Oh Wow! TINY New Plasma Bulbs

CuriousSoul

Well-Known Member
I'm not convinced. They mentioned 140 lumens/watt which is comparable to HPS. The spectrum is much like that of the sun so I can imagine a lot of the light being wasted. Besides, they mentioned the thing gets up to 6000 kelvin, surely there have to be some associated heat issues? My money for the future of grow lights lies with LEDs. Interesting post though!
 

Seamaiden

Well-Known Member
They don't say whether or not this is sulfur plasma. Sulfur plasma's spectrum very closely mimics the sun, so is not all "peaky" like metal halide, and covers a wider spectrum than high pressure sodium. Last time I checked prices a bulb was about $1,500 and not available outside "trade and industry". That's a wee bit rich for me!

What I really like is that there are no electrical contacts for this bulb. That's pretty damn cool, and I wish I knew more about the physics behind it to say much of anything else.
 

Phinxter

Well-Known Member
i read about hese a month or so back and price and availability were at teh top of my list of "ouches"
i am glad to see that there are still advances being made in our lighting choices.
if i remember right these plasma bulbs have quite a long life expectancy and i high lumen to watt rating. both of which i like.
i will always keep an open mind about new lighting choices but for the time i'll stick to my HPS and MH HID
 

thelastpirate

Well-Known Member
I'm not convinced. They mentioned 140 lumens/watt which is comparable to HPS. The spectrum is much like that of the sun so I can imagine a lot of the light being wasted. Besides, they mentioned the thing gets up to 6000 kelvin, surely there have to be some associated heat issues? My money for the future of grow lights lies with LEDs. Interesting post though!

Dude, degrees Kelvin is a measurement that expresses light COLOR. It expresses the part of the light spectrum that are being produced by any given light source. It has nothing whatsoever to do with degrees F or C, or any kind of HEAT measurement.
Technology is progressing at an exponential rate. What used to take years to develop we are now developing in months. Technology is almost outpacing us. LED technology, while it is still new to us, is old skool in the techno world.
By the time a technology is introduced to the masses, it's pretty much already obsolete. I agree that LEDS are gonna be huge in the short term, but there are newer and better technologies already being developed.
I get dizzy trying to keep up with the advancement of technology. Don't blink, or you'll miss something.
 

CuriousSoul

Well-Known Member
Dude, degrees Kelvin is a measurement that expresses light COLOR. It expresses the part of the light spectrum that are being produced by any given light source. It has nothing whatsoever to do with degrees F or C, or any kind of HEAT measurement.
Kelvin
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Kelvin (disambiguation).

The kelvin (symbol: K) is a unit increment of temperature and is one of the seven SI base units. The Kelvin scale is a thermodynamic (absolute) temperature scale where absolute zero, the theoretical absence of all thermal energy, is zero (0 K). The Kelvin scale and the kelvin are named after the British physicist and engineer William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin (1824–1907), who wrote of the need for an “absolute thermometric scale”.
 

thelastpirate

Well-Known Member
Kelvin
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Kelvin (disambiguation).

The kelvin (symbol: K) is a unit increment of temperature and is one of the seven SI base units. The Kelvin scale is a thermodynamic (absolute) temperature scale where absolute zero, the theoretical absence of all thermal energy, is zero (0 K). The Kelvin scale and the kelvin are named after the British physicist and engineer William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin (1824–1907), who wrote of the need for an “absolute thermometric scale”.

OK, I'll buy that. But 2 words come to mind, Common Usage. In 40 years, I have never heard of anyone referring to the temperature outside in degrees kelvin. Celsius, yes. Fahrenheit, yes. Absolute temperature values as expressed in kelvins (K) are RARELY (if ever) used outside of the scientific community. And I do believe that you are referring to a different kelvin scale, which has nothing to do with light or it's properties:

The kelvin (K) temperature scale is an extension of the degree Celsius scale down to absolute zero, a hypothetical temperature characterized by a complete absence of heat energy. Temperatures on this scale are called kelvins, NOT degrees kelvin, kelvin is not capitalized, and the symbol (capital K) stands alone with no degree symbol. [The official name was changed to "kelvin" and symbol "K" by the 13th General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM) in 1967.]

I can see it now, "God dammit honey, it's down to near 2800 degrees outside. I wish it would warm up a bit!!"

Do you work in the cryogenics field? Thats about the only way I could see you knowing something like that. I studied light in College (photography), and became intimately familiar with the kelvin color temperature scale, and this is the first I have ever seen or heard it used in any context other than describing the quality and color of light.

But I will give you this one. Plus rep 2 U for getting one up on me, and making me think! (Savor it, it doesn't happen often!!)

BTW, Wiki isn't the most accurate or reliable source of info, since anyone can edit and contribute, and is generally scorned by the academic community as a research tool. But you're good to go with this one.
 

CuriousSoul

Well-Known Member
I understand where the confusion arose, colour temperature with reference to the lights shows up a lot more on this site. I studied General biology (not cryogenics) at University and although not commonly used in the text books, it appeared a fair bit in the primary research papers. I know wiki is frowned upon as a reference but it really is a wonderful resource for last minute cramming. Thank you for the rep though. :)
 

TheFaux

New Member
Sulphur plasma lamps require a magnetron (microwave) to run them. Magnetrons have a life-expectancy of 10,000 hours. You'd be replacing those more than the lamp.
 

Seamaiden

Well-Known Member
Kelvin
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Kelvin (disambiguation).

The kelvin (symbol: K) is a unit increment of temperature and is one of the seven SI base units. The Kelvin scale is a thermodynamic (absolute) temperature scale where absolute zero, the theoretical absence of all thermal energy, is zero (0 K). The Kelvin scale and the kelvin are named after the British physicist and engineer William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin (1824–1907), who wrote of the need for an “absolute thermometric scale”.
Yeah, I found that when I looked it up, too, because my familiarity with Kelvin is as a color temperature rating as relative to sunlight. :oops:
 

thelastpirate

Well-Known Member
I understand where the confusion arose, colour temperature with reference to the lights shows up a lot more on this site. I studied General biology (not cryogenics) at University and although not commonly used in the text books, it appeared a fair bit in the primary research papers. I know wiki is frowned upon as a reference but it really is a wonderful resource for last minute cramming. Thank you for the rep though. :)

I do believe that what we know as the Kelvin scale for Color temp was loosely based on the kelvin thermo scale, as it is based on a comparison to the color of light produced by the sun at noon (5600 K)

And THAT one required more thought than I even care to exert at this time, so I'm gonna hit the chillum...........and go take me a little nap. THANX FOR WEARING MY ASS OUT, DAMMIT!!! (LOL)
 
K

Keenly

Guest
Sulphur plasma lamps require a magnetron (microwave) to run them. Magnetrons have a life-expectancy of 10,000 hours. You'd be replacing those more than the lamp.
10,000 hours / 24 hours in 1 day = 416 days.... CONSTANTLY on

thats not bad at all
 

TheCaptain

Active Member
Here is a general summation for you:

Kelvin IS a temp scale, but....you have to understand that temp given off by light is also dependant upon it's energy wavelength (e.g. color) So when you think of kelvin ratings just be aware that they are first talking about temp, and secondly referring to energy wavelength/color absorption.
 
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