Hi bay lighting question

[pmanton]

Any EEs or electricians out there that are familiar with changes to HID lighting laws?

We are moving to an airpark and I have a chance to purchase some Metal Halide High Bay fixtures at a very good price. They'd really light my hangar.

However I've become aware of some changes since I retired in 2000. It looks like a new design ballast that uses a pulse start bulb has been introduced and the old probe start bulb is now obsolete. I understand that the mercury vapor fixtures are no longer sold.

My question is if I buy these fixtures which use the M-59 bulbs, will I still be able to get bulbs a couple of years down the road?

I can buy these fixtures complete with shades for $25.00 each that's a far cry from $150 + for new.

Cheers:

Paul
N1431A
2AZ1

 

[bsdunek]

Looks like bulbs are still available:
http://www.greenelectricalsupply.com/mh400-u.aspx

The thing to watch for when buying industrial fixtures is what voltage are they for? You probable have 115-120 volt supply in your hanger. Industrial fixtures may be for that or could be for 230 volt (common) or 288 volt (one side to ground of a three-phase 460 volt system).
Another thing would be the light spread. If they're ment for high bay and your hanger is low they won't spread very well. This may not matter as with a lot of light it will reflect around anyway.
Finally, HID lamps, wether mercury or sodium, take a long time to come on. You still need some incadescents or flourescents if you want instant light when you just walk into the hanger. These should be on a seperate switch. Short cycles shorten the life of HID's.
Just some things to think about.

 

[timwinters]

You may be using the term "hi-bay" generically, but you really need "low-bay" lights for a hangar. "hi-bay" lights are tpically for buildings 30' or more.

Starting Jan 1 of this year there is a certain range of wattages of HID fixtures that must now be pulse start but I don't recall exactly what that range is. I know that the 1000W Metal Halide fixtures I use on my projects are unaffected but 400w fixtures are now 320w pulse starts.

Also, I think you're correct that after Jan 1 of this year you can no longer buy Mercury Vapor fixtures.