Xref: utzoo sci.electronics:3203 sci.physics:3702 rec.pets:2977 misc.wanted:2525 misc.consumers:5565
Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!husc6!mailrus!iuvax!pur-ee!pur-phy!piner
From: piner@pur-phy (Richard Piner)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics,sci.physics,rec.pets,misc.wanted,misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Need information about metal halide lights
Keywords: Metal halide lights
Message-ID: <1222@pur-phy>
Date: 1 Jul 88 11:36:53 GMT
References: <523@rbdc.UUCP> <5164@ihlpf.ATT.COM>
Reply-To: piner@newton.physics.purdue.edu.UUCP (Richard Piner)
Organization: Purdue Univ. Physics Dept., W. Lafayette, IN
Lines: 27


 In article <5164@ihlpf.ATT.COM> straka@ihlpf.UUCP (55223-Straka,R.J.) writes:
 >In article <523@rbdc.UUCP> andy@rbdc.UUCP (Andy Pitts) writes:
 >>
 >>I want to build a light hood for a marine aquarium.  This requires intense
 >>light with a spectrum that closely matches the sun.  The best results seem
 >>to be with metal halide arc lamps.  Commercially available units sell for
 >...
 >>1) Mercury vapor street lights can be had at very reasonable prices. Can
 >
 >As I recall, mercury vapor lamps have VERY strong spectral lines.  This
 >spectrum is VERY unrepresentative of sunlight.  However, your typical
 >fluorescent lamp (which uses a mercury vapor discharge, too) gives you a
 >better shot at a wide spectrum because of the phoshor coating which
 >fluoresces at some range of longer wavelengths.  Try comparing standard cool
 >white, warm white, and other specialty phosphor coatings.  One of them or a
 >combination of 2 of more different lamps may get you what you want.
 >-- 
 For what it's worth, I seem to recall a few years ago, seeing an ad
for a flourescent lamp which worked in a standard fixure. But it was a
"new and improved" model which put out a simulated solar spectrum.
It was supposed to be used in offices which needed good lighting, such
as a drafting room. It was made by GE or one of the other such companies.
An good lighting store should be able to look through their catalogs and
find the part number. They may even stock it. It didn't catch on here at
Purdue because it wasn't cheap. 
					Richard Piner