I ran across low voltage 2x4 parbolic lense flourescents today.

[quogueelectric]

It consisted of what looked like reg 277 reloc was 48 volt DC flourescent baallasts with a phone line type cable run along side and connected to the lv dc ballast. Has anyone ever seen this before??

 

[quogueelectric]

I cant believe across the entire united states No one has seen this system other than the Cow it is not that complicated and I will have to further investigate hans solo I see. edit to say 2X2 not 2X4

 

[Pullnwire]

I have

I have

I have seen these, they were designed to allow untrained persons (helpers and laborers install and wire fixtures. A jw will wire the "power pack" and the helpers plug in the cables and set troffers. In California, they passed a law that all electricians had to be state certified, and all apprentices had to be in a state approved program, or else they had to work as helpers, and not work on circuits over 75 volts I think? Hence the birth of the low volt troffer. Try finding a ballast for that bad boy!

 

[quogueelectric]

I have seen these, they were designed to allow untrained persons (helpers and laborers install and wire fixtures. A jw will wire the "power pack" and the helpers plug in the cables and set troffers. In California, they passed a law that all electricians had to be state certified, and all apprentices had to be in a state approved program, or else they had to work as helpers, and not work on circuits over 75 volts I think? Hence the birth of the low volt troffer. Try finding a ballast for that bad boy!

I did I used two and have 5 left. I heard it was to be more compatible with a future solar system but what a pita to just change a simple ballast a short would take out an entire dc power supply circuit talk about pressure. the phone line stuff freaked me out a little.

 

[Pullnwire]

How do they work? can you tell a difference in light output?

 

[ultramegabob]

take some pictures if you can, who is the manufacture?

 

[quogueelectric]

How do they work? can you tell a difference in light output?

I dont know kind of freaky I will find the manufacturer i should have writen it down but they look like and are a retrofit to a standard 2x2 fixture w 2 fo32 t8 lamps they run exactly the same. brb I think I found a link.

 

[quogueelectric]

take some pictures if you can, who is the manufacture?

Here it is I found the link http://www.nextekpower.com/

 

[electricalperson]

ive seen these at a trade show last year. they come with a special cable and connectors that plug into a remote ballast somewhere else. if im not mistaken they said they operate with low voltage but high hertz

 

[crossman]

they said they operate with low voltage but high hertz

or did they say low hertz? or maybe no hertz?

 

[quogueelectric]

or did they say low hertz? or maybe no hertz?

They said it will really hurts when you get the bill for this stuff.

 

[quogueelectric]

They said it will really hurts when you get the bill for this stuff.

Aparently from the website the direct connection from rooftop solar panels to the dc ballasts has a 99% efficiency because nothing is wasted storing to battery or running inverters. I didnt get the reason until I read the website.

 

[crossman]

That website is a bit misleading.

Sure, the solar panels produce DC, and if our loads are DC and everything is the same voltage throughout, then we don't need the inverters and other items which cause some lost efficiency.

But, if we are also using the AC utility, notice we have to install a rectifier to create the DC for our DC loads. So, the efficiency saved on the solar panel side is lost in the conversion of the utility AC to the DC. And for most installations, the utility is going to be supplying more power on an average basis than the solar cells, unless the solar system is pretty darn huge.

Still, I see their point for today's electronic loads such as a computer.... We take the solar DC, convert to AC, then conver the AC back to DC. Lots of places for inefficiency there.

 

[quogueelectric]

That website is a bit misleading.

Sure, the solar panels produce DC, and if our loads are DC and everything is the same voltage throughout, then we don't need the inverters and other items which cause some lost efficiency.

But, if we are also using the AC utility, notice we have to install a rectifier to create the DC for our DC loads. So, the efficiency saved on the solar panel side is lost in the conversion of the utility AC to the DC. And for most installations, the utility is going to be supplying more power on an average basis than the solar cells, unless the solar system is pretty darn huge.

Still, I see their point for today's electronic loads such as a computer.... We take the solar DC, convert to AC, then conver the AC back to DC. Lots of places for inefficiency there.

The system is being set up by some sort of engineer to match the fairly known stable load such as lighting to the solar panels on the roof which are not installed yet I would guess the system transfers the load very efficiently for what they claim. The whole point is to get off poco and go almost direct solar.

 

[crossman]

Makes sense to me. But at night, and on cloudy days, they will need a connection through rectifiers to the utility, or lots of batteries.

 

[electricalperson]

or did they say low hertz? or maybe no hertz?

the ballast would mount somewhere in the drop celing and the company would lay out the lighting and supply you with special 2x4 fixtures and cut wire with connectors already installed. all you had to do was install it and plug everything in. you could also buy the wire on a reel and cut and install each piece yourself. i dont know what the benefits would be for using this kind of system verses line voltage

 

[quogueelectric]

the ballast would mount somewhere in the drop celing and the company would lay out the lighting and supply you with special 2x4 fixtures and cut wire with connectors already installed. all you had to do was install it and plug everything in. you could also buy the wire on a reel and cut and install each piece yourself. i dont know what the benefits would be for using this kind of system verses line voltage

The ballasts are replacing the original fixture ballasts they are 48V dc with a phone line plugged into them. No batteries on cloudy days just normal poco to power supplies 48v dc very efficient.