How does a mercury vapor light work?
The mercury vapor lamp works by creating an electric current to mercury vapor within a sealed glass jacket. The bulb is comprised of an inner tube, called the arc tube, and an outer jacket (or bulb). Using too small of a ballast will result in lower light output and can shorten the life of the bulb.
Why is mercury vapor use in light bulb?
Why Use Mercury Vapor? Mercury vapor is useful because it allows bulbs, which have an arc between electrodes to work more efficiently and to prolong life. They are used in a variety of lighting fixtures, often thought of as being used in compact florescent lighting.
Which light is brighter metal halide or mercury vapor?
The Designers Edge 150 watt metal halide fixture is actually about 40% brighter than the old mercury vapor fixture. Also, the quality of the light given off from the metal halide fixture is better than the old mercury vapor light. Think more like natural sunlight rather than the blue tinged light from a mercury vapor bulb.
Are mercury vapor lights banned?
In the EU the use of low efficiency mercury vapor lamps for lighting purposes was banned in 2015. It does not affect the use of mercury in compact fluorescent lamp, nor the use of mercury lamps for purposes other than lighting.
What type of light is mercury vapor?
There are two types of mercury vapor light bulbs sold in the U.S. “T” type light bulbs have a self-extinguishing feature that shuts off the light within 15 minutes after the outer bulb is broken. “R” type light bulbs do not have a self-extinguishing feature.
What kind of lights have mercury in them?
The following types of bulbs contain mercury: Fluorescent, compact fluorescent, black lights. Ultraviolet bulbs. Neon bulbs.
Do LED lights contain mercury?
LEDs use significantly less energy than even CFLs, and do not contain mercury.
Do UV lights contain mercury?
Overview. Although UV disinfection is generally considered safer than chemical disinfection, all conventional UV lamps typically use between 5-200 mg of mercury per lamp.
Do all light bulbs contain mercury?
Several types of light bulbs contain mercury. These include compact fluorescent lamps, straight fluorescent tubes, as well as other lamps such as high-pressure sodium lamps.
Do lightbulbs have mercury?
Mercury, an essential part of CFLs, allows a bulb to be an efficient light source. On average, CFLs contain about four milligrams of mercury sealed within the glass tubing. By comparison, older thermometers contain about 500 milligrams of mercury – an amount equal to the mercury in more than 100 CFLs.
Do all fluorescent lights have mercury?
Fluorescent bulbs are an energy-saving alternative to incandescent lights, but did you know that all fluorescent lighting including lamps, bulbs, tubes and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) contain mercury and may not be thrown in the landfill?
Are all LED lights mercury free?
LED bulbs are on track to replace CFLs as the lighting method of choice. They're more energy efficient than CFLs, they last longer, and they don't contain mercury — a poisonous heavy metal used to create CFL lightbulbs.
Do neon lights contain mercury?
bulbs. Neon lights are estimated to contain approximately 250 to 600 mg of mercury per bulb, depending on the manufacturer's preference. Although the term “neon light” refers to all gas discharge bulbs using noble gases, regardless of the lamp color, only the red bulbs are true neon lights (i.e., use neon).
Do heat lamps contain mercury?
Incandescent, halogen and LED bulbs do not contain mercury. While many HID, CFL, and linear fluorescent bulbs have been replaced by LED, there is no economical alternative to low pressure mercury lamps for germicidal disinfection of air, surfaces, and water.
Are mercury vapor lights banned?
Although the bulbs are still widely available, the United States banned the sale of mercury vapor ballasts in 2008. According to the ban, existing fixtures can remain in service but, as they burn out, they must be replaced with newer, more efficient lighting alternatives.
Do halogen bulbs contain mercury?
Halogen lamps do not contain any mercury. General Electric says that their quartz halogen lamps would not be classified as hazardous waste.
Do all fluorescent lights contain mercury?
Fluorescent bulbs are an energy-saving alternative to incandescent lights, but did you know that all fluorescent lighting including lamps, bulbs, tubes and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) contain mercury and may not be thrown in the landfill?
Do heat lamps contain mercury?
Incandescent, halogen and LED bulbs do not contain mercury. While many HID, CFL, and linear fluorescent bulbs have been replaced by LED, there is no economical alternative to low pressure mercury lamps for germicidal disinfection of air, surfaces, and water.
How much mercury is in a 4 foot fluorescent bulb?
