Shop Lights

[kide]

Son-in-law just dropped off 16 400 Watt Metal Halide lights pulled from a high school gym. (A friend of his got them for us). As we were unloading them, I pointed out that they said 277 Volt input. Opened one up - you guessed it - no taps, straight 277 volt. (Magnetek 1130-17R ballast). I'm quickly running out of ideas on this one...

Then I took a look at the two really neat 8 foot fluorescent fixtures he got for me...

 

[digger]

Kendell,
Check your voltage in your shop. If your runnin on the high side of 220, you might just luck out.
If not, hook one up anyway. They will fire. It will just take longer for them to light up.
You can also change out the capacitor if worse comes to worse, the ballast can't tell the dif on what feeds it, grin

 

[kide]

I'll give it a try - I've never worked around any 277 volt lighting circuits - I assume it's mostly used in commercial 3 phase plants alongside the 480 feeds.. I did quite a bit of looking tonight - If I found tapped ballasts, I assume I'd have to change the bulbs ?? I'll check my 220 - I know my 110 runs around 119 - 122 most of the time. Thanks! I'm tryin' to figure out what to use the da.n ballast housings and reflectors for if we can't use 'em for lights...

 

[kweaver]

An adjustable transformer would be nice too. To bad you don't have 3 phase 'cause I've got a stacked 3ph variable. Man I'd like to have good lighting like that in my grudge! A guy was gonna bring me some 10' lights but never showed up.

 

[digger]

The lamps should be fine as well, depending on how many years they have on them.
I kinda doubt the 8 footers will fire on 220, but stranger things have happened.

BTW, I run 277volt MH's in my shop and have for years.

 

[kide]

Ken - have you got three phase? (I kinda think you do from the welder pics...) Is 277 just across two legs or is it a separate feed from the transformer? (My exposure to three phase in my job has been making sure that the electricians had the wiring rotation right on our big 20 ton computer room A/Cs - Squirrel cage fans and compressors running backwards are not a good idea )

 

[kide]

Charlie:
That's good news ! I'll give it a try! My son-in-law has been trying to get these since before Christmas and I know he felt bad, even though it wasn't his fault... If I plug one in, how long should it take to fire? (I assume you mean you are running the MHs on 220 ??)

 

[kweaver]

Nope just 220. The big Miller has 1 & 3 ph transformer hookup. I'd hate to pull the full load on it with 220. It's rated @ 105 amp input on 230v.

 

[digger]

Some fire in 5 minutes, others can take 10 to 15 depending on how good the lamps are and what pushes the juice to them, IE the capacitor.
Also, if the lamps have a ton of burn time, that slows things a bit too.

 

[digger]

Kendell,
120/208, 120/220 tickles when ya grap 2 wires.
277 will knock ya on yer a$$!
BTDT,LOL

 

[kide]

I'll give it a try - I should see about 240 V in the barn. I was really hoping for 220 V lights - really surprised me when I opened the case up that they weren't tapped ballasts - Grainger doesn't even sell single voltage replacements.. BTW -that's the new furnace in the background - won't finish that till spring (too cold in the new barn) It's a hot water unit, should heat my house and workshop..

 

[kcrain]

Kendel I have 4 of those lights in my garage on a 220 circut which checked with meter puts out 240 the lights work great power instantly full power in 2 minutes or less I think you will be happy with them
Keith

 

[bcook]

Kendall: Make sure you discharge/ground out the capacitors before fiddling with them...They will dork ya' too!

Charlie: That 277 does have a special 'feeling' to it

I've 'got it' 2 times in the last 15 years. I always try to keep getting drilled with 277 to a minimum

 

[digger]

Wild Bill,
They will dork ya' too!

Is that the same as knockin your xxxx limp?

 

[bbranstetter]

I don't have big lights like that but I did pick up some freebees that work pretty good. HO, cold weather fixtures work pretty good for the price. Only bad part is that T12 bulbs are going to be phased out pretty soon.

 

[bcook]

Charlie: Yep

Pretty much the same thing.

 

[kweaver]

Kendell -

When ya gonna get those lights turned on?

 

[kide]

KentucK:
This weekend - maybe.. Been down (flu) - before that, had other stuff going. Son-in-law threw away the ones he kept...

 

[kide]

Finally felt like hittin' the shop for a few hours this weekend. Measured my 220 (nominal) single phase at 242 volts. Tried one of the lights - no ignition. Will try doubling up starter caps in parallel, to see if that works (one of the electricians at work suggests that..)

 

[kide]

Called the son-in-law tonight.. Last test was no go -we're giving up on trying to get them to fire on 242 Volt

. May have a line on some 110 Volt ones. Too bad our State Police don't auction stuff like they used to - they used to bust pot growers with big barn setups quite often - we got offered a 125 KVA generator for our data center out of one of them busts - they had lots of big lights that they confiscated too.