Flourescent Ballast Wiring

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jap

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Take and Advance ICN-4S54-90C-2LSG ballast for instance that has the option to operate (2) of the lamps if a switch is installed between the incoming neutral conductor and the Red/Grey lead of the ballast.

Would you pull (2) white (or grey) neutral conductors down to the wall switch since in actuality we are switching the neutral if its 120v?

To me, by rights you should, but, seeing 2 white wires terminated on a wall switch seems odd.
 
I thought switching the neutral was a code violation?

Even if not ... wouldn't a short result in a light you cannot turn off, and a ballast that could only be worked 'hot?'

What am I missing?
 
I dont know how to post a wiring diagram but that's what it does.
A switch is placed between the neutral or one phase and the Red/Grey conductor of the ballast to operate a seperate set of lamps.
 
The fixture that this ballast is in does have the Wago quick disconnect if it needs to be serviced.
 
I think the diagram is showing something I encountered in the field a few years back and still don't understand, but it seems you can connect the "grey-red" to either a hot or a neutral to allow all lamps to operate.
That corresponds to info I revived from a manufacturer when I encountered problems quite a few years back.
As with all my info, it should be taken with a grain of salt.
 
Yeah, those diagrams aren't clear at all.

But it seems like if the grey/red is floating, the additional lamp(s) are off.
If g/r is brought 'low', the additional lamps will turn on, and if g/r is brought 'high', the same.

The text says 'Neutral (or any hot)', and the footnote says 'For all HCN ballasts hot leads are black with orange with black with white'.

I think they mean the ballast line leads as hot, and they say any hot in case the applied voltage is 208 or 240.

So if the branch-circuit has a grounded conductor, use that for grey/red, if not, use either ungrounded conductor.

I think....
 
Volta said:
So if the branch-circuit has a grounded conductor, use that for grey/red, if not, use either ungrounded conductor.
Click to expand...


Which of course brings us to here ...

404.2 Switch Connections.

(B) Grounded Conductors. Switches or circuit breakers
shall not disconnect the grounded conductor of a circuit.

Exception: A switch or circuit breaker shall be permitted
to disconnect a grounded circuit conductor where all circuit
conductors are disconnected simultaneously, or where
the device is arranged so that the grounded conductor cannot
be disconnected until all the ungrounded conductors of
the circuit have been disconnected.
Click to expand...

If you are breaking a connection to neutral without breaking the ungrounded connection it seems that would be a violation.
 
iwire said:
Which of course brings us to here ...



If you are breaking a connection to neutral without breaking the ungrounded connection it seems that would be a violation.
Click to expand...

Yes but...

The current carrying neutral has not been disconnected, rather, an input for control logic has changed from low to floating.

Maybe.
 
Volta said:
Yes but...

The current carrying neutral has not been disconnected, rather, an input for control logic has changed from low to floating.

Maybe.
Click to expand...

I agree, maybe.

I think the connection is unusual enough that they could have provided a better explanation.
 
You guys are missing the point. The gray/red wire can take a neutral OR hot to enable the other 2 lamps to come on. I usually switch all 4 lamps the same, so I throw the gray/red in with the neutral or sw leg up in the fixture, it doesn't matter, it all works the same. If you were trying to switch the lamps seperate(like A B switching) then you need two seperate HOT switch legs, one to the black, one to the gray/red.

They're not telling you to switch the neutral, they're simply saying if a neutral is attached to the gray/red, the other 2 lamps are ON.

I come across these ballasts all the time in high bays, I'm surprised none of you all have seem them?
 
Cow said:
You guys are missing the point.
Click to expand...

I don't think so but it sure is possible.

They're not telling you to switch the neutral, they're simply saying if a neutral is attached to the gray/red, the other 2 lamps are ON.
Click to expand...

In my opinion they are telling you that you can control two of the lamps by switching the neutral to the gray/red.
 
Cow said:
You guys are missing the point. The gray/red wire can take a neutral OR hot to enable the other 2 lamps to come on. I usually switch all 4 lamps the same, so I throw the gray/red in with the neutral or sw leg up in the fixture, it doesn't matter, it all works the same. If you were trying to switch the lamps seperate(like A B switching) then you need two seperate HOT switch legs, one to the black, one to the gray/red.

They're not telling you to switch the neutral, they're simply saying if a neutral is attached to the gray/red, the other 2 lamps are ON.

I come across these ballasts all the time in high bays, I'm surprised none of you all have seem them?
Click to expand...

I agree with Bob and Volta. They are clearly showing the grey/red wire being switched. Why would anyone install a 4 lamp fixture connected so only 3 lamps work? Or a 3 lamp fixture so only 2 lamps work. That wouldn't make much sense. Maybe I'm misunderstanding your post, but it sounds like that's what your suggesting.

Yes but...

The current carrying neutral has not been disconnected, rather, an input for control logic has changed from low to floating.

Maybe.
Click to expand...

I agree 100%. You are not switching a power neutral. Two (or three) lights remain lit, so nobody will think the power to the fixture has been shut off. And if your inspector still doesn't like it, just use a hot wire instead of the neutral:) Apparently it doesn't matter which one is used.

Steve
 
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In my mind,the reason for the Grey/Red is so you could have 2 stage lighting.

The Reason they indicate that it could be "Neutral" or "Hot" is because the ballast is multivolt.

You could run this ballast on 120, 208,240 or 277v.

On a 208 or 240v circuit,the Red/Grey is connected to one of the phase conductors,,,not a neutral.

They do indeed indicate a switch between Red/Grey and the Neutral (If its 120 or 277).

or

A switch between one of the phase conductors and the Red/Grey (if its 208 or 240v).
 
But I do see where it indicates Neutral or any hot.

I'll have to throw it on the table and do some bench testing.:)


If thats the case, why did they give an option to switch the neutral?

Should have been just " Any Hot" and the wire should have been just plain red,,, not red with a grey tracer.
 
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