What does HID mean and How Does is Work?
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High Intensity Discharge (HID) lighting technology replaces the filament
of the light bulb with a capsule of gas. The light is emitted from an
arc discharge between two closely spaced electrodes hermetically sealed
inside a small quartz glass tubular envelope capsule. To operate, they
require ballasts, which supply proper voltage and control current. The
amount of light produced is greater than a standard halogen bulb, while
consuming less power, and more closely approximating the color temperature
of natural daylight.
In all High Intensity Discharge lamps, light is produced by passing
a current through a metal vapor. Free electrons colliding with an atom
in the vapor momentarily knock an electron into a higher orbit of the
atom. When the displaced electron falls back to its former level, a quantum
of radiation is emitted. The wavelength of radiation depends on the energy
zone of the disturbed electron and on the type of metal vapor used in
the arc tube.
| The technology in high intensity discharge lighting is in some ways similar
to fluorescent technology: an arc is established between two electrodes
in a gas-filled tube which causes a metallic vapor to produce radiant energy.
In this case, however, a combination of factors shifts the wavelength of
much of this energy to within the visible range, so light is produced without
any phosphors. In addition, the electrodes are only a few inches apart
(at opposite ends of a sealed “arc tube”) and the gases in the tube are
highly pressurized. This allows the arc to generate extremely high temperatures,
causing metallic elements within the gas atmosphere to vaporize and release
large amounts of visible radiant energy. There are three main types of
HID lamps: mercury vapor, metal halide and sodium. The names refer to the
elements that are added to the gases in the arc stream which cause each
type to have somewhat different color characteristics and overall lamp
efficiency. |
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| Lamp Color Temperature |
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Not an extremely short answer here. Materials if heated will change color.
From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_temperature
The color temperature of a light source is determined by comparing its chromaticity with a theoretical, heated black-body radiator. The Kelvin temperature at which the heated black-body radiator matches the color of the light source is that source's color temperature; for a black body source, it is directly related to Planck's law.
Polarion P and X series all use a HID lamp assembly with a color temperature of 4300K.
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| Ballasts and Warm-Up Time |
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Like any gaseous discharge light source, HID lamps have
special electrical requirements that must be supplied by a ballast. With
HID sources, however, the ballast
must be specifically designed for the lamp type and wattage being used. In
addition, most HID lamps require a warm-up period to achieve full light output.
Polarion HID searchlights are considered "instant" strike and DO NOT require
this warm-up period. The Polarion HID Searchlights can be turned ON and OFF rapidly as well without an concern for damage to the system. |
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| Metal Halide Lamps |
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Metal halide lamps are among the most energy efficient
sources of white light available today. Polarion HID lights use these type
of lamps. These lamps feature special chemical compounds known as “halides” that
produce light in most regions of the spectrum. They offer high efficacy,
excellent
color
rendition,
long
service
life and good lumen maintenance. Because of their numerous advantages,
metal halide lamps are used extensively in outdoor applications and in
commercial interiors.
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| Why does my beam pattern appear to have "artifacts",
a yellow color in the corona and black line it when I shine it at wall
at close range? |
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The Polarion HID searchlights are factory pre-focused for
extended ranges of 150-200 yards and beyond. The beam pattern will not
look perfect when shined at a wall at close range. The yellow in the corona
(the less brilliant area around the center "hot spot" is a result of the
sodium in the lamp itself and is perfectly normal. This pattern will change
depending on how you orient the light as gravity moves the gases around.
The black line is the shadow of wire that runs parallel to the glass tube
of the lamp. |
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| How do I replace a Polarion HID Searchlight Lamp Assembly? |
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Download Instructions with Pictures - Adobe PDF Required |
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| Care and Storage of the Lithium-Ion Rechargeable Battery |
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Please review this online Article |
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| Where are these lights Manufactured? |
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Polarion HID Searchlights are manufactured in South Korea using state of the art manufacturing processes and quality control. Mounts, cables and other releated components for the Polarion-USA Night Reaper Crew Served Weapon Light (CSWL) systems are manufactured in the United States. |
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| Are these lights Water Resistant? |
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Yes. The Polarion HID Handheld Searchlights are designed to be water resistant and can be subjected to rain and harsh weather conditions. |
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| Do you deliver outside of the United States? |
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Yes. We regularly deliver to locations around the globe. |
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| How do the Polarion HID Searchlights compare to some of the other Handheld Searchlights out on the market? |
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This is a fairly in-depth question. But the simple answer is when directly compared to similar class searchlights; the Polarion searchlights are the best of breed. You should be aware that there are other lights/manufacturer's that have designed lights using different lamp technologies and for different purposes such a long-range communication or extremely tight focus for specialty applications.
Yes, these lights project a spot at impressive ranges, but they not useful when attempting to actually locate and identify moving targets of interest during a practical search, unaided with optics.
Comparison: It’s much like attempting to search for a smaller object in a large field with a laser as opposed to a high quality flashlight.
Searchlights can’t do it all. They are designed for specific purposes at specific ranges. The Polarion Searchlights are designed for effective, practical search operations inside the 400-yard range. The Polarion Searchlights are generally smaller, lighter, and feature better runtime while maintaining a truly impressive light output/volume.
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Please review the Polarion-USA Photo Album - "Beam Comparisons" |
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| How Far can you actually see with these types of Searchlights? |
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In optimal conditions you see objects up to a 1.5 km away. However, atmospheric conditions can dramatically reduce that distance especially when there is a high moisture content in the air.
In practical terms the 35-50 watt Polarion HID Searchlights can easily allow you do see a person in the 400-500 meter range as well as give you substantial lateral coverage of the area.
Distances were measured with a Laser Rangerfinder and later verified by GPS coordinates/Google Earth
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Please review the Polarion-USA Photo Album - "In the Field" |
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