GE 42729 MVR250/U(Pro) Metal Halide Lamp Mogul

Name: GE 42729 MVR250/U(Pro) Metal Halide Lamp Mogul
Brand: GE
SKU: 42729

★★★★★4.3 (17 reviews)

250 watts of high-CRI metal halide output in the ED28 form factor — the workhorse HID source for high-bay commercial and industrial illumination demanding consistent color rendering over a 6,000-hour rated life.

$36.28*

✓ In Stock on Amazon.com

View on Amazon

*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated:Jul 14, 2026.Price and availability are subject to change.

Affiliate Disclosure: Studio Supplies may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no additional cost to you. This helps support our editorial team.

Notice a mistake? Let Us Know

Overview

The GE MVR250/U (Multi-Vapor) is a 250-watt metal halide lamp in the ED28 bulb shape with a mogul (E39) base — the established form factor for commercial and industrial high-intensity discharge (HID) lighting in the 250W class. Metal halide's defining characteristic is its broad-spectrum arc output, which places it well above high-pressure sodium in color rendering capability. For commercial environments where accurate color discrimination affects the quality of work — retail floor merchandising, industrial inspection lines, sports facilities — the higher CRI of metal halide translates directly to better visual performance than sodium alternatives at the same wattage. The 6,000-hour rated life positions this lamp for high-utilization commercial environments where re-lamping is scheduled maintenance, not reactive response.

The MVR250/U is a probe-start metal halide lamp designed for operation in a compatible 250W magnetic or electronic ballast — ballast matching is non-negotiable for correct operation and full lamp life. The quartz arc tube construction handles the thermal cycling of commercial duty cycles, and GE's manufacturing tolerances produce consistent color temperature and lumen output across the production batch, which matters when relamping multi-fixture installations where color uniformity is visible. This is not a lamp for photographic or studio use; it lacks the color stability and controllability of purpose-built tungsten or LED sources. It is a commercial-grade HID source built for the applications where ED28 mogul fixtures remain the installed standard: warehouses, high-bays, parking structures, and large-format commercial spaces.

Key Features

250-Watt Light Bulb

Rated Life of 6,000-Hours

Multi-Vapor Quartz Metal Halide Mogul Light Bulb

MVR250/U/ED28

MVR250/U

Specifications

Wattage

250W

Lamp Type

Multi-Vapor Quartz Metal Halide

Bulb Shape

ED28

Base Type

Mogul (E39)

Rated Life

6,000 hours

Model

MVR250/U

GE Stock Number

42729

Pros & Cons

👍 Pros

The 250-watt output delivers high-intensity illumination suitable for high-bay and large-area commercial applications where LED retrofits aren't yet installed.
A 6,000-hour rated life reduces replacement frequency in hard-to-reach fixture positions — commercial high-bays and industrial overhead mounts where re-lamping carries significant labor cost.
The ED28 mogul base is a universal form factor compatible with the broad installed base of commercial 250W metal halide fixtures, making this a direct drop-in replacement.
Multi-Vapor quartz construction produces a stable arc with better color rendering than high-pressure sodium alternatives in the same wattage class — important in environments where color accuracy affects work quality.
GE's manufacturing consistency means arc tube geometry and phosphor blend are held to tighter tolerances than generic equivalents, resulting in more predictable color and output across production batches.

👎 Cons

The 2–5 minute warm-up time to full output and the inability to hot re-strike make this lamp incompatible with applications requiring instant-on capability or motion-triggered switching.
At 250 watts, operating cost is significantly higher than equivalent LED high-bay alternatives, both in energy consumption and in the cooling load the lamp adds to the space.
Lumen depreciation over the 6,000-hour life can reach 20–30%, meaning light levels in the space will visibly decline before the lamp fails — requiring proactive group relamping schedules.
The mogul base and ballast dependency mean this lamp cannot be retrofitted into residential or standard commercial sockets without the correct 250W MH ballast infrastructure already in place.
Metal halide lamps contain mercury and require proper disposal under hazardous waste regulations — an added handling and compliance burden compared to LED alternatives.

Frequently Asked Questions

What color temperature does the GE MVR250/U produce, and what does that mean for color rendering?

The MVR250/U (Multi-Vapor) metal halide lamp produces a daylight-adjacent color temperature typically in the 4,000–4,200K range with good color rendering for an HID source. Metal halide's CRI is generally in the 65–85 range depending on the specific phosphor blend — significantly better than high-pressure sodium for environments where accurate color discrimination matters, such as retail, industrial inspection, or sports facilities.

What ballast is required to operate the MVR250/U?

This lamp requires a compatible 250-watt metal halide ballast — either magnetic (reactor or auto-transformer type) or electronic, rated for ED28 mogul-base lamps. The specific ballast type (probe-start vs. pulse-start) must match the lamp's design; verify ballast compatibility before installation, as mismatched ballasts reduce lamp life and can prevent ignition.

How long does the MVR250/U take to reach full output after striking, and can it be re-struck when hot?

Metal halide lamps require a warm-up period of approximately 2–5 minutes to reach full lumen output from a cold start. Hot re-strike is not possible — after extinguishing, the lamp must cool for 5–20 minutes before it will reliably re-ignite. This makes it unsuitable for applications requiring instant-on or frequent switching cycles.

What is the lumen depreciation profile over the 6,000-hour rated life?

Metal halide lamps depreciate meaningfully over their rated life — initial lumens can drop 20–30% by end of rated life. The 6,000-hour rating reflects the point at which the lamp reaches a standardized lumen maintenance threshold, not total failure. Factor lamp replacement into maintenance cycles before visible output degradation affects the application.

What applications is the ED28 mogul base format appropriate for?

The ED28 (elliptical, 28/8-inch diameter) bulb shape with mogul (E39) base is the standard format for 250W commercial fixtures — industrial high-bay luminaires, commercial area lighting, sports facility fixtures, and warehouse applications. It is not designed for film or photographic studio use.