 | | 
Compared to incandescent,
quartz or even flourescent
lighting, HID lighting has the lowest lifetime cost. Even though the
initial cost of an HID fixture may be substanially more than Quartz, the
substantially lower energy consumption and lower lamp replacement and maintenance
expenses make HID the best economic choice. Whether you need HID
floodlights, wallpacks
or high bays, the
savings is the same.
Just look at a comparison of the 10 Year Cost between a Quartz fixture and an
HID fixture that produces equal light output.
|
Fixture and Wattage
|
150 watt HPS
|
500 watt Quartz
|
|
Light output in lumens:
|
10,000 lumens
|
10,000 lumens
|
|
Lamp Life
|
24,000 hours
|
2,000 hours
|
|
Initial Fixture Cost
|
$77
|
$16
|
|
Annual Electricity Cost @ $ .07 kwh*
|
$30
|
$300
|
|
Electricity Cost over 10 year lifetime
|
$300
|
$3000
|
|
Lamp life @ 10 hours per night
|
6.8 years
|
7 months
|
|
Lamp replacement costs for 6 years
|
$24
|
$264**
|
|
Total Lifetime Cost
|
$431
|
$3580
|
*
If the HID lighting fixture is operated 10 hours per night and the
local electricity cost is $ .07 per kwh, the national average. If your area's
cost are higher, the savings for using HID lighting will be even more dramatic.
** Calculated by assuming the quartz lamp will be replaced 17.6 times during
a 10 year period at $5 per lamp and $10 labor cost. A HPS
lamp will cost $14 plus the same $10 labor cost.
Reasons
to Buy HID Lighting
1. Lower
lifetime cost
2. Fewer
lamp replacements
3. Energy
conservation
4. Reduced
circuit loads, circuit breaker and wire guage requirements
Reasons
Why NOT to Buy HID Lighting
1.
If you need instant start lighting.
HID
lamps take five minutes to warm up to full brilliance. In the case
of a power failure, they will take several minutes to cool down and then
several minutes to restart. Quartz,
flourescent and incandescent
lamps will start instantly. Instant starting is useful in life safety,
security and sensor controlled applications.
2.
If you need warm, white light.
Quartz,
flourescent, and incandescent
lamps give a warm white light pleasing to most people. High
Pressure Sodium (HPS) lamps have a definite orange-yellow color light.
Although they are the most energy efficient lamps, their color will not
be acceptable in indoor applications and some outdoor situations where
a whiter light would be preferred. Metal
Halide HID lamps have a bright white color and may be the best choice
for a combination of energy efficiency and light color.
3.
If you need accurate color rendition.
HPS
lamps will distort the rendition of some colors. Red, for instance,
will appear brown.
|
|
|
