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The Stage in a Whole New Light: LED Par Cans

In a recent interview in Lighting and Sound  America, Broadway theatrical lighting expert, Gary Fails remarked that, “LEDs are the future of lighting, they will change our industry.” Indeed, from the home to the airplane LEDs a re replacing more traditional light sources. This lighting revolution is no more apparent than in Mr. Fails’ own area of expertise, theatrical lighting. Since there have been electrically illuminated stage performances, parabolic aluminized reflectors (Par cans) have provided the light. Typically par cans have used incandescent or halogen bulbs to light up the stage. Like much of the lighting industry, however, this is quickly changing as consumers demand more environmentally friendly and efficient lighting options.

The energy savings of LED par cans are remarkable. Typical par can bulbs are usually incandescent, halogen or high intensity discharge (HID). These bulbs usually require energy draws of between 500w and 1,000w. LED par cans, such as the Optima Par 64 LED, draw only 12w. As with all LED bulbs, LED par cans match their low wattage with high lumen output. In addition to saving you money and energy consumption, LED par cans generate considerably less heat than traditional par can bulbs do, creating a more comfortable stage for performers. The savings LED par cans provide do not end there, however. With LED par cans, you do not need to bother with gel sheets or gel frames as they are integrated into the LED par can.

The range of color that LED par cans can produce is striking. The Optima Par 64 LED, for example, has a total of 183 LEDs bulbs, of which 61 are red, 61 are green, and 61 are blue. By using DMX controllers and downloadable software, one can quickly customize the color of the light, allowing you color flexibility not previously possible with traditional bulbs. Some par cans also come with built in light effects, something not possible with traditional par cans. The Optima Par 64 Pro features built in variable strobes and multiple color programs, giving your lighting an energy and capacity for creativity to match your performances.

Though LED par cans share the benefits of LED technology at large, they also share its temporary downside, namely the higher cost of LED technology. The cost of LED par cans however is temporary and will likely decrease as the technology matures. Furthermore, LEDs par cans save you money not only in energy expenditures, but also in that you no longer have to purchase gel frames or gels. The performance advantages of LED par cans make them a worthwhile investment and serious consideration for any theatre or concert venue owner.

By Victor Lopez | 18 November, 2014 | bulbs, led, lights, par cans | 0 comments | Read more

In the Spotlight #8: Ceramic Light Bulbs

By BulbAmerica Editor
In order for light bulbs and lighting related products get better and more durable, more materials need to be added their construction in order to strengthen the existing materials and allow the bulbs to withstand higher operating temperatures. In browsing light bulbs you may have come across lamps that feature ceramic materials or ceramic sockets? What exactly does a ceramic bulb or socket entail? In this article I will answer this question and detail some of the products that include ceramics. Ceramics have been long used in electronics because they have some remarkable abilities as current insulators and semiconductors. Even more amazing, ceramics can be integrated with glass to produce glass-ceramic which is stronger than ordinary glass and can withstand rapid and wide temperature fluctuations. These characteristics make ceramics very useful for lighting products. The most common place for ceramics is in HID light bulbs, in particular metal halide lamps. From metal halide PARs for stage lighting to metal halide MR16s, and for other metal halides used for TV/Film production, ceramic metal halide lamps can be found. A ceramic metal halide bulb replaces the quartz arc tube with a glass-ceramic arc tube which can withstand longer durations of bulb operation and higher temperatures, ensuring longer lamp life and better light quality. Ceramic bulbs are particularly useful in applications like medical lighting where you require high quality light for potentially long durations of continuous use. Ceramics can also be found in Xenon medical lamps headlamps, or in both metal halides and xenon bulbs, ceramic arc tubes also resist the gradual degradation and failure of the tube itself, thus protecting the bulb against premature failure. There are also ceramic light sockets, which are used in sockets for all types of bulbs including medium screw bases and MR16s. Ceramic sockets provide excellent current insulation and make the conductivity of the electrical current that much more safe and efficient.

