Why Restrike Capability Matters in High-Intensity Discharge Lighting
High-Intensity Discharge (HID) lighting is widely used for different applications such as street lighting, sports field lighting and industrial lighting. HID lighting offers high energy efficiency, cost savings, and long service life. However, HID lighting technology has some limitations that affect its overall performance. One significant limitation of HID technology is the restrike time. Restrike capability determines the time needed for an HID lamp to restart after a power interruption.
Restrike is a critical factor in HID lighting because the failure of an HID lamp to restrike can cause significant disadvantages. For example, in street lighting systems, restrike time can affect driver safety and traffic flow. If an HID lamp fails to restrike, it may cause a dark spot on the road, which can be a potential hazard to road users. In sports field lighting, restrike time can affect the continuity of the game. If an HID lamp fails to restrike, it may delay or interrupt the game, causing inconvenience to players, coaches, and spectators.
Restrike capability affects the overall performance of an HID lighting system. A lighting system with a shorter restrike time can provide better lighting quality, faster re-lamp time, and higher energy savings. Some HID lamps with long restrike time can take up to 20 minutes to restart, while others can restart within a few seconds. The restrike time of an HID lamp depends on several factors, such as the lamp’s technology, wattage, ballast type, and temperature.
In high-pressure sodium (HPS) lamps, restrike time is longer than other HID lamps. HPS lamps require a longer cooldown time before they can restart. This cooldown time can be up to 15 minutes, which significantly affects their performance. However, newer HPS lamps have improved restrike capabilities, reducing the time to restrike after a power interruption.
In metal halide (MH) lamps, restrike time depends on the wattage and the ballast type. For example, low-wattage MH lamps and electronic ballasts have a shorter restrike time than high-wattage MH lamps and magnetic ballasts.
LED lighting technology is becoming more popular due to its high energy efficiency, long service life, and better lighting quality. Unlike HID lamps, LED lamps offer instant restrike capability, which reduces the downtime and increases the overall performance of the lighting system.
In conclusion, restrike capability is an essential factor in HID lighting technology. Restrike time affects the performance of an HID lighting system and can cause significant disadvantages if the lamp fails to restrike. Therefore, it’s crucial to choose an HID lamp with low restrike time and to install a lighting system with a reliable power source and backup systems to ensure continuous lighting operation.
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