Photocell question

Status
Not open for further replies.

zappy

Senior Member
Location
CA.
400 W HID flood light hooked up to the 240v. tap. The photocell was 120v., they ran the two hots through the photocell. Have you ever seen this before? Thank you for your help.
 

GoldDigger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Placerville, CA, USA
Occupation
Retired PV System Designer
400 W HID flood light hooked up to the 240v. tap. The photocell was 120v., they ran the two hots through the photocell. Have you ever seen this before? Thank you for your help.

This is/was a two pole photocell? Presumably containing a relay or SSR? I would question where the control power for the unit was derived from. If there is a neutral, it might be OK.
 

zappy

Senior Member
Location
CA.
This is/was a two pole photocell? Presumably containing a relay or SSR? I would question where the control power for the unit was derived from. If there is a neutral, it might be OK.
It was a 120V. Photocell Blk, Wh, Red
 

grich

Senior Member
Location
MP89.5, Mason City Subdivision
Occupation
Broadcast Engineer
It was a 120V. Photocell Blk, Wh, Red

Back in my apartment maintenance days, there were several 240V HPS pole lights controlled by a simple Intermatic photocell. Only one side of the 240V was switched. Had to keep reminding the boss to kill the breaker when he was messing with the lights or he was gonna get bit.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
PCell wasn't "120 only" but rather 120-277 rated?? Don't know if there is such a thing, but wouldn't be surprised if there is.
 

Jgentles1

Member
Location
Champaign il
I believe what he is doing is using one leg through the
Switch side of the photocell and the other leg parallels the photocell coil and the oposite side of the load. So basically black=line side red= switchleg to hid ballast white=constant hot to photcell coil and hid ballast o ly switching one phase 208-240-480 1phase
 

Amon

Member
Location
Denver, CO
I believe what he is doing is using one leg through the
Switch side of the photocell and the other leg parallels the photocell coil and the oposite side of the load. So basically black=line side red= switchleg to hid ballast white=constant hot to photcell coil and hid ballast o ly switching one phase 208-240-480 1phase


So that is a way but its dumb...Wont get the same life out of the photo cell. Its just a resistor...Why are we asking about trying to use a 120v resistor on a 240v circuit... Why is this a question. 15bucks 208-277 photocell.. It is only controlling a single 400w light? if that's the case probably not a big deal. ..

Basically.. But will it work.. Yes photo cell doesn't really care whats happening with that neutral.. There is no time clock involved? That happens a lot multiple circuits controlled by time clock with the control voltage switched by photocell.
 

hbiss

EC, Westchester, New York NEC: 2014
Location
Hawthorne, New York NEC: 2014
Occupation
EC
So that is a way but its dumb...Wont get the same life out of the photo cell. Its just a resistor...Why are we asking about trying to use a 120v resistor on a 240v circuit... Why is this a question. 15bucks 208-277 photocell.. It is only controlling a single 400w light? if that's the case probably not a big deal. ..

Basically.. But will it work.. Yes photo cell doesn't really care whats happening with that neutral.. There is no time clock involved? That happens a lot multiple circuits controlled by time clock with the control voltage switched by photocell.

It's a photo CONTROL. The photo cell is a component of it. Yes, the photo cell is just a resistor but it controls a thermal or solid state relay that in turn switches the load. You need a hot and neutral for that to work. So, yes the control does care about the neutral.

Possibly, as kwired said, it was a dual rated control? We need more information.

-Hal
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top