# Light bulbs



## Teetorbilt (Feb 12, 2004)

I have a few that need replacing, spec. is

R320
PulseArc
MVR230/VVU/HO/PA
1103 M132/E

Nothing is coming up on Google. They are inside of a commercial building and seem to have a fire rating based on broken globes.


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## K2 (Jul 8, 2005)

I guess you know that is a metal halide 320 watt pulse start. Bulbs.com has Dr. bulb that can answer questions on line or they have an 800 # during the day. I know what some of those #'s/ letters mean on your part # but that is alot of #'s/letters.


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

The "MVR230/VVU/HO/PA" might be a type-o. I'd rather think is reads "MVR320...".

In any event, the M132 is the ANSI number for this lamp. All the other stuff is manufacturer codes a such for this lamp. Your lamp's codes seem like a GE brand lamp to me, but it doesn't really matter. An M132 lamp is a 320 watt, pulse start metal halide lamp. Available at any electrical supply house, but probably not at a home center. Expect to pay between 30 and 50 dollars per lamp. An enclosed fixture is required to burn this type of lamp. They have a history of popping the lamp envelope at the end of life. 

If these lamps have been burned out for quite a while, and the fixtures have remained energized, you may well need a ballast. If bad lamps are left in an HID fixture for a long time, the ballast will continulally try to strike the lamp, and the ballast will fail. Expect to pay around 100 bucks for a ballast.


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## JustaFramer (Jan 21, 2005)

http://www.1000bulbs.com/search.php?search_data=pulse+start&go=Searchqty. 1-11 18 buck a piece


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## Teetorbilt (Feb 12, 2004)

md, I understand the ballast/restart problem. What is a 'long' time? 1 mo.?

The #'s and letters were copied directly from the bulb and posted in their original order. PulseArc is apparently a Chinese co.


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## K2 (Jul 8, 2005)

I think MD is right that there might be some missprint on the bulb. Here is how the bulb reads on the GE lighting North America site. MVR 320/VBU/HO/PA. MVR=G.E. 320watts.VBU I think is vertical or base up for operating position. (Some are just base up or horizontal or all positions). HO =high output. PA = pulse arc.<P>

Here is where i found the GE. bulbs listed. http://catalog.gelighting.com/cgi-bin/gx.cgi/AppLogic+FTContentServer? <P>

The socket should be pink, mogul, (large). The bulb should have an extra long nipple so it can't get mixed with regular metal halides. 

Edited: I found out pink mogul is for shatter proofs for open fixtures. Looks like they are about $100 a bulb.


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## CE1 (Dec 30, 2005)

Try this, this looks like what you need. Sometimes you need to change the lamp and the ballast so that they are a matched set. There are some cheap Chinese junk out there that they didn't copy to good. So the spec that you got of the lamp might be right, y'a never know.

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/wwg/itemDetailsRender.shtml?xi=xi&ItemId=1611697116&ccitem=


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

Teetorbilt said:


> md, I understand the ballast/restart problem. What is a 'long' time? 1 mo.?


Eh, it's hard for me to say. I just know when I get a service call for a fixture that has reportedly not worked for a long time, it's about a 90% chance that the ballast is bad too. The normal troubleshooting procedure is to change the lamp... if no help... change the ballast too. 



Teetorbilt said:


> The #'s and letters were copied directly from the bulb and posted in their original order. PulseArc is apparently a Chinese co.


That's weird, but totally believable. Low dollar prelamped fixtures can come through with some really strange lamp brands. The ballast is probably equally odd. There's a company making ballasts for some RAB brand fixtures that will only take *their lamps*, even though they have an ANSI designation on them. Another brand of lamp will not work, for some reason, and they even print the 1-800 number to order more lamps right on the lamp. I think the brand is "Venture". I've been changing the ballast and the lamp when I run across these to something normal like an Advance ballast and a Phillips lamp, then they're all fixed up with normal parts.


