HPS Light Fixture Problem

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noeernlat

Member
Location
Washington State
I was called out to troubleshoot an outside HPS light fixture 1. There are two next to each other. I thought perhaps it had a bad lamp so I removed the lamp from fixture 1 and swapped it with fixture 2. When I did that it revealed that it wasn't the lamp that was bad because the lamp from fixture 1 worked in fixture 2, but the one from fixture 2 didnt work in fixture 1. Both of the fixtures have a photocell hooked up to them @ the light so I taped off the photocell to test it and after a few seconds power was then being sent through on the red leg from the photocell to the ballast. So i figured that the ballast/ignitor combo was the problem. Today when i went to install the new ballast/ignitor i did so and also put in a new lamp. I made sure all the parts matched the requirements for the fixture, but when i taped off the photocell again the darn light didnt come on. How long is it supposed to take for the lamp to turn on ? I am stuck and need help. Tomorrow i will go back and by pass the photocell and hook ballast directly to the light fixture and see if it works. If it doesn't what do you guys recommend? am i missing something? Thanks for your time guys!
 
stevebea

stevebea

Senior Member
Location
Southeastern PA
If the photocell is taped the lamp should come on within 3-4 minutes. Did you check voltage at the fixture with a Wiggy or DMM? Do a visual inspection of the socket.... process of elimination.
 
ActionDave

ActionDave

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Durango, CO, 10 h 20 min from the winged horses.
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Licensed Electrician
noeernlat said:
I was called out to troubleshoot an outside HPS light fixture 1. There are two next to each other. I thought perhaps it had a bad lamp so I removed the lamp from fixture 1 and swapped it with fixture 2. When I did that it revealed that it wasn't the lamp that was bad because the lamp from fixture 1 worked in fixture 2, but the one from fixture 2 didnt work in fixture 1. Both of the fixtures have a photocell hooked up to them @ the light so I taped off the photocell to test it and after a few seconds power was then being sent through on the red leg from the photocell to the ballast. So i figured that the ballast/ignitor combo was the problem. Today when i went to install the new ballast/ignitor i did so and also put in a new lamp. I made sure all the parts matched the requirements for the fixture, but when i taped off the photocell again the darn light didnt come on. How long is it supposed to take for the lamp to turn on ? I am stuck and need help. Tomorrow i will go back and by pass the photocell and hook ballast directly to the light fixture and see if it works. If it doesn't what do you guys recommend? am i missing something? Thanks for your time guys!
Click to expand...

Check for a complete circuit, verify you have selected the proper tap for the available voltage, and hit the enter button at least twice when making a post this long.
 
LEO2854

LEO2854

Esteemed Member
Location
Ma
noeernlat said:
I was called out to troubleshoot an outside HPS light fixture 1. There are two next to each other. I thought perhaps it had a bad lamp so I removed the lamp from fixture 1 and swapped it with fixture 2. When I did that it revealed that it wasn't the lamp that was bad because the lamp from fixture 1 worked in fixture 2, but the one from fixture 2 didnt work in fixture 1. Both of the fixtures have a photocell hooked up to them @ the light so I taped off the photocell to test it and after a few seconds power was then being sent through on the red leg from the photocell to the ballast. So i figured that the ballast/ignitor combo was the problem. Today when i went to install the new ballast/ignitor i did so and also put in a new lamp. I made sure all the parts matched the requirements for the fixture, but when i taped off the photocell again the darn light didnt come on. How long is it supposed to take for the lamp to turn on ? I am stuck and need help. Tomorrow i will go back and by pass the photocell and hook ballast directly to the light fixture and see if it works. If it doesn't what do you guys recommend? am i missing something? Thanks for your time guys!
Click to expand...

Bypass the photocell and verify that you have votage on black to ground and then black to white you want to make sure you have the right votage for your ballast allways make sure that the HPS ballast came from an un opend box
do not trust any thing else .and the proper wattage for the lamp

test your photo cell put a heavy duty black glove over it then rap tape around it some times photo cells can pic up sunlight through the black tape
There is a lot more to it ,,hopefully it works
 
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