Fusing Light Poles

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Gategator37

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Has anybody ever fused individually light poles? Say I put several lights on a 50 amp breaker and a ground fault occured at the fixture, rather than it tripping the 50 amp breaker and taking out a whole row of lights it just opened the fuse.

If you guys have ever done this what type of setup do you use?

Thanks for your help.
 
When I started the trade, the town I was working in provided all houses with a post light out front with free power. The POCO allowed us to tap the line side of the meter. We would install one of those rubber 2 wire lamp holders with a fuse adapter & 1 amp fuse. All inside the meter housing.
 
Gategator37 said:
Has anybody ever fused individually light poles? Say I put several lights on a 50 amp breaker and a ground fault occured at the fixture, rather than it tripping the 50 amp breaker and taking out a whole row of lights it just opened the fuse.

If you guys have ever done this what type of setup do you use?

Thanks for your help.
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This is pretty common and the maker of the ballasts for HID lighting will usually recommend a fuse size to use.

For example, a 1000 watt HID running on 480 will get about a 5 amp fuse.

We have used class CC fuses with a fuse-holder made by Copper Bussmann
 
rcarroll said:
Sorry, I don't have a photo. It's just a rubber lamp holder w/ a black & white conductor out the end. We would install the adapter & fuse.
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This it?

503832-Leviton-875-55-Rubber-Outdoor-Light-Bulb-Socket-Pig-Tail-Wires.jpg
 
I don't think it's a code requirement, but here in S FL all three counties used to require fuses in a pole. Heck, Broward county used to require fuses in any "ballast/transformer" luminaire. In certain ways I agree, in other ways I think it's a waste. It kinda makes sense to have the fuse blow on an individual light rather than take all lights out, but what do we avoid? At best an annoyance, after all all buildings are required to have emergency lights. Besides, in over 15 years I did service calls, I never seen a ballast take out the whole circuit. Same on light poles. There's higher chances to have a short down from the fuse in the ground than up the pole. And again from experience, I never seen a ballast take out the whole circuit.

Gategator37 said:
Has anybody ever fused individually light poles? Say I put several lights on a 50 amp breaker and a ground fault occured at the fixture, rather than it tripping the 50 amp breaker and taking out a whole row of lights it just opened the fuse.

If you guys have ever done this what type of setup do you use?

Thanks for your help.
Click to expand...
 
rcarroll said:
When I started the trade, the town I was working in provided all houses with a post light out front with free power. The POCO allowed us to tap the line side of the meter. We would install one of those rubber 2 wire lamp holders with a fuse adapter & 1 amp fuse. All inside the meter housing.
Click to expand...

qcroanoke said:
To my thinking it is.
Also used one for a test light long ago.
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I'm sorry, but I just don't get it still ... :confused: ... why would you need to put a fuse holder and a lamp holder inside the meter housing? If you were putting a fuse inside the lamp holder, I could see that but why put the fuse adapter then? Sorry...I'm dense I guess!
 
lakee911 said:
I'm sorry, but I just don't get it still ... :confused: ... why would you need to put a fuse holder and a lamp holder inside the meter housing? If you were putting a fuse inside the lamp holder, I could see that but why put the fuse adapter then? Sorry...I'm dense I guess!
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I was curious so I did a search. It seems these adapters are used to limit the fuse rating. They prevent overfusing a load; ie, a 5 amp fuse on a 2 amp load.

http://www.surplussales.com/electrical/Fuses/ElecFuses-7.html
 
Strife said:
Besides, in over 15 years I did service calls, I never seen a ballast take out the whole circuit. Same on light poles. There's higher chances to have a short down from the fuse in the ground than up the pole. And again from experience, I never seen a ballast take out the whole circuit.
Click to expand...

That is odd because I have seen it countless times.
 
lakee911 said:
I'm sorry, but I just don't get it still ... :confused: ... why would you need to put a fuse holder and a lamp holder inside the meter housing? If you were putting a fuse inside the lamp holder, I could see that but why put the fuse adapter then? Sorry...I'm dense I guess!
Click to expand...

jumper said:
I was curious so I did a search. It seems these adapters are used to limit the fuse rating. They prevent overfusing a load; ie, a 5 amp fuse on a 2 amp load.

http://www.surplussales.com/electrical/Fuses/ElecFuses-7.html
Click to expand...

It seems that 240.52 may require these S type fuse adapters.
 
FWIW using these lamp holders for fuse holders is a code violation.

503832-Leviton-875-55-Rubber-Outdoor-Light-Bulb-Socket-Pig-Tail-Wires.jpg


410.90 Screw Shell Type. Lampholders of the screw shell
type shall be installed for use as lampholders only. Where
supplied by a circuit having a grounded conductor, the
grounded conductor shall be connected to the screw shell.
Click to expand...
 
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