Difference between revisions of "Philips HPL-N"

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Standard High Pressure Mercury Lamp with 50W, 80W, 125W (E27 base) and 125W, 250W, 400W, 700W, 1000W (E40 base)
Standard High Pressure Mercury Lamp for general lighting with 50W, 80W, 125W (E27 base) and 125W, 250W, 400W, 700W, 1000W (E40 base)


== Features ==
== Features ==
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*Color rendering index Ra of 49 to 36 (lowest on highest wattage lamps)
*Color rendering index Ra of 49 to 36 (lowest on highest wattage lamps)
*Typical lifetime of 16.000 to 12.000 hours (lowest on highest wattage lamps)
*Typical lifetime of 16.000 to 12.000 hours (lowest on highest wattage lamps)
*Luminous efficacy of 36 to 59 (highest on highest wattage lamps)
*Luminous efficacy of 36 to 59 lumens/watt (highest on highest wattage lamps)
*Cool white colour designation (4200 to 3900K colour temperature)
*Cool white colour designation (4200 to 3900K colour temperature)
*Universal operating position
*Universal operating position
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== Review ==
== Review ==
These high pressure mercury vapour lamps are compact light sources that are viable for wide area lighting. Their average colour reproduction and large output means that they are better suited to outdoor lighting. Compared with flourescent lamps they were very compact, having better performance at low temperatures. A longer lifetime, that was around 10 to 15 times higher than tungsten lamps, meant that these lamps are well suited for use in places where lamp replacement was costly, as in high bay lighting and street lighting. They had similar useful life as fluorescent lamps. High pressure sodium lamps had higher light output, almost double, of mercury vapour lamps while having low quality colour reproduction. This means that mercury vapour lamps were still suited for areas where colour reproduction was moderately important and there was still an advantage from compact light sources, which means industrial and workshop lighting, sometime even commercial premises.
These high pressure mercury vapour lamps are compact light sources that are viable for wide area lighting. Their average colour reproduction and large output means that they are better suited to outdoor lighting. Compared with flourescent lamps they were very compact, having better performance at low temperatures. A longer lifetime, that was around 10 to 15 times higher than tungsten lamps, meant that these lamps are well suited for use in places where lamp replacement was costly, as in high bay lighting and street lighting. They had similar useful life as fluorescent lamps. High pressure sodium lamps had higher light output, almost double, of mercury vapour lamps while having low quality colour reproduction. This means that mercury vapour lamps were still suited for areas where colour reproduction was moderately important and there was still an advantage from compact light sources, which means industrial and workshop lighting, sometime even commercial premises.
While it is true that lamps have an inherent flicker due to mains operation and slight changes in light output due to operation in this circumstances with mains powered conventional gear, this effect is not as pronounced. Note that also flourescent lamps that use electro-magnetic gear exhibit the same issues, although they are less pronounced as the lamp is not operating at higher pressure and being more susceptible to a certain voltage uniformity. There was no electronic high frequency gear as used on fluorescent lamps or metal hallide lamps, even if, they could be adapted. Of course, the biggest issue is that the lamp can be damaged if attempts to operate with this gear are underway such as melting of internal components when the lamp does not strike, after a sudden interruption, and a discharge occurs in the outer bulb with no way to stop it automatically.


Fixtures are generally compact, considering the light output made available, but are generally heavy due to the bulky electromagnetic gear being used. There are directional and omni-directional fixtures that are suited to various purposes. In street lighting, the well known cobra-head style lamppost was used, and they may still be available for purchase. They were only moderately effective as light covered a large area but a considerable amount of light was lost due to the fixture directing some of it upwards, with no control. Omni-directional fixtures were used in residential areas and parks, where ambience was more important than efficiency. Indoor fixtures were centered on the typical high-bay or low-bay purposes, having a metal parabolic reflector and directing most or the entire light output downwards. Other fixtures were compact, having a boxy design, with a symmetrical or asymmetrical lamp placement that was suited for flood lighting. These type of lamps were used indoor as well as outdoor, for floodlighting. There were no home designed fixtures as these lamps were not popular in home environments and were mostly used as porch lighting with a fixture design similar to street or area lighting.
Fixtures are generally compact, considering the light output made available, but are generally heavy due to the bulky electromagnetic gear being used. There are directional and omni-directional fixtures that are suited to various purposes. In street lighting, the well known cobra-head style lamppost was used, and they may still be available for purchase. They were only moderately effective as light covered a large area but a considerable amount of light was lost due to the fixture directing some of it upwards, with no control. Omni-directional fixtures were used in residential areas and parks, where ambience was more important than efficiency. Indoor fixtures were centered on the typical high-bay or low-bay purposes, having a metal parabolic reflector and directing most or the entire light output downwards. Other fixtures were compact, having a boxy design, with a symmetrical or asymmetrical lamp placement that was suited for flood lighting. These type of lamps were used indoor as well as outdoor, for floodlighting. There were no home designed fixtures as these lamps were not popular in home environments and were mostly used as porch lighting with a fixture design similar to street or area lighting.


