Sunlux Ultra Ace NH150-CE Unsaturated Vapour

The Sunlux Ultra Ace series of high pressure sodium lamps from Iwasaki is the name given to lamps designed for operation as direct retrofits on American style CWA ballasts for mercury lamps. This is a constant wattage type of ballast which can be used because the voltage drop across a mercury lamp remains fairly constant throughout its life.

When high pressure sodium retrofit lamps were first introduced for operation on mercury ballasts, it was found that they were not suitable for use on the CWA equipment. This is because sodium lamps are characterised by a voltage rise during life as sodium is absorbed or lost through reactions with the arc tube wall, frit seals or electrode materials. This rising voltage might cause CWA ballasts to allow the lamp to run at a dangerously high power loading.

Iwasaki was one of the first companies to perfect the so-called unsaturated HPS lamp, in which the entire dose of sodium amalgam is vaporised in use. In standard lamps an excess of sodium amalgam has to be added, because during life it is consumed and enough must be provided to ensure long lamp life. Unsaturated lamps are characterised by a falling voltage through life, then rising back to normal levels just before the last sodium disappears. This characteristic is compatible with CWA gear. A small halogen capsule in series with the arc provides a tiny extra resistance to prevent an arc-swirling issue peculiar to some old ballasts.

A further advantage of the Iwasaki lamp is that it employs a xenon-filled arc tube and the famous FEC internal electronic ignitor. Competitive lamps do not use this ignition method and less efficient neon fillings are used in the arc tube.

Manufacturer:	EYE Lighting International of North America
Lamp Power:	150 Watts
Lamp Current:	1.50 Amps
Lamp Voltage:	130 Volts
Cap Type:	E39s/41	Ni plated brass + vitrite
Bulb Finish:	Clear	Borosilicate glass
Bulb Type:	BT-90	BT-28 in eighths/inch
Overall Length:	211 mm	8 5/16 inches
Light Centre Length:	127 mm	5 inches
Arc Length:
Electrodes:	Sintered Pellet	Tungsten-emitter composite
Atmosphere:	Na,Hg \| Xe	Outer: Hard Vacuum
Luminous Flux:	15,000 lm @ 100 hrs	13,500 lm average
Luminous Efficacy:	100.0 lm/W @ 100 hrs	90.0 lm/W average
Colour Temperature & CRI:	CCT: 1900K	CRI: Ra 17
Chromaticity Co-ordinates:	CCx: 0.532	CCy: 0.403
Burning Position:	Universal
Rated Lifetime:	24,000 hours	to 50% survival
Warm-up & Re-strike Time:	5 minutes	10 minutes max
Factory:	Mentor, OH	U.S.A.
Date of Manufacture:	February 2002	Date Code ..
Original & Present Value:


References:	1) EYE Lighting International of North America Catalogue, 2003.