banning probe start MH....really their goal is to reduce pollution and there is not much difference between probe start and pulse start...in fact pulse start is actually more reliable and in fact lasts longer and more efficient too...

Also I have seen MH in Arizona, a Dark Sky state.....also nobody will allow all orange lights in this world......

So what source where did you find that Dark Sky is the ONE who's banning PROBE start MH?

Even dark sky website (I checked) actually approves HPS, MH and PSMH   (pulse start MH) 

I am not going to sit here and put lies on any groups I don't like....or make them look worse, I will just say the facts and truth.......

There is a group called "Ban the Bulb" who wants everything GONE EXCEPT for LED......which is what I am hearing....

Jace you're right. I'm more nasty than anything else...  Also noticed the smite I got, I have what I merit...

Jace you're right. I'm more nasty than anything else...  Also noticed the smite I got, I have what I merit...

Well you admit it, that's what impresses me is people who admits themselves....confesses themselves....also makes it easier for you to improve anything thats wrong..

I really see that I said something stupid...anyway it's past now! 

Man I like your attitude and your thinking....your are the  man!

Thanks buddy, I appreciate it. 

I think if enough people came to together and have a petition we can send it to our government and show them that the higher maintenance cost of HPS and MH out do the mercury vapor or probe start MH power consumption. MHPS requires an ignitor which means more production energy to make. Also the fixture prices are still very high and no where near mercury vapor's price meaning the consumer has to pay a premium to own a security light now, Not only that but my experience with MHPS the bulbs explode left and right so they are way more unreliable than MV meaning relamping way more often and here again more production energy is needed to make more bulbs and using more mercury and disposal of more mercury in both MH and HPS, Not to mention the dramatic increase in maintenance cost, With MHPS if the bulb is left burned out for to long will also fry the ignitor, This is the case for my fixtures I work with anyway, MH bulb exploded, Within a week the ignitor was shot as well cause it kept on trying to ignite a bad bulb. With HPS this is decreased some what due to it being able to cycle and give the ignitor a break for a minute or two, With MH pulse start they is no cycling meaning the ignitor will continously run. I have read the power companys are looseing money on the dramatic increases of fixture maintenace since the introduction of HPS and MH. This will also affect the consumer as they will need to spend more money for a more expensive bulb and have to replace it more often.  Mercury vapor if made the right way can last years and years longer than the other 2.

BTW, I forgot to mention I am only speaking on Magnetic low wattage MHPS not higher wattages as I don't know anything about them I never worked with them.