The average mercury content of a 4-foot-long bulb manufactured today is approximately 12 mg. Bulbs manufactured in the mid-1980s and earlier con- tained 40 mg or more. Low-mercury bulbs, containing 4 mg or less, are currently produced by at least one manufacturer.
Where is the mercury in fluorescent lights?
Compact fluorescent bulbs contain small quantities of mercury. As a CFL is used, up to 60 per cent of the mercury inside the bulb can be bound to the fluorescent coating on the glass.
What is mercury vapor light?
Mercury vapor light. Mercury vapor is the oldest type of high-intensity discharge (HID) lighting. Last week we took a look at fluorescent lighting, which is dramatically reducing our energy use for illuminating indoor spaces.
When did mercury vapor lighting go out?
In fact, mercury vapor lighting is being phased out in the U.S.. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 banned the manufacture and sale of these products, effective in January, 2008. So it makes sense to replace older mercury vapor lighting with newer HID lighting, right?
Why did the Dummerston Selectboard and Energy Committee replace the mercury vapor street lights?
A resident (and amateur astronomer) living across the West River from the village had approached the Dummerston Selectboard and Energy Committee about replacing the mercury vapor street lights because they created glare or light pollution, which affected his views of the night sky.
How is light produced?
Light is produced when electric current is passed through mercury vapor in a sealed glass bulb. I'll cover other HID lighting technologies, including sodium and metal halide, next week. Because mercury vapor produces light mostly at the ultraviolet (UV) end of the spectrum, the light from mercury vapor lamps--at least when they are new--is bluish ...
What is the name of the town that replaced mercury vapor lights?
Well, it can get complicated, as I learned a few months ago when the Dummerston Energy Committee sought to save energy in the town by replacing the old mercury-vapor lights along West Street in West Dummerston with newer metal-halide lights. It's a story that illustrates the challenges one can face in trying to do the right thing.
Is mercury vapor energy efficient?
Compared with newer HID lighting, mercury vapor isn't very energy efficient. The "efficacy"--or amount of light produced per unit of electricity consumed--is 20-60 lumens per watt. This is better than incandescent lamps (about 15-20 lumens per watt), but significantly lower than other HID lighting.
Can you replace mercury vapor lights with newer lights?
The new option just didn't work. To make matters worse, once older mercury vapor lamps are removed, they are supposed to be replaced with the newer, legal lighting. For a while it appeared that by replacing the mercury vapor lights with something different we couldn't go back.
When did mercury vapor lighting go out?
In fact, mercury vapor lighting is being phased out in the U.S.. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 banned the manufacture and sale of these products, effective in January, 2008. So it makes sense to replace older mercury vapor lighting with newer HID lighting, right?
What is the color of mercury vapor?
Because mercury vapor produces light mostly at the ultraviolet (UV) end of the spectrum, the light from mercury vapor lamps—at least when they are new—is bluish in color and it doesn’t show off colors very well. In lighting tech-speak, it has a high color temperature (typically 5,600 to 6,400 kelvins) and a very low color-rendering index (CRI)—typically between 15 and 50. (For an explanation of these terms, see last week’s column.)
What is the most common outdoor lighting?
This week we’ll cover mercury vapor lighting, which is the most common outdoor lighting in many of our towns.
What is the name of the town that replaced mercury vapor lights?
Well, it can get complicated, as I learned a few months ago when the Dummerston Energy Committee sought to save energy in the town by replacing the old mercury-vapor lights along West Street in West Dummerston with newer metal-halide lights. It’s a story that illustrates the challenges one can face in trying to do the right thing.
Is mercury vapor energy efficient?
Compared with newer HID lighting, mercury vapor isn’t very energy efficient. The “efficacy”—or amount of light produced per unit of electricity consumed—is 20-60 lumens per watt. This is better than incandescent lamps (about 15-20 lumens per watt), but significantly lower than other HID lighting.
Can mercury vapor lamps be replaced?
To make matters worse, once older mercury vapor lamps are removed, they are supposed to be replaced with the newer, legal lighting. For a while it appeared that by replacing the mercury vapor lights with something different we couldn’t go back. Fortunately, since our replacements had just been a test, CVPS was able to re-install the old ones. So we’re back to the drawing board, when it comes to both light pollution and energy savings. As those mercury vapor lamps and ballasts fail, they will have to be replaced with something. We’re hoping that, by then, there will either be more metal halide fixtures to choose from, or newer, affordable LED fixtures that can provide what we need.
