In article , Joseph
Meehan wrote:
Ignoramus8325 wrote:
I bought two used metal halide lights. They are about 1x2x0.5 feet in
size and take 250 watt bulbs.

I tried one of the two I bought (the second has a problem, likely due
to shipping, that I hope we can easily rectify with the seller). I
laid ot on the floor and directed the light at the ceiling.

My first impression is that, first, they take quite a while to warm up
(not a problem),

The nature of the beast.

and second, they are not that bright. I would say
that one 250W MH light makes about as much light as do my eight 4ft
fluorescent lights. Maybe it is more of an expectations issue and even
that is great.

Eight 4-foot fluorescents is usually nominally 256-320 watts, and
usually with some inverse relationship within this class between wattage
and efficiency in the 32-40 watt-per-4-foot-bulb range.

Eight 4-foot fluorescents of nominal wattage 32 to 40 watts apiece would
normally in good conditions produce close to as much light as a 250 watt
metal halide. Check out the lumen light output figures!

- Don Klipstein )