[Lynch1j2]

To run a 250 10K AB mogul base MH bulb, is there any reason to use a PFO HQI ballast instead of the regular PFO 250 watt ballast. Will it even work with the mogul lamp. Thanks

[eses]

HQI refers to a different style of lamp, a double ended bulb. Moguls are single ended, one socket screw-in style lamps.

You can't run conventional bulbs with HQI ballasts. But there are advantages to running HQI ballast and bulbs I'm told, somewhere in the neighborhood of 15-20% more light output, and the light itself looks pretty good.

[Lynch1j2]

OK. Thanks for your help.

[dattack]

You can run single ended bulbs with an HQI ballast. If you opt to use HQI ballasts for single ended/mogul socket, then the 20K radiums are what you should be looking at.

[PerryinCA]

Originally posted by eses
HQI refers to a different style of lamp, a double ended bulb. Moguls are single ended, one socket screw-in style lamps.

You can't run conventional bulbs with HQI ballasts. But there are advantages to running HQI ballast and bulbs I'm told, somewhere in the neighborhood of 15-20% more light output, and the light itself looks pretty good.

HQI refers to a brand of lamp made by Osram/Sylvania. Its thier double ended model. In this trade the term is grossly misused.

The HQI CAN be used for German mogul based lamps, and in the case of the 250w lamp, it SHOULD be used. Think about it this way.....

In germany, where the lamps are made, both are run on the same ballast. Why would it be any different here? There are SOME ushio lamps that have starting ignitors (US versions), however the trade can be a little "dirty" and (european) lamps are imported that do not have this. Looking at the individual lamp is the only way to tell. The one I am commonly familiar with seeing the ignitor in is the "BLUE"

For 175, the ballast used for european lamps should be the 175 watt Pulse start MH ballast. For 250w euro lamps with NO IGNITOR (or starting probe), the optimal ballast to run is the "HQI" or ANSI M80. In the 400w, the proper ballast for most of the lamps is going to be the M135 Pulse Start 400w MH (thats coming from Ushio, Radium, and Aqualine). The 400w "HQI" ballasts on the market are not recommended for use by the manufacturers. There is no 400w HQI ballast according to ANSI.

For Iwasaki lamps, EYE will not honor the warranty without the use of Mercury vapor, although it has proven to be very effective and have a long lamp life on the standard MH.

All Venture lamps have been made with a starting filiment for use with a standard M5x series ballast (the typical MH ballast on the market).

Now keep in mind, there is a wide range of ballasts that will fire a wide range of lamps, but just because it fires the lamp DOES NOT make it the 'right' ballast. The proper ballast will give the best lamp life, and sustained output over the duration of its life (both intensity, and spectrum).

The American market is very confusing, and the OEMs that have been out there in the past have not helped. It really doesn't help when even the importers don't know which is right and wrong. its taken a lot of digging to find out, but the above holds true and is the most recent data available from the manufacturers.

European lamps that do not have a starting electrode should be operated with a ballast that has an ignitor. The socket type is irrelevant.

-Perry