Mercury Vapor Lamps

However mercury vapor lamps are falling out of favor and being replaced by sodium vapor and metal halide lamps.

Mercury vapor lamps. The first mercury vapor lamps were in a lower pressure tube. A mercury vapor lamp is a type of high intensity discharge hid lamp that is predominantly used for commercial and outdoor lighting. A mercury vapor lamp is a gas discharge lamp that uses an electric arc through vaporized mercury to produce light the arc discharge is generally confined to a small fused quartz arc tube mounted within a larger borosilicate glass bulb. Mercury vapor lamps are bright long lasting light sources that are often used to light large areas such as streets gyms sports arenas banks or stores.

The mercury vapor lamp produces a bluish white light by introducing an electric current to mercury vapor within a sealed glass tube. One would tip the lamp and electrical contacts on each side of the lamp would send electricity through a liquid mercury which started the lamp. The bulb is comprised of an inner tube called the arc tube and an outer jacket or bulb. The bulbs have an inner quartz tube.

As with fluorescent lights mercury vapor lamps require a ballast to supply the proper voltage and regulate the current to the electrodes. But there may be still some invisible ultraviolet radiation during discharging process of mercury vapour so phosphor coating may be provided on outer glass cover to improve efficiency of the mercury lamp. It was the first metal vapor style of light fixture to be mass produced for general lighting. Sunlite 03675 su mv100 dx med h38 mercury vapor lamp 100 watts medium base e26 ed17 6000 hours life 4000 lumen coated white finish 4 2 out of 5 stars 112 8 96 8.

In either case the outer bulb provides thermal insulation protection from the ultraviolet radiation the. The outer bulb may be clear or coated with a phosphor. The mercury vapor lamp works by creating an electric current to mercury vapor within a sealed glass jacket. Metal halide and ceramic metal halide lamps can be made to give off neutral white light useful for applications where normal color appearance is critical such as tv and movie production indoor or nighttime sports games automotive headlamps and aquarium lighting.