BulbAmerica has a wide range of ceramic lighting products from some of the most trusted names in lighting including Philips, Osram, Ushio, and GE. Check all of our xenon and metal halide products today. We also have a wide range of MR16, CFL, automobile, and LED products to choose from so don’t forget to check them out. Remember, there is more than one way to go green! As usual give us a ring at 1-888-505-2111, leave a comment on our blog, or post on our Facebook with any questions you have.

By Victor Lopez | 18 November, 2014 | bulbs, lights | 0 comments | Read more

In the Spotlight #6: Metal Halide Miscellany

By BulbAmerica Editor

Lately I have been fielding a number of technical questions regarding metal halide HID bulbs, so I figured I would use this article to address them because I’m sure that these few customers are not the only ones who have ever scratched their heads over some of these technical issues. In this article I will explain the importance of (1) lamp burning positions, (2) pulse-start versus probe-start lamps, and lastly (3) the difference between quartz and ceramic metal halide lamps.

1. Burning position denotes the proper orientation of the bulb inside the fixture. Manufacturers test their lamps extensively to determine what position, whether it be, base-up, base-down, horizontal, vertical ± 15˚, etc. maximizes the life of the lamp. This will depend largely on the shape or construction of lamp, for example whether it is a short-arc lamp or ED17, and what gasses are inside of it. One should note that many lamps also have a universal burning position, meaning that they can be oriented any way. Manufacturers also denote burning positions to ensure that lamps operate safely and avoid premature failure. Burning position is also important with regard to consistent color rendering. Even lamps of the same model by the same manufacturer can very well have varying color rendering and color characteristics. To help ensure that the light is uniform, manufacturers stipulate burning positions to limit this variability in color quality.

2. Because metal halides are a gas based lamp, they require an initial burst of electrical current to sufficiently excite the gases inside the glass envelop so they can emit light. Probe start and pulse start refers to two different ways that the ignition of the lamp occurs to sufficiently excite the gasses inside the lamp. Older metal halide lamps typically use probe start lamps, which feature a starter electrode. The initial electrical current is produced by the ballast and travels up a conductor to the starter electrode which then forms an arc with one of the two central electrodes and thus facilitates the complete ignition of the lamp. The shortcoming of probe start lamps is that as the tungsten electrode is heated and deteriorates it blackens the glass envelope, reducing the efficiency and efficacy of the lamp. Pulse start lamps eliminate the need for the starter electrode by integrating the ignitor into the ballast which provides an initial 3kV to 5kV burst of electricity that forms the arc between the two electrodes. This streamlined system not only reduces bulb blackening, but also allows the lamp to function with a smaller envelope, making it more efficient. You should also be aware that pulse start bulbs warm up, or reach full luminosity, faster than probe start bulbs and also re-ignite faster, making them more convenient and easier to use.

3. Today, metal halide lamps’ arc tube are housed in one of two different materials: quartz class or a ceramic housing.Ceramic metal halide lamps are newer and are typically more expensive. Ceramic metal halide lamps can withstand higher temperatures and therefore have improved life hour ratings and better lumen maintenance over time. Furthermore, ceramic metal halides have better color rendering and better color consistency than quartz metal halide lamps, making them a good choice if you need a high performance lamp that will faithfully render color, as in medical and scientific applications.

Hopefully this article has clarified these important technical issues. Remember that for lamps like metal halides that require special care when using them, you want to make sure you have all of your technical bases covered before choosing the right one for you. Please continue to post your questions and comments on our blog and Facebook or call us at 1-877-622-0897 with any further inquires you have.
By Victor Lopez | 18 November, 2014 | bulbs, lights, metal halide | 0 comments | Read more

GE's CMH Bulbs: Bright Light Done Right

The search for environmentally friendly lighting for retail, office, architectural floodlighting, and hotel applications has often proved frustrating for individuals seeking low wattage, high output, and high CRI light sources. Striking this combination of light characteristics has been seldom, that is until now. GE’s CMH PAR20 metal halide HID lamps are truly exciting and wonderful quality efficient light sources. The PAR20 CMH bulbs have 20w energy draws and are rated to last an amazing 12,000hrs. The PAR20 CMH bulbs produce a powerful 1,000lm and feature a 80+ CRI rating to make sure that whatever is being illuminated has its colors faithfully rendered.