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## K2 (Jul 8, 2005)

Do we get to hear if there was a happy ending to this story?


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## Teetorbilt (Feb 12, 2004)

I'm still working on it. The local elec. guys want to see one, 2 companies and they disagree on the designations. One says MVR=Mercury Vapor. The business will only allow access prior to 9 AM and I'm usually booked in those hours. Starting yesterday, family matters have taken top priority.


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

Teetorbilt said:


> I'm still working on it. The local elec. guys want to see one, 2 companies and they disagree on the designations. One says MVR=Mercury Vapor.


They might think that, but they'd be wrong. For those of us in the trade, we know not only that your ANSI number is a metal halide, but MVR means *M*ulti *V*apor, *R*eactor type. Originally, metal halide lamps were marketed as "Multi Vapor lamps", but we've become accustomed to just calling them "metal halide". They are basically a mercury vapor lamp, doped with extra halide gasses such as sodium, scandium, and indium halides (hence, multiple vapors). Nowadays, we just all them metal halide and not multi vapor, but the MVR designiation remains as a legacy. 

Read all about it:
http://www.gelighting.com/na/busine...rochures/downloads/product/70136_pulsearc.pdf


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## JustaFramer (Jan 21, 2005)

mdshunk said:


> They might think that, but they'd be wrong. For those of us in the trade, we know not only that your ANSI number is a metal halide, but MVR means *M*ulti *V*apor, *R*eactor type. Originally, metal halide lamps were marketed as "Multi Vapor lamps", but we've become accustomed to just calling them "metal halide". They are basically a mercury vapor lamp, doped with extra halide gasses such as sodium, scandium, and indium halides (hence, multiple vapors). Nowadays, we just all them metal halide and not multi vapor, but the MVR designiation remains as a legacy.
> 
> Read all about it:
> http://www.gelighting.com/na/busine...rochures/downloads/product/70136_pulsearc.pdf


And that is why most MH ballasts can use mercury vapor or MH bulbs. But not vise versa.


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## K2 (Jul 8, 2005)

JustaFramer said:


> And that is why most MH ballasts can use mercury vapor or MH bulbs. But not vise versa.


I havn't read all the above info but I think the mercury vapors belong with the dinosaurs.


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## JustaFramer (Jan 21, 2005)

Rob 53 said:


> I havn't read all the above info but I think the mercury vapors belong with the dinosaurs.


True (useless factoid) mv was invented in the 30's also being the first h.o. lamp requiring a ballast. As for lumenim to watt ratio a waste of electricity as mh or hps use energy more efficiently.


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## K2 (Jul 8, 2005)

I thought you were just a framer??:notworthy . Merc's have an ugly color too. Blueish. Don't try to sell a car under merc.


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## JustaFramer (Jan 21, 2005)

Rob 53 said:


> I thought you were just a framer??:notworthy . Merc's have an ugly color too. Blueish. Don't try to sell a car under merc.



Tricked you didn't I. :thumbsup: But mv tends to put off a yellow hugh. MH it the blue light.


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## K2 (Jul 8, 2005)

JustaFramer said:


> Tricked you didn't I. :thumbsup: But mv tends to put off a yellow hugh. MH it the blue light.


Technically the higher kelvin temps are considered blue, (like the sky,natural), but If I walk into a gym and see clear light=halide, blueish=mercs. Generally hps are not in the gyms but those are the really yellow ones. Car dealers don't like hps on their shinny cars either.


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## JustaFramer (Jan 21, 2005)

Rob 53 said:


> Technically the higher kelvin temps are considered blue, (like the sky,natural), but If I walk into a gym and see clear light=halide, blueish=mercs. Generally hps are not in the gyms but those are the really yellow ones. Car dealers don't like hps on their shinny cars either.



Yeah the spectrum that HPS put out would not be. Never mind I was basing lamps with spectrum analysis :whistling


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