Patent ID: 8288965

Claim:
An apparatus for controlling operating power of a high power HID lamp in a lamp circuit, comprising: a. an HID lamp circuit operatively connected to a source of electrical power and including a primary capacitor in series with the lamp; b. a first secondary capacitor in parallel with the primary capacitor; c. a switching device in series with the first secondary capacitor; d. an electronic timer device operatively connected in the lamp circuit to record cumulative time in which power is connected to the lamp in the lamp circuit; e. an interface between the timer device and the switching device; f. the timer device being programmable or presettable to generate a signal or actuate the interface upon reaching a first switching time that is based on cumulative operation time of the lamp; and g. one or more additional capacitors and switching devices in parallel with the primary capacitor and first secondary capacitor, and in operative communication with the timer device.