HID Test Equipment

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wireman3736

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Vermont/Mass.
I've heard in the past that someone makes test equipment that screws in like a hid bulb that will test an hid fixture for the proper output, I just recently started looking for such a beast but haven't had any luck, if anyone could supply me with any info on where I may find something like this it would be greatly appreciated.

thanks stan
 
Well there only a few things that can go wrong with a HPS or HID.
If the HPS is cycling, its a bad lamp
You can test the ballast with a standard incandescent lamp
The most basic is replace the lamp
The ignitor is simple to replace.
Button photocells are very unreliable. Try to use a twist lock PE if you can, then you can test with a PE shorting cap
 
Standard HID Testing Equipment - abridged

Standard HID Testing Equipment - abridged

HID Assembly / Component Testing Equipment:

HPS - upto 150W Medium base screwshell lamp (55 volt lamps):
* Reactor / Autotransformer ("Ballast") output Tester = 120 VAC Incandescent Lamp (anything in the 25 to 100 watt range will work),
* Capacitor Tester: Analog Multimeter - scalable for at least Rx100K Ohm range,
* Ignitor Tester: (1) - Oscilloscope capable for > 3.5KV input pulses, (2) Known-Good Ignitor.

HPS - 150W and higher Mogul base screwshell lamps (100 Volt lamps):
* Ballast output Tester: Mercury Vapor lamp of equal wattage,
(Capacitor and Ignitor Testers same as above).

Mercury Vapor + Probe Start Metal Halide
* Ballast Testing:
(1) 0-600 Volt Voltmeter (Open Circuit Voltage range = 200 - 350 volts)
(2) Clamp type Ammeter - True RMS or basic Averaging is OK (Short Circuit Ampere load from Ballast = 1.0 Amps for 100 Watt lamp Ballasts, to apx. 4.5 Amps for 400 Watt lamp Ballasts).
* Capacitor Testing: Analog Multimeter - scalable for at least Rx100K Ohm range,
*** For Pulse-Start Metal Halide lamp Ballastry - Ignitor Tester:
(1) - Oscilloscope capable for > 3.5KV input pulses, (2) Known-Good Ignitor.

LPS
* Ballast Testing:
(1) 0-1000 Volt Voltmeter (Open Circuit Voltage range = 500 - 685 volts)
(2) Clamp type Ammeter - True RMS or basic Averaging is OK (Short Circuit Ampere load from Ballast = 1.0 Amps for 35 Watt lamp Ballasts, to apx. 3.0 Amps for 180 Watt lamp Ballasts).
* Capacitor Testing: Analog Multimeter - scalable for at least Rx100K Ohm range.

Scott35
 
Its been my experience that the ballast seldom fails. If a known good lamp does not work, chances are about 90% of the time it is the ignitor.​
 
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