Mercury Vapor Fixture
#1
02-10-09, 10:37 AM
Mercury Vapor Fixture
Need help with outdoor mercury vapor fixture. Thought bulb was out, but replacement bulb did not work either. Switch seems to test live, so I'm guessing problem is with fixture itself. Any suggestions on how to troubleshoot this?
#3
02-10-09, 05:00 PM
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More likely photocell failure. but somecase ballast failure as well.
For photocell failure it will go either stuck on or stuck off in failure mode.
However there one major gotcha now due the energy requirements the replacement Mercury Vapour ballast and dusk to dawn luminaires is no longer avavilbe now will have choose either CFL { IIRC about 65 or 120 watts } or Metal Halide it do come in either 70 or 100 watts verison { there is bigger one avable but hard to snag unless you get commercal grade lumainare }
or go with HPS { High Pressure Soduim } that will give out yellow/orangeish colour and they do come in slews of wattages { 35,50,70,100 ,150 } ( the latter three is common used in DTD luminaries )
as long that luminarie what Wirenut show you which it is very common one but if diffrent style let us know we can able guide ya there.
Merci,Marc
For photocell failure it will go either stuck on or stuck off in failure mode.
However there one major gotcha now due the energy requirements the replacement Mercury Vapour ballast and dusk to dawn luminaires is no longer avavilbe now will have choose either CFL { IIRC about 65 or 120 watts } or Metal Halide it do come in either 70 or 100 watts verison { there is bigger one avable but hard to snag unless you get commercal grade lumainare }
or go with HPS { High Pressure Soduim } that will give out yellow/orangeish colour and they do come in slews of wattages { 35,50,70,100 ,150 } ( the latter three is common used in DTD luminaries )
as long that luminarie what Wirenut show you which it is very common one but if diffrent style let us know we can able guide ya there.
Merci,Marc
#4
02-11-09, 02:19 PM
The light is a Regent SMV80W, and Marc, I was having some trouble following your post - so back to figuring this out - what do I need to do to test this fixture.
#5
02-11-09, 02:46 PM
Member
If it turns off/on with a photo-cell test/check/replace it. If it's getting power and doesn't work, it's the ballast.
If it's the ballast, and has a regular base bulb, I would bypass the ballast and just screw in a compact fluorescent bulb.
If it's the ballast, and has a regular base bulb, I would bypass the ballast and just screw in a compact fluorescent bulb.
#6
12-08-09, 11:02 PM
If you know the bulb and photocell are good and there is power present at the fixture, then the ballast is probably bad. As mercury vapor ballasts are no longer manufactured (thanks a lot government), finding a replacement for this one (100 watt ballast would be closest - H38) is going to be difficult and expensive. This same fixture was also available in a 70 watt High Pressure Sodium version. If you are not too concerned with the golden color of the HPS lamp, you can get a ballast for a 70w HPS lamp that should fit inside the fixture with no problems, and a 70w HPS lamp to go with it. These lamps and ballast are not that expensive and one place I like to get my HID stuff is 1000bulbs.com. But for just about the cost of a new lamp and ballast you could buy a new fixture of a similar type in either 70-100 watt Metal Halide or 70 watt HPS. Bulbs and gear is pretty cheap at 1000bulbs.com so you could probably replace both for under $75.00.