BulbAmerica has GE’s CMH PARs in stock as well as their other CMH light sources. Remember that LEDs and CFLs are not the only environmentally friendly option available. Particularly for larger spaces, metal halide lamps are an excellent choice and produce a high quality bright light. As usual leave a comment or question our blog or Facebook. Or, give us a call with your further inquires or place your order today at 1-877-622-0897. Don’t waste any time, starting saving energy and money today.
By Victor Lopez | 18 November, 2014 | bulbs, lights, par20 | 0 comments | Read more

GE's Lucalox Horticultrual Lamps Revolutionize Greenhouse Lighting

By BulbAmerica Editor

With the green revolution taking place in lighting, people are looking for long lasting, more efficient lighting options in all applications. One area where a big push for greener lighting has occurred is in horticultural lighting. GE’s line of Lucalox XOPSL and XO HID horticultural lamps are an excellent and long lasting option for greenhouse lighting. The Lucalox lamps are extremely long lasting, depending on their wattage they can last anywhere between 16,000hrs and 28,5000hrs. GE’s Lucalox lamps are also powerful, producing between 53,675 mean lumens and 106,400 depending on which wattage lamp you choose. The Lucalox series lamps’ long lasting performance and high light output make them equivalent to about five 125w fluorescent lamps or 42 40w four-foot fluorescent lamps, making these HID horticultural lamps a great option for retrofitting your greenhouse with more effective lighting. These lamps emit a light 2,100K reddish light that is ideal for triggering the hormones in plants that make them flower.

GE’s Lucalux horticultural lamps can last an extremely long time, but you must take certain measures to ensure that they operate correctly and otimally. First, try to turn your Lucalox lamps on and off as little as possible; turning it off and then putting it through its re-ignition process will shorten the lamp’s lamp life. Second, make sure that the environment is vibration free, vibration can harm the lamp’s fragile components. Third, and this is true will all lamps requiring ballasts, make sure that the ballast you are using is compatible with Lucalox lamps.

GE’s Lucalox 400w, 600w, and 750w lamps are the new standard in horticultural lighting and have been lauded for their long lasting light and luminous efficacy. BulbAmerica stocks the full Lucalox line as well as other GE lighting products, so be sure to check them out. As usual, leave a question or comment on our blog or Facebook, or call us at 1-877-622-0897 with any further inquiries.
By Victor Lopez | 18 November, 2014 | bulbs, hid, lights | 0 comments | Read more

In the Spotlight #2: Metal Halide HID Lamps

By BulbAmerica Editor

This article is the second in my ‘In the Spotlight’ series. This article will illuminate metal halide high intensity discharge (HID) bulbs. We have received a lot of questions over the phone and online about what exactly these bulbs are and how they differ from other HIDs, so I will tackle these questions and more in this article. Metal halide lamps are typically used in commercial, theatrical, projection, industrial, and outdoor floodlight applications. Metal halides are a great choice where good color rendering, bright light, and durable lamps are needed. With that in mind, you are probably wondering what the ‘metal halide,’ in metal halide lamps means. To answer this question it is useful to know a little bit about how a metal halide HID lamp works. In a metal halide, electricity ionizes the starting gas (typically argon) and the mercury vapor and vaporizes the metallic material inside the arc tube. The electricity continues to excite the mercury vapor and the vaporized metals inside the tube, producing visible visible light, and reaching full brightness usually under less than a minute. The metals inside are of course the metal halides which allude to a family of metals including sodium, tin, scandium and others. Different metals are chosen by manufacturers to yield different light color temperatures and properties.

Out of all the HID lamps, metal halide lamps probably come in the most shapes and with the most bases. Metal halide lamps come in the familiar PAR shapes and their various sizes and in less familiar shapes like the T4.5s, the ED28, the BD17, and many others. Metal halide lamps are offered in even more base types than they are shape types. From the ubiquitous medium screw E26 and E27 and their bigger brother the mogul screwbase, to the less common RX7S RSC and others, metal lamps come ready to fix into a multitude of fixtures. This fact hints at the numerous applications of the metal halide lamp and suggests how popular a lighting technology the metal halide really is. Equally suggestive of their diversity of application is the fact that metal halide lamps are available in wattages anywhere between 20w and 24,000w.

