Pulse Start

The most common HID lamps are metal halide (MH) and high pressure sodium (HPS). Efficacy in lumens-per-watt (LPW), lamp life, and cost are economic characteristics of a HID lamp which can be analyzed objectively. Color and color rendering properties, however, are much more subjective. The photo shows a facility with two types of systems.

Left side of picture : 400 watt low bay aluminum HPS fixtures (yellow light source) with a Color Rendering Index (CRI) of 25. Lamp: 50,000 initial lumen. Fixture wattage: 464 Watts.

Right side of picture : 400 watt high bay glass MH fixtures (‘white’ light source) with a CRI of 65. Lamp: 36,000 initial lumen. Fixture wattage: 458 Watts.

Metal halide systems are the preferred HID source for applications where color rendering is important. It is common for workplaces with 400 watt HPS systems to be retrofitted to a 400 watt MH systems.

What is Pulse Start?:

A change in the lamp and ballast construction allows pulse start metal halide lamps to start using a high voltage ignitor in the ballast instead of a starting electrode (probe) in the lamp. The result is a "white light" system that challenges high pressure sodium’s long lamp life, high lumen output and quick starts capabilities.

Benefits of Pulse Start HID Ballast/Lamp System!

Longer lamp life

Better lumen maintenance

Reduced color shift

Superior color rendition to HPS

Improved lamp-to-lamp color consistency

Faster warm-up time

Faster restrike time

Colder starting temperatures

Less arc tube blackening

Lamp:

	Probe Start Lamp A traditional or probe start metal halide lamp has an internal starting electrode or probe. A high open circuit voltage from the ballast initiates an arc between the two starting electrodes at one end of the arc tube. Once the lamp reaches full output, a bi-metal switch closes to short out the probe and discontinues the staring arc.
	Pulse Start Lamp A pulse start lamp has an improved arc tube design and an increased fill pressure. An ignitor in the pulse start system delivers a high voltage pulse directly across the lamp’s operating electrodes to start the lamp, eliminating the probe and bi-metal switch needed in probe start lamps.

Ballast:

CWA – Constant Wattage Autotransformer (lead-type regulator), the most widely used HID ballast today, offers good ballast regulation and moderate ballast losses. Available for probe start metal halide and high-pressure sodium lamps.

Pulse Start Ballast - The pulse start system uses a dedicated ballast that includes an ignitor. This eliminates the need for the starting probe and bi-metal switch in the lamp. There are three designs of pulse start ballasts, each has it’s own characteristics. As in all ballast designs, the ballast must match the electrical requirements of each specific lamp. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has applied specific identification codes to each pulse start system.

	*SCWA* – Super Constant Wattage Autotransformer, the pulse start version of the CWA ballast, offers good ballast regulation and moderate ballast losses. For pulse start metal halide lamps only.
	*LLRPSL* – Linear Reactor, designed as an energy savings system, 277-volt only, is used in areas with very little line voltage variation. Auxiliary quartz options are not available. For pulse start metal halide lamps only.
	*RLB* – Regulated Lag Ballast (LAG-type regulator, "reg-lag"), exhibits the best ballast regulation, is used in areas where excellent line dip tolerance is critical. For pulse start metal halide lamps only.

For further information on Pulse Start HID Ballast/Lamp Systems, click here for the Specification Guide

Download Pulse Start Specification Guide

For Specification Sheets on Pulse Start HID Ballast/Lamp Systems, click here for the Specification Sheets

Pulse Start Specification Specification Sheets

Indoor HID Options and Accessories Application Guide.
This guide shows which applications each of our options and accessories are typically used in.

The Pulse Start calculator allows you to compare a Probe-Start HID system with a Pulse Start HID Ballast/Lamp System based on energy savings and mean lumens for enclosed rated lamps. All input watts, and mean lumens data are based on the most recent information. The calculations show the potential economic savings of a proposed system based on the following input wattage and vertical lamp lumen output shown in these charts. Please refer to the lamp manufacturer’s data sheets for precise lamp performance. A suggestion for calculations is to use mean lumens, the lumen output of a lamp after it has operated for approximately 40% of its rated life.

The Pulse Start Calculator Excel (Version '97) allows users to choose a wider range of available HID systems (recommendations are not available), moreover calculates simple payback on estimated initial capital cost.

Standard HID System	Input Wattage	Initial lumens (Clear Lamp)	Mean Lumen (Clear Lamp)	Average Rated Life
250W Metal Halide (CWA)	295	22,000	17,000	10,000
400W Metal Halide (CWA)	458	36,000	23,500	20,000
1000W Metal Halide (CWA)	1080	110,000	86,000	18,000
Pulse Start HID System	Input Wattage	Initial lumens (Clear Lamp)	Mean Lumen (Clear Lamp)	Average Rated Life
200W Metal Halide (LLRPSL)	218	21,000	16,800	15,000
200W Metal Halide (SCWA)	232	21,000	16,800	15,000
200W Metal Halide (RLB)	244	21,000	16,800	15,000
250W Metal Halide (LLRPSL)	275	25,000	20,000	15,000
250W Metal Halide (SCWA)	288	25,000	20,000	15,000
250W Metal Halide (RLB)	298	25,000	20,000	15,000
300W Metal Halide (LLRPSL)	324	30,500	24,400	20,000
300W Metal Halide (SCWA)	342	30,500	24,400	20,000
320W Metal Halide (LLRPSL)	349	33,000	26,400	20,000
320W Metal Halide (SCWA)	370	33,000	26,400	20,000
350W Metal Halide (LLRPSL)	380	37,000	29,600	20,000
350W Metal Halide (SCWA)	400	37,000	29,600	20,000
400W Metal Halide (LLRPSL)	435	42,000	32,800	20,000
400W Metal Halide (SCWA)	455	42,000	32,800	20,000
400W Metal Halide (RPB)	467	42,000	32,800	20,000
450W Metal Halide (LLRPSL)	485	50,000	40,000	20,000
450W Metal Halide (SCWA)	514	50,000	40,000	20,000
450W Metal Halide (RLB)	530	50,000	40,000	20,000
750W Metal Hallide (SCWA)	818	82,000	60,000	16,000
875W Metal Hallide (SCWA)	940	100,600	80,500	12,000
1000W Metal Hallide (SCWA)	1080	120,000	96,000	15,000

New installation fixture count is based solely on lumen data, but this is only an approximate count. Total actual fixture count for a new installation may vary depending on actual conditions, such as maintenance factors, room cavity ratios, etc... The calculator is not intended to replace an application software program (Visual 2.0), that will provide an accurate fixture count.