Halogen Worklights to Metal Halide

E

Essor

Member
I've just seen Coollights state that you shouldn't convert the standard worklights (alluminium, with some UV protection) into Metal Halide lights.

He thinks they would get extremely hot (which they already do, with the halogen bulbs, and are built to withstand), and also are open-faced and the risk of explosion needs to be considered.

Looking at a standard worklight right now, I can't see how a MH bulb exploding could go through the hard glass that is on this thing.

Won't a 150 W Metal Halide bulb feel right at home inside a 500 W halogen worklight?
 
First off, the sockets are not rated for the high voltage startup pulses of HID lamps so you need to replace those. Second, you'll find that the spacing between the terminals of a double ended metal halide is different from a halogen (at least in my experience). Thus, there will need to be modifications done to the distance between the sockets and replacing them altogether with HID versions rated for the bulb. So, this is a major project, notwithstanding the issues of whether or not it explodes or whether or not the glass protects against UV and explosion risks. What you'll find is that no one who is prudent will tell you or guide you on a public forum to do something like this because of liability issues. I think you'll find that exploding metal halide / HMI bulbs have been known to penetrate safety glass before so its up to you whether you feel all this is worth it.
 
Thanks you for the answer.

I've seen a lot of Metal Halide worklights online that seem to have the same construction as the halogen ones.

From what you said, I take it that they run the same risk of dangerous explosion as the more common halogen worklights.
 
Well halogen lights exploding has happened but is more rare. There is a higher voltage arc in the metal halide lights as well as some gas. There are plenty of stories around on cinematography.com of people that tell about their experience of an HMI bulb exploding in a fresnel or whatever. What you have afterwards, in addition to the glass fragments is poisonous mercury gas and thus poisoned fragments as well. Plenty of people run these things every day in stores, warehouses as well as stage and studio fixtures and there aren't incidents. But, in this litigious day and age, MacDonalds has to print "Caution: This container may contain extremely hot liquids" on its coffee cups whereas at one time that was just understood and responsibilites accepted. As I said, its up to the purveyor of information to inform of risks and then up to you whether you think its worth the trouble and if you can handle the risks. Hope this helps.
 
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