"apparent" premature ballast failuredue to rooftop solar installation

[craff]

So we have a building with many (25+) exterior HID flood fixtures. Over the last year our maintenance dept. has replaced 18 of the ballast, three to four times. building owner thinks it's the rooftop solar array inverters. I haven't been out to the jobsite yet. I'm thinking it might just be lamps with worng orientation or heat???? Any help????

 

[ActionDave]

Why does the building owner think it is related to solar arrays? Do the exterior HID's burn during the day? Are you sure you are having to work on the same fixtures?
Correct voltage hook up to the ballast or mismatched lamps and ballast, or fixtures coming to an end of their service life come to mind way before blaming the solar.

 

[raider1]

I would definitely verify that the correct lamps were installed in the fixtures. I have replaced many a ballast where a maintenance person had installed the wrong lamp and destroyed the ballast.

Chris

 

[iwire]

I would definitely verify that the correct lamps were installed in the fixtures. I have replaced many a ballast where a maintenance person had installed the wrong lamp and destroyed the ballast.

I always check lamps against ballasts, far too often they are replaced with any lamp that fits.

PAR 20 39 Watt Metal halides get replaced with the far cheaper PAR 20 incandescent lamps all the time in retail stores.