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If you jolt them or turn them off, you have to wait a few seconds before
restarting them. I use switch protectors and don't jolt them.

Bill Wolk wrote:
> 
> On7/23/99 4:59 PM, Maggie Owens wrote:
> 
> >I don't know much at all (that would be, I really know nothing) about this
> >technology, which is why I'm posting this question. (So please be gentle!)
> >
> >What I am wondering is
> >(1) are HID lights really all they are cracked up to be? and
> >(2) Is there something about them that makes them *NOT* DIR, and if so,
> >what is it and why?
> >
> >Thanks in advance.
> 
> Maggie -
> 
> My understanding is that the HID lights are arc lights like most stadium
> and street lights.  That means they don't use a filament that can break
> -- but it also means they take a comparatively long time to heat up and
> start arcing.  (Anyone who's seen street lights or turned on the lights
> at a night ball field or tennis court knows what I mean -- first they
> start humming and light with a very dim glow, then they get a little
> brighter/hotter, then they arc to full intensity.)
> 
> You can see the obvious downside: as long as you never turn your canister
> off underwater, you have a bright, electrically efficient light that's
> more shock resistant than filament bulbs.  If you do switch it off --
> either by accident or on purpose -- you can't switch it back on quickly.
> Obviously, with this characteristic, they're not appropriate for
> instructing and this could be a problem in an emergency.
> 
> That's all I can think of off the top of my head.  I'm curious to see how
> they fare in real world use.
> 
> Best regards --
> 
> Bill

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