There you have it: the metal halide HID. If after reading this you realize that the metal halide lamp is right for your needs, check out our comprehensive metal halide lamp offerings. If you are still on the fence, leave a comment or call us at 1-877-622-0897 for further consultation. We are here to help!
By Victor Lopez | 18 November, 2014 | lights, metal halide | 0 comments | Read more

The MSD250: The Best Lamp for Entertainment Lighting

By BulbAmerica Editor

The MSD250 is one of the most widely trusted lamps in theatre, studio, concert, and projection lighting. The MSD250 is a single ended metal halide high intensity discharge (HID) lamp with a GY9.5 two-pin prefocus base. The lamp’s 5mm arc produces a powerful 180,000 lumens and has an impressive life hour rating of 3,000 hours. The MSD250 has proven a popular choice by manufacturers of intelligent lighting fixtures, or automated moving heads, including American DJ, Elation Professional, and others.

Though the Philips’ MSD Broadway series is the most widely recognized line of lamp products like it. Manufacturers including Osram (HSD series) and Platinum, and Silver offer alternative lamps to the Philips MSD250 Broadway that are similar in performance and light characteristics to the MSD250. Platinum and ilver’s MSD250 replacement bulbs have near identical performance to the Philips MSD, but are priced far more reasonably, making them affordable to more venues. Platinum’s MSD replacement is listed at $99.99 and Silver’s is listed at $77.50, compared to Philips MSD250’s price $124.02. We have the entire MSD Broadway lamp line as well as a comprehensive inventory of MSD replacement bulbs. Check it out!
By Victor Lopez | 18 November, 2014 | bulbs, hid, lights, msd | 0 comments | Read more

Xenon Bulbs: A Powerful Lighting Option

With a patient’s life on the line, a surgeon needs a light source he or she can count on. Xenon bulbs are a popular choice among doctors, surgeons, and others in the scientific field due to their excellent color rendering and brightness. The HID xenon light bulbs come in a wide range of wattages (51W-500W) and an equally wide range of lumen output (1,000lm to 13,000lm). Xenon high intensity discharge bulbs work like all other HID bulbs, by sending electrical current through the gas filled enveloped and thus forming an arc of light. In a xenon bulb, the glass envelope is filled with xenon gas. Though xenon bulbs are not the most efficient, they are one of the few bulbs capable of high lumen output while maintaining cool color temperature. Due to their small arc, xenon bulbs offer superior beam control. Using xenon bulbs you can focus the Xenon bulb effectively, making it ideal for microscope use and surgical lighting. Ushio’s VAC line of HID ceramic xenon lamps is particularly exciting. The VAC lamps’ rated life of 1,200 hours coupled with its 6,000lm output make it powerful and a step forward in xenon lighting technology. In addition to surgical and medical applications, ceramic xenon lights can be used in video/data projection and fiber-optic illumination. Xenon light bulbs were, in fact, were first used for film projection and are today still the most popular choice for projector lighting in theaters and movie houses.

The applications of xenon lighting continue to expand. Xenon bulbs are quickly becoming the bulb of choice for automobile headlights and home/office task lighting. Xenon lighting technology is still in its developmental phase but promises to be an even more powerful lighting option in the future.
By Victor Lopez | 12 November, 2014 | automotive, bulbs, hid, lights | 0 comments | Read more

HID Bulbs: More Than Just a Bright Idea

A Purdue University land-use scientist found in 2007 that there are likely more parking spaces in the United States than cars. The scientist found that parking lots in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin amounted to about 490 square miles. Parking lots pose numerous environmental problems. One of the most important is how to light these often large lots efficiently for hours on end every day of the year. Fortunately, there seems to be an environmentally friendly solution: high intensity discharge (HID) light bulbs. 

