MHlampen

MH-lampen, or metal-halide lamps, are a type of high-intensity discharge lamp that produces bright white light by radiating energy from excited metal halides in a quartz or ceramic arc tube. The light output and color rendering depend on the halide mix and arc-tube design. These lamps require a ballast to regulate current and a starting method, such as probe-start or pulse-start, and they typically have a warm-up period before reaching full brightness.

Construction and operation: The inner arc tube contains tungsten electrodes, a small amount of mercury, inert gas, and metal halides. When energized, an arc vaporizes the halides, emitting light. The ballast controls current and helps manage ignition. Ceramic metal-halide (CMH) lamps use a ceramic arc tube and generally offer better color rendering and longer life than older quartz MH lamps.

Performance: Color temperatures typically range from about 3000K to 6500K, with high color rendering indices (CRI) often in the 80–95 range for many models. Luminous efficacy has historically varied but modern MH lamps can achieve roughly 70–120 lm/W, with CMH variants reaching higher values. Lifetimes are commonly between 6,000 and 20,000 hours, but lumen output and color can drift toward the end of life.

Applications: They are widely used for outdoor lighting, including street and area lighting, and for floodlighting in sports facilities and high-bay indoor environments. Dimming is possible with compatible ballasts, and some CMH variants offer improved performance in versatile settings.

Limitations and safety: MH lighting requires proper ballast and electrical infrastructure. They experience color drift over time, have warm-up and re-strike delays, and contain mercury and metal halides, necessitating appropriate handling and disposal. In many markets, LEDs are replacing MH lamps due to longer life and instant-on performance.