Lights work on back up source not utility... :/

[bgelectric]

So here is an update.
Thank you eHunter for the suggestion.
I de-energized the circuit for 20 minutes then re energized them with utility power.
Vwalla!! the lights are now operational!
now what to do with them for co...

 

[mbrooke]

Generator power is often a far cry from utility power. However, I have to admit, your case is rare, 99% of the time its the other way around; things dont work on the gen but do on utility.

Something is different on the gen that has somehow "programed" them or dameged them to only work on gen power. Do these sensors somehow have remote comunications or signalling? It could be that the highly distoirted sign wave or tracking of the voltage regulator in the gen has reconfigured the programming. Its a guess, but plausible.

 

[LEO2854]

I didn't mean that 277 was applied, maybe something like 135 - 150 was applied and now these ballasts don't work on nominal 120 anymore.

I see, so it would be a surge that did it.

 

[kwired]

I see, so it would be a surge that did it.

I was thinking more like:

Generator power is often a far cry from utility power.

Who knows what conditions may have been encountered.

 

[eHunter]

I was thinking more like:

Who knows what conditions may have been encountered.

True.
I suspect it was a rapid series of on-off conditions during the transfer to genset power and back, similar to contact bounce.
This will cause some occupancy/motion sensor switches to change modes of operation and either ignore motion, remain off continously or remain on continously until the circuit is de-enegized for a period of 10-15 minutes.
If the circuits are on a lighting contactor the fix is to install a 2-3 second TDR on the contactor control circuit when on the genset to debounce the transfer.
I ran into a very similar situation and this was the manufacturers suggested fix.