Discharge Lighting Circuits

The very high luminous efficiency of discharge lamps has led to their almost universal
application for industrial and commercial premises; the introduction of low rated types as direct
replacements for filament lamps is beginning to see their wider use in domestic situations.
Discharge lamps are those which produce light as a result of a discharge in a gas.

Discharge lamps, unlike their incandescent counterparts, require control gear in the form of
chokes, ballasts, autotransformers and transformers. These devices result usually in a lagging
power factor, which is corrected, at least partially, by connecting capacitance across the supply.
This control gear should be positioned as close as possible to the lamps. Because of low power
factor and the inductive/capacitive nature of the load, switches should be capable of breaking
twice the rated current of a discharge lamp system, and maximum demand is calculated by using
a multiplying factor of 1.8

Electronic devices are becoming increasingly common to provide high voltage pulses to assist
discharge lamps to strike (start). These pulses can cause problems with insulation breakdown in
some types of cable, particularly low voltage mineral insulated types.

Fluorescent
Really low pressure mercury vapour lamps, very widely used for general lighting in homes,
shops, offices, etc.

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Symptoms of lighting system problems.

 All discharge lighting systems offer visual (and sometimes audible) clues when problems
or failures exist. Usually, a problem affects only a few fixtures in a total lighting layout.
Here's what you should look for in a lamp's appearance such as non-starting, On-and-off
cycling, extra-bright-light output and low-light output.

Low Pressure Sodium Vapour Lamp

A Low-Pressure Sodium Vapor lamp (or LPSV lamp) is termed as a “miscellaneous discharge
lamp” as it possesses some characteristics of High-Intensity Discharge (HID) lamps as well as it
resembles fluorescent lamps in other areas.

Basically, an LPSV lamp is a gas discharge lamp that uses sodium in an excited state to produce
light. A typical LPSV lamp is shown in the figure below.

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The constructional features of the LPSV lamp are given below:

1. The outer envelope is made from borosilicate glass. The inner surface of the outer glass
case is coated with indium oxide. This heat-reflective coating of indium oxide allows
visible light to pass but reflects infra-red radiation back inside the tube as a result of
which both light output and temperature inside the tube increases.
2. The arc tube of the LPSV lamp is made of glass and bent in the form of a U-shape in
order to increase the length of the arc. The arc tube is supported at both ends. The arc
tube contains a mixture of metallic sodium and inert gases argon and neon.

Now we will discuss how an LPSV lamp actually operates. The basic operation of the LPSV
lamp is similar to other gas discharge lamps in a sense that an arc is passed through a tube
containing a metallic vapor. A starting gas is also required which is generally a mixture of inert
gases argon and neon. The operation is explained step by step in details below:

1. Electric power is given to the lamp and it is energized.

2. The electrodes produce an arc and this arc strikes through the conductive gas and the
lamp produces a reddish-pink light, characteristic of neon.

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 3. Current flowing through the inert gas mixture of argon and neon generates heat.
4. This heat vapourises the metallic sodium.
5. With the passage of time, the quantity of sodium in the arc stream increases and this
produces the characteristic monochromatic orange color at a wavelength of 489.6 nm.

Advantages:
- Very efficient lamp
- Powerful lamp for use of large areas
- Despite a warm up time of 5-10 minutes it restarts immediately if there is a brownout
- Lumen output does not drop with age (such as in LEDs or incandescent)

Disadvantages:
- Worst color rendering of any lamp
- Sodium is a hazardous material which can combust when exposed to air (such as if the bulb is
broken in the trash)

High Pressure Sodium Vapour Lamp

High-pressure sodium lamps (also known as HPS Lamps or HPS lights) are a type of sodium
lamp that is widely used in industrial lighting and many public outdoor areas. They are
commonly used in public parking lots, roadways, and other security areas.

A big driver behind their use is their high efficiency – around 100 lumens per Watt (when
measured for photopic lighting conditions). Some higher-power lamps (>600 Watt) can achieve
efficacies of around 150 lumens per watt.

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It is very difficult to get any material which is free from corrosion in presence of sodium vapor in
high temperature and pressure. This is the main difficulty of producing high-pressure sodium
lamp.

Troubleshooting High Pressure Sodium Lights

The Bulb
The most common problem with a high pressure sodium light is the bulb. The first course of
action is to simply change the bulb. Observe the interior gas tube for any signs of discoloration.
If the tube is black, the bulb is definitely burned out. Check the porcelain holder for any signs of
deep cracks or breaks. Look inside the porcelain holder for any burned contact points. Moisture
can damage the metal conductors inside the holder. If the holder is damaged, it should be
replaced before installing a new bulb.
Wiring
Check all wiring for any signs of loose connections or burned wires. The ballast can overheat
and melt low-temperature feed voltage wires. Use a volt meter and confirm that the correct
voltage is being fed to the light fixture. Confirm the operation of the photocell if one is being
used on the fixture. Wrap the photocell so no light enters into the receiver. Allow 5 to 10 minutes
for the switch to activate. Test the overload relay or internal circuit breaker for continuity. Use

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the volt meter or an ohm meter to confirm that the safety switch is conducting power through the
contacts. These switches are a one-time-use device and generally cannot be reset.
Ballast and Capacitor
Test the input voltage and output voltage of the ballast transformer. Check the manufacturer's
specifications for wiring diagrams and voltages. Test the capacitor for proper storage capacity.
Typically if the capacitor is not physically damaged or leaking oil, it is in good shape. If the
windings show any sign of burning, replace the ballast. If all of the above checks are okay, then
it is likely the ballast is damaged. Before closing the fixture, check all the seals. Moisture
entering the fixture will damage the ballast. Steam can be generated by the excessive heat of
normal operation. The steam can ruin the internal insulation of the ballast windings.

Advantages:
-Good efficiency (lumens per watt)
-Smaller size than LPS or fluorescent, the HPS fits into many fixture types
-Can be retrofitted into older Mercury Vapor fixtures
-Better bulb life than LPS lamps

Disadvantages:
-Still has a bad color rendering compared to metal halide and halogen lamps
-Requires a lossy ballast (inefficient) that operates a low arc voltage of 52-100V. This reduces
the actual efficiency of the lamp when you count the whole system together.

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