Converting Mercury HID luminaries

3/30/20085:13:43 PM Link |  | Add comment

Many landscape lighting systems incorporate mercury luminaries do to the Bluish green color. There is a alternative by using lenses and/or compact fluorescent lamps to get the same affect and reduce energy consumption and improve the environment. Right now mercury ballasts for HID (high intensity discharge) lighting are not available and by 2010 the mercury lamps (which are expensive) will not be available for replacement. We have converted many luminaries to compact fluorescents using a lamp with a higher Kelvin temperature to get the bluish light output. This is a simple conversion that reduces energy usage and reduces cost of replacing faulty ballasts. Draw back: reduced light output or foot candles. Positive: decreased maintenance cost for replacement parts, lower energy bills, and less mercury in the environment.