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Post by joniverson on Sept 6, 2019 17:10:46 GMT -8
My 175 W mercury vapor lamp assembly (meaning separate ballast from bulb) is due to arrive any day. However, a quick trip by Home Depot this evening and out of curiosity visited the bulbs section. First of all, no mercury vapor lamps present... but there were plenty of 175 W metal halide. A quick look at the box shows the same UV warning about exposure if the outer glass is broken. So, this begs the question, does it matter whether mercury vapor or metal halide is used for moth attraction? Is there a preference of one over the other and why? Looks like I'd have to get any MV replacement bulbs online, but I understand certain metal halides can be substituted if MV not available. Thanks.
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leptraps
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Post by leptraps on Sept 7, 2019 4:48:06 GMT -8
Any HID (High Intensity Discharge) will produce UV Light. True clear (Not frosted) MV is the best. A white internal coating will reduce the emitted UV by 95% depending in the coating.
Metal Hilade/HHD Clear will produce UV at about 25%. The reach (distance the UV Light travels from the bulb) is good. However, the strength of the UV bands is rather low.
I, Leptraps, was able to import Mercury Vapor Bulbs Self Ballasted from Canada until 1 January 2019. The USDA and other Government Agencies/Regulators have a "Zero" level for Mercury coming into the USA. There is a company in Oceanside, NY who can produce MV Bulbs but the price is out of this world and a minimum order of 100 pieces is beyond my cost for a limited use item.
This past Tuesday, I walked into a Hardware Store near Solon, Ohio, the old time Hardware Store with wooden drawer units, etc. I found a 500 Watt Sun Lamp among other HID Bulbs. I ask if they had more. The clack went into the back and came out with four more 500 Watt Sun Lamps and a box of eight(8) 275 Watt Sun Lamps. The owner of the store gave me Company name and telephone number. At 9:01 AM on Monday, I will make a call.
This is old inventory and not a sourse or manufacturer.
More Later.
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Post by joniverson on Sept 7, 2019 7:53:14 GMT -8
Thanks, but what about the MV bulbs needing a separate ballast? I still seem to see plenty of those online. That's the kind of light I have on the way, one with separate ballast. NIB so should be good. I don't even know yet whether its worth going anywhere with moths until I see if the MV/ sheet set up will attract them. Maybe or maybe not. This year, I have closed off my lep bait traps at night, but three years ago I would occasionally leave them open. I was able to collect four Catocala without too much effort. Maybe that's a good sign.
Home Depot did have 450 W metal halide bulbs, but interestingly no mounts or fixtures for them. Might have just been the store or I didn't look hard enough.
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leptraps
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Post by leptraps on Sept 7, 2019 10:48:56 GMT -8
Neither Home depot nor Lowe"s offer/stock Mogul Porcelain Sockets. You will need visit an Electrical/Lighting Supply Store. The Mogul Sockets come with a metal base. I make a Core Plastic Base for my Collecting Light Units.
HID Bulbs will eventually disappear from the market place and be replaced with a low discharge bulb of some sort. HID are high energy use bulbs.
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Post by joniverson on Sept 9, 2019 2:18:40 GMT -8
Unfortunately, the "yard light" arrived. Although it was NIB and had "175" markings all over it, the bulb inside was a frosted 125W MV. Not what I was expecting and certainly not as advertised so I requested a partial refund. With that amount in hand, I ordered the clear 125 W MV bulb. I'm amazed how a company can market such a light, and going to great extremes to make it "seem" like 175 W, but not. The replacement lamp in the instructions is even marked as "SV-175M", but the ballast gives it away 125W (H42) along with just the medium bulb base.
All is not lost. A local scrapyard had the correct ballasts and capacitor. I picked up one yesterday and tested it. Now just waiting on a bulb.
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