HID bulbs generate light by discharging electricity from a filament into a gas filled envelope, thus producing light. There are several types of HID bulbs including metal halide bulbs, low/high pressure sodium vapor bulbs, mercury vapor, xenon short arc bulbs, and others. HID bulbs have a high degree of luminous efficacy (a high proportion of luminous flux to wattage) and therefore produce a significant amount of visible light and little heat.HID lights produce so much light in fact, that it is no surprise that they are the bulb of choice for growing plants in indoor gardens.

Metal halide bulbs are particularly popular. With a lifespan of 15,000-20,000+ hours, (nearly 20X the lifespan of an incandescent bulb) and 65-115 lumens per watt the metal halide bulb is among the most efficient. What makes metal halide bulbs the most versatile of the HID bulbs is their 65-90 color rendering index (CRI) score, bringing the metal halide close to the 100 CRI rating of sunlight and close to ‘true’ color. High pressure sodium bulbs, for example, have a CRI score of 20-25, casting whatever the bulb illuminates in a yellow glow. This severely limits the applications of high pressure sodium bulbs. Because metal halides are close to a CRI of 100, they can be used in areas where accurate color is important like inside a kitchen or supermarket. For a bulb that can fill a large place with lots of light efficiently, the HID bulb is a great choice. The luminosity and true color also make the metal halide bulb a popular choice in film and photography where light and color must be rendered accurately. The different types of HID bulbs and the types of fixtures to which they are configured make it a versatile and economic option.

HIDs are versatile and efficient: use them in your kitchen, parking lot, movie set, or greenhouse and you will find that your lighting and energy needs are met.
By Victor Lopez | 12 November, 2014 | bulbs, hid, lights | 0 comments | Read more

Dress Your Home or Office Up With Halogen Candelabra and Globe Light Bulbs

When it comes to decorative light bulbs you have many choices, not only between bulb types but also bulb shapes. By decorative light bulbs I mean bulbs that are fully exposed or partially exposed. Decorative bulbs typically fall within two general families: candelabra and globe shape light bulbs. Though the candelabra family of light bulbs include far more shapes than the globe, the globe shape is very common, especially in bathrooms and theatres. Among the most popular globe shape bulbs is the G25. The G25 is available in halogen and CFL types, allowing you to achieve two very different types of light. Halogen G25s are available in various wattages and come with different types of glass envelopes. Whether you choose a halogen G25 with a crystal or standard glass envelope, your bathroom, theatre, or wherever else you decide to use one will benefit from the bright, elegant light. CFL G25 shapes offer light in 2,700K and 3,000K versions and at a quarter of the wattage of halogen G25 bulbs. Furthermore, CFL G25s will not produce nearly as much heat as a halogen, making them the better choice where you need your space to remain cool. The one downside of CFL G25s is that they do not have the option of the more aesthetically appealing clear glass envelope.

Candelabra bulbs generally refer to a family of shapes including B10, B13, C7, C9, crystallite, flame and more.Candelabras are offered in numerous bulb types including CFLs, LEDs, halogens, and incandescent. As you may or may not know, candelabra bulbs are used in numerous applications from wall sconces, to chandeliers, to electric candelabras, and other applications. Incandescent and halogen candelabras produce similar types of light, though halogens typically last a bit longer. Incandescent and halogen candelabras are still the standard for chandeliers and sconces where an unconventional bulb-shape can be disruptive. Though this may be true, CFL and LED candelabrasfeature outstanding energy savings and produce close to no perceptible heat. Furthermore, Osram’s LED candelabrasfeature color changing which can really liven up any room.

Hopefully this guide to halogen decorative light bulbs has been informative and you now feel confident in choosing the right one for you. In addition to a wide selection of halogen candelabras and globes to choose from, BulbAmerica also has an extensive catalog of LEDs, stage lighting, CFL, medical lighting, MR16s, and automotive lighting products to choose from, so be sure to check them out. As usual, leave us a comment or question on our Facebook or blog, or give us a call at 1-877-622-0897.

By Victor Lopez | 12 November, 2014 | bulbs, candelabra, cfl, g25, globe, halogen, led, lights | 0 comments | Read more
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