How many lumens does a mercury vapor lamp have?
Mercury vapor lamps are more energy efficient than incandescent and most fluorescent lights, with luminous efficacies of 35 to 65 lumens/watt. Their other advantages are a long bulb lifetime in the range of 24,000 hours and a high intensity, clear white light output.
Why does a mercury vapor lamp glow?
When a mercury vapor lamp is first turned on, it will produce a dark blue glow because only a small amount of the mercury is ionized and the gas pressure in the arc tube is very low, so much of the light is produced in the ultraviolet mercury bands. As the main arc strikes and the gas heats up and increases in pressure, the light shifts into the visible range and the high gas pressure causes the mercury emission bands to broaden somewhat, producing a light that appears more nearly white to the human eye, although it is still not a continuous spectrum. Even at full intensity, the light from a mercury vapor lamp with no phosphors is distinctly bluish in color. The pressure in the quartz arc-tube rises to approximately one atmosphere once the bulb has reached its working temperature. If the discharge should be interrupted (e.g. by interruption of the electric supply), it is not possible for the lamp to restrike until the bulb cools enough for the pressure to fall considerably. The reason for a prolonged period of time before the lamp restrikes is because the elevated pressure, which leads to higher breakdown voltage of the gas inside (voltage needed to start an arc – Paschen's law ), which is outside the capabilities of the ballast.
What is a phosphor coated lamp?
To correct the bluish tinge, many mercury vapor lamps are coated on the inside of the outer bulb with a phosphor that converts some portion of the ultraviolet emissions into red light. This helps to fill in the otherwise very-deficient red end of the electromagnetic spectrum.
What is a self ballasted lamp?
Self-ballasted (SB) lamps are mercury vapor lamps with a filament inside connected in series with the arc tube that functions as an electrical ballast. This is the only kind of mercury vapor lamp that can be connected directly to the mains without an external ballast. These lamps have only the same or slightly higher efficiency than incandescent lamps of similar size, but have a longer life. They give light immediately on startup, but usually need a few minutes to restrike if power has been interrupted. Because of the light emitted by the filament, they have slightly better color rendering properties than mercury vapor lamps. Self-ballasted lamps are typically more expensive than a standard mercury vapor lamp.
What is a metal halide lamp?
A very closely related lamp design called the metal halide lamp uses various compounds in an amalgam with the mercury. Sodium iodide and scandium iodide are commonly in use. These lamps can produce much better quality light without resorting to phosphors. If they use a starting electrode, there is always a thermal shorting switch to eliminate any electrical potential between the main electrode and the starting electrode once the lamp is lit. (This electrical potential in the presence of the halides can cause the failure of the glass/metal seal). More modern metal halide systems do not use a separate starting electrode; instead, the lamp is started using high voltage pulses as with high-pressure sodium vapor lamps.
Why do mercury lamps have a green tint?
Clear mercury lamps produce white light with a bluish-green tint due to mercury's combination of spectral lines.
How long does it take for mercury to warm up?
The increase in pressure results in further brightening of the lamp. The entire warm-up process takes roughly 4 to 7 minutes.
How does a mercury vapor lamp work?
The mercury vapor lamp works by creating an electric current to mercury vapor within a sealed glass jacket. The lamps require a ballast to supply the proper voltage and regulate the current to the electrodes.
When did mercury vapor bulbs stop being sold?
According to the Energy Policy Act that Congress passed in 2005, mercury vapor bulbs and ballasts could no longer be sold as of 2008. This decision was made to phase out mercury vapor lamps in favor of newer, more efficient lighting technology.
How long do LED lamps last?
Reduction in maintenance costs – A high quality LED lamp can last 4 times as long as a Mercury Vapor lamp reducing the ongoing maintenance cost and often comes with a manufacturer’s warranty guaranteeing its longer lifespan.
What is high intensity discharge?
High Intensity Discharge is an overarching term for a gas-discharge light. They are the oldest type of electrical lights but are rapidly becoming outdated by new efficient lighting technology. Among the common types of HID lights are mercury vapor, low and high pressure sodium and metal halide lamps. If your outdoor lighting system was installed before the year 2005, it is likely to be a high intensity discharge lighting system.
Can you retrofit a fixture with LED lights?
This is often the one of biggest concern for clients and in many cases, we are able to use the fixtures from your current system retrofitting them with LED replacement lamps. Of course, this all depends on the quality of the system you had installed as well as the maintenance it has received over the years.