Nowadays, mercury vapour lamps are very well suited for outdoor lighting. As the number of available fixtures diminishes and only second-hand or used products are available, they may not be economically effective to purchase except when you can readily use them rather than collect them. Free standing lamps are quite capable on their own so if you need a compact light source that is highly durable and colour output is appreciated as is, then high pressure mercury vapour lamps are well suited. They are especially well suited for lighting in areas that are undergoing renewal work, workshops, gardens. Of special interest is renewals, since no modern LED lamp can output the same light spectra that dulls old painted areas and brightens newly painted ones.
Nowadays, mercury vapour lamps are still very well suited for outdoor lighting. As the number of available fixtures diminishes and only second-hand or used products are available, they may not be economically effective to purchase except when you can readily use them rather than collect them. Free standing lamps are quite capable on their own so if you need a compact light source that is highly durable and colour output is appreciated as is, then high pressure mercury vapour lamps are well suited. They are especially well suited for lighting in areas that are undergoing renewal work, workshops, gardens. Of special interest is renewals, since no modern LED lamp can output the same light spectra that dulls old painted areas and brightens newly painted ones.


== Operation ==  
== Operation ==  
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HPL-N lamps are high pressure mercury vapour lamps that have been produced, with somewhat similar properties, since the 1950s. The lamp's fluorescent coating technology dates back to around the end of 1930s while modern lamps were essentially manufactured as early as 1970s and are a result of subsequent improvements up until that time. The market for these lamps grew as industry and commercial activity recovered after the Second World War, meaning that research was justified by large sales.  
HPL-N lamps are high pressure mercury vapour lamps that have been produced, with somewhat similar properties, since the 1950s. The lamp's fluorescent coating technology dates back to around the end of 1930s while modern lamps were essentially manufactured as early as 1970s and are a result of subsequent improvements up until that time. The market for these lamps grew as industry and commercial activity recovered after the Second World War, meaning that research was justified by large sales.  


The lamp technology was an improvement of previous lamps that used a clear envelope and had an alumino-silicate glass where the mercury discharge was constrained. Colour reproduction was nonexistant, being so low as to render people and everything natural around them as being dead. Increasing the pressure and temperature of the mercury vapour gas discharge to emit more useful light was possible only with the advent of quartz discharge tubes. Colour reproduction was only slightly improved but lower wattage lamps were much more efficient. Up until late in production, the clear lamp was avoided except for street lighting and some industrial applications. Subsequently, mercury vapour lamps were heavily used in street lighting and industry. Colour rendering was the highest barrier to market success. Improvements focused on colour reproduction but energy efficiency and reliability increases were areas with best results.
The lamp technology was an improvement of previous lamps that used a clear envelope and had an alumino-silicate glass where the mercury discharge was constrained. Colour reproduction was nonexistent, being so low as to render people and everything natural around them as being dead. Increasing the pressure and temperature of the mercury vapour gas discharge to emit more useful light and operation in any position was possible only with the advent of quartz discharge tubes. Colour reproduction was only slightly improved but lower wattage lamps were much more efficient. Up until late in production, the clear lamp was avoided except for street lighting and some industrial applications. Subsequently, mercury vapour lamps were heavily used in street lighting and industry. Colour rendering was the highest barrier to market success. Improvements focused on colour reproduction but energy efficiency and reliability increases were areas with best results.


Development of fluorescent coatings that emit red light made the lamp more desirable although good flourescent powders were mass produced and cheap only in late 1970s. The lamps itself were running hot so fluorescent powders had to withstand temperature and UV-C exposure stress for many years while also emitting more light than the coating powder absorbed. The first generation powders had mild colour improvements but Yttrium Vanadate ones were highly successful and durable, making the lamp suited even for some indoor illumination, especially for deluxe lamps. Near the end of production deluxe lamps were very common and standard lamps such as the HPL-N were incorporating most developments specific to these top-of-the-line lamps. These improvements made high pressure mercury vapour lamps suited for industrial, commercial, street-lighting and even some occasional residential use.
Development of fluorescent coatings that emit red light made the lamp more desirable although good flourescent powders were mass produced and cheap only in late 1970s. The lamps itself were running hot so fluorescent powders had to withstand temperature and UV-C exposure stress for many years while also emitting more light than the coating powder absorbed. The first generation powders had mild colour improvements but Yttrium Vanadate ones were highly successful and durable, making the lamp suited even for some indoor illumination, especially for deluxe lamps. Near the end of production deluxe lamps were very common and standard lamps such as the HPL-N were incorporating most developments specific to these top-of-the-line lamps. These improvements made high pressure mercury vapour lamps suited for industrial, commercial, street-lighting and even some occasional residential use.

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