Pole light keeps blowing its fuse

[wtredding1979]

At a facility I'm working at I have a bit of an issue with a 277v LED pole light. It keeps blowing its fuse and I worked it from 3 amp up to 15 amp and it still keeps blowing. I'm thinking it's a ground short somewhere . The kicker is that the fuse does not blow right away and usually works for an hour without issue. Out of five lights this is the only one that has this issue. I tried removing the surge arrestor just to see if that has any effect. I have performed an amp draw on it and it is pulling within specifications. I would like some other opinions if anybody has run into this issue before. I'm considering testing the insulation going back to the building but like I said before this is the only light that has this issue and it is at the middle of the circuit run, not the ends. I'm wondering if I should just replace the entire light.

 

[d0nut]

Simply increasing the fuse size without actually finding the problem is not the solution. You were given a great head start in your troubleshooting that it does not appear you have taken advantage of yet. Your problem exists after the fuse that keeps blowing. You know which light has the issue. Troubleshoot that one light, and only that light, and you will find what is causing the fuse to blow.

 

[PaulMmn]

Does each light have its own fuse? Otherwise, how can a light in the middle of the run blow a fuse?
That said, it's one lamp on one pole (I assume).
Runs for an hour before blowing the fuse. Check the lamp socket or the lamp for something that's heating and flexing-- get it warm, and it shorts the circuit.

 

[wtredding1979]

Simply increasing the fuse size without actually finding the problem is not the solution. You were given a great head start in your troubleshooting that it does not appear you have taken advantage of yet. Your problem exists after the fuse that keeps blowing. You know which light has the issue. Troubleshoot that one light, and only that light, and you will find what is causing the fuse to blow.

I am troubleshooting only that light and what advantage are you referring to?

 

[wtredding1979]

Does each light have its own fuse? Otherwise, how can a light in the middle of the run blow a fuse?
That said, it's one lamp on one pole (I assume).
Runs for an hour before blowing the fuse. Check the lamp socket or the lamp for something that's heating and flexing-- get it warm, and it shorts the circuit.

Each pole light has its own fuse and it's an LED system there is no socket

 

[wtredding1979]

I am troubleshooting only that light and what advantage are you referring to?

Also I was increasing the fuse size to see if that was actually a short it was just to see if it was a shorting problem.

 

[herding_cats]

The driver is heating and loading up. Replace it or the entire fixture.

 

[d0nut]

I am troubleshooting only that light and what advantage are you referring to?

Then you are taking advantage of the information you have. There aren't many things that could be going wrong in a single light. The delay on the fuse blowing could be heat related, or it could be due to vibration, or something else. Check your conductors and terminations for tightness, signs of overheating, or abrasions. If you don't find anything, then just replace the whole light and pull new wires in the pole if you want. Your time is worth more than a replacement light. Then you can take the light back to your bench and mess with it to your heart's content.

 

[Krusscher]

If the fuse is right at the light then I would assume its that fixture having an issue. With it blowing a 15 amp fuse I would think you would be able to see or smell an issue there.

 

[wtredding1979]

Yeah unfortunately it's not as easy as it used to be with the old halide light systems where I can replace easily any component I wanted with off-the-shelf parts. I think I'm just going to call it a day and replace the whole thing like you guys said I'll take it with me and I can monkey with to my heart's content which will probably just be throwing it into the trash considering how busy I am.

 

[petersonra]

Intermittent short perhaps. Not easy to find. Best bet is replace wiring and see if problem goes away.

 

[wtredding1979]

Yeah I probably should have just replaced the wires going down the pole but I didn't have enough time. It's not easy for me to get the bucket truck. I thought about megging the wires going back to the panel but nothing else is being affected. The light has been a problem child for the last 6 months.

 

[petersonra]

Yeah I probably should have just replaced the wires going down the pole but I didn't have enough time. It's not easy for me to get the bucket truck. I thought about megging the wires going back to the panel but nothing else is being affected. The light has been a problem child for the last 6 months.

If there is an intermittent short, megging may not reveal it.

 

[LarryFine]

If it was 120v, I'd suggest temporarily replacing the fuse with a high-wattage incandescent bulb.