Due to the life span of sodium, light bulbs using high pressure sodium light bulbs should be started at a low voltage level, but as they start to warm up, the internal gas pressure located inside the arc tube starts to go up and at that time more voltage is needed if you want to maintain the arc discharge. Like everything else in life the HPS bulb is going to get older and loose its effectiveness. When a high pressure sodium light bulbs starts getting older you will notice that maintaining the voltage needed for the arc will eventually rise to a level that exceeds the maximum voltage level output by the electrical ballast.

When a HPS bulb is on its way out, I can see the voltage levels need to be changed and when the bulb has really had it, it will heat to a point where the arc fails and at that time the bulb will burn out. When the light burns out the arc will be extinguished and the lamp will start to cool down. During this time the gas pressure in the arc tube of the bulb will be reduced and the ballast could cause the arc to strike again. This means that the bulb will glow then burn out and glow and burn out, over and over again. If this is occurring I know that the life cycle of the HPS bulb is done, and I can get rid of it properly and buy a new one.

The more sophisticated hps ballast designed high pressure sodium bulbs can detect the cycling process and they’ll give up attempting to start. If I try to unplug the lamp and then plug it back in it’s making the ballast start a whole new series of startup attempts. So, basically if my high pressure sodium bulb starts requiring really high voltage levels and starts turning off and on I know that it is in its death stage, (cycling) and it’s time to buy a new one. HPS bulbs usually have a life span of about 12 to 18 months.

I think I’ve tried nearly every kind of lighting there is, and some of them I still don’t understand. High Pressure Sodium bulbs take a little getting used to, and once I figured out how to tell if my HPS bulb was bad or not, I fell in love with them.

HPS light bulbs are high-pressure sodium bulbs often used for growing plants indoors, but they are also used for outdoor street and security lighting. HPS bulbs produce a dark pink glow when first turned on and turn to a pinkish/orange color when they start to warm up. Don’t be surprised if during the process of lighting up you see the bulb turn a bluish/white color. Sometimes the mercury wants to glow before the sodium has completely warmed up and that is what causes the color difference.

High pressure sodium light bulbs are extremely energy efficient. They are a much better source of lighting to use if you’re planning on having your light on for a long period of time. During the end of life for a HPS bulb, a phenomenon known as cycling occurs. It’s caused by the amount of sodium that is being lost in the arc of the bulb. The sodium in the HPS bulb is easily lost when it is combined with other elements and when it migrates through the arc tube walls of the bulb. This is true because sodium is a highly reactive element.