Introduction
For nearly 60 years, metal halide lights (or MH lights for short) have been the go-to lighting sources for a variety of applications. From illuminating parking lots, to sports fields, to buildings interior lighting, metal halide lights have been the staple lighting source since the mid 20th century! At the time, these bulbs were known for their ability to emit white light, produce a high luminosity and be produced relatively inexpensively.
Although these lights have acted as a lighting staple that our society has depended on over the past 60 years, they possess inefficiencies that are causing these traditional light bulbs to be replaced with LEDs.
The Inefficiencies of Metal Halide Lights
So why did we move on from metal halide lights onto other lighting technologies such as LED?
Warm-up time: To start, metal halide lights actually take time to “warm up”. When you first turn on the light, it takes a little while to fully emit the light.
Cannot Be Dimmed: Also, these bulbs are hard to control and cannot be dimmed. So in comparison to modern lighting sources, you wouldn’t be able to modulate the brightness of these traditional bulbs.
The color and light intensity fade over time: Yes, unfortunately these bulbs fade both color-shift and intensity over their lifetime, making them a constant annoyance when it comes to upkeep and maintenance.
They Contain Mercury: Back when these bulbs we’re being designed and mass produced, people didn’t fully understand the dangers of mercury poisoning. Today, lighting components are designed with safer materials to ensure that the user installing and handling the lighting fixture isn’t putting themselves in harm’s way.
The Adoption of LED Lighting
Due to the countless inefficiencies, we’ve seen a massive shift in businesses and individuals move from using metal halide lights and incandescent lights and flipping them out for LEDs. LED lighting is not only more energy efficient, resilient, and safer, but they are also way less expensive than traditional lighting! These massive efforts in lighting have made it easier for businesses and individuals to reduce their maintenance costs and lower their overall electricity costs by simply switching from traditional incandescent bulbs to LEDs.
Next Steps
As you continue on your path to finishing that home lighting project, or selecting your lighting for a major residential or commercial build, consider Energy Avenue as your trusted provider for all our lighting needs. With over 30 years of experience in the electrical and lighting industry, and customer service you can depend on, we have positioned ourselves as the trusted advisor in the electronics and lighting industry. If you know you’re interested in LED vapor tight lighting, but don’t know where to start, be sure to contact our knowledgeable team here at Energy Avenue here. We would love to help assist you in your current or upcoming lighting projects!
