RAB (and Hubbell) HID lights - issues?

[PetrosA]

I think this was brought up before, but not in its own thread. I have a customer that I put a RAB wall pack (WP2 series IIRC) in for back in November. That one took a dump in early February, and now the replacement has taken a dump as well. In the meantime I was in the back room of the supply house and noticed a huge number of various RAB and Hubbell HID returns (over 25 is my estimate). I asked the counter guys what's up with that and they said the electricians must be installing them wrong. Maybe it's me, but they seem easy enough to wire and certainly not difficult enough to warrant that number of returns . Are any of you noticing some quality issues with lights from these companies? I also seem to remember reading that RAB is actually a subsidiary of Hubbell, so maybe the issues are related?

 

[hurk27]

Depends upon what they are failing for, Hubble might make the fixture but who's name is on the ballast? and what is the failure?

it might be easy to wire an HID fixture but how many electricians include the start up current into the voltage drop calculations? << big cause of startup problems with HID type fixtures.

We use RUUD and their lower cost Economy brand, but you get what you paid for with the latter.

 

[jumper]

I install and service these wall packs and I have not had any major problems.

http://www.hubbellonline.com/wiring/killark/PDF/7SecL/L178.pdf

 

[norcal]

Last Hubbell fixture I installed was made in China but it has been doing fine, was rather annoyed when read the box label "Made in China". Chinese goods are built to a low price, & that could be a explaination of the high number of returns.