Remote heads too dim

[Speedskater]

Some golf carts now use 8 volt batteries instead of the traditional 6 volt battery. So maybe an 8 volt battery or two would brighten things up.

 

[mdshunk]

Some golf carts now use 8 volt batteries instead of the traditional 6 volt battery. So maybe an 8 volt battery or two would brighten things up.

Yeah, but when they go flat, the charging board is only going to charge them to a certain level. Plus, the UL concerns, etc. etc.

 

[iwire]

JohnME

I am pondering.... that many heads off one battery pack? That’s what the manufacturer specified? Do you have a model number? I would like more info on product chosen.

I have seen a dual head battery pack with the option of adding a single additional head, Thanks.

JJ

Movie theaters often use large battery units in the projection room that power all the emergency lights in the each cinema.

I did one where one large batter unit was installed in the main electrical room and supplied all the E-heads in the entire building.

In my opinion this was a poor design, miles of 6 and 8 awg running from the main electrical room to all parts of the building. The unit had at least 15 fused output circuits.

As far as the OPs situation if they do not have the proper batter unit already I bet it will be cheaper and more efficient to just buy 5 to 10 stand alone EBUs and install them at the remote locations using the 12 AWG as the 120 VAC supply.

 

[mdshunk]

As far as the OPs situation if they do not have the proper batter unit already I bet it will be cheaper and more efficient to just buy 5 to 10 stand alone EBUs and install them at the remote locations using the 12 AWG as the 120 VAC supply.

I highlighted the red part. If they have the right one's, I agree completely with Bob on the workaround solution. A battery unit is about 40 bucks, my cost. Probably the cheapest reengineering solution.

 

[charlie k.]

John, the first thing I would do is compare the manufactures information to what the engineer put on the drawings. Most models come with literature that details the length of run and wire size. Check this to what is on the drawings. If it matches you are good to go. If it does match RFI the engineer and ask them where they got their info. If the engineer specd #12 and it is too small you should be paid for the extra. Hopefully this in in conduit and not MC or NM.

Charlie

 

[hillbilly1]

Forgot about movie theaters, a couple of months ago changed out 34 batteries in one, would not have wanted to be in that theater during a power outage, only 10% of the emergency lights worked. Looked like the had been that way for years, original batteries, theater was built in early eighties. Big city Fire Marshall was apparently lax on inspections.

 

[JohnME]

Alright- I have 3 circuits for the building.

Circuit #1- 14 heads
Circuit #2- 12 heads
Circuit #3- 10 heads

7.2w lamps in all heads (or so it says on the prints) I have 12v batteries installed, 2 per circuit. I want to say 35 amp hours each.

On the print, all lamp heads show a footnote reading: Provide flush mount junction box and #12 conductors.

Thanks again for all the help. I am pretty much screwed for the certificate
of occupancy unless I create circuit #4 with an additional battery pack to break down the circuits a bit. Going to try it anyway.

 

[mdshunk]

Hey, if you put it in per plan, "you" are not screwed for the C of O, "they" are. As suggested, just put in a change order or RFI someone.

 

[JohnME]

Will do. Just looked up the fixture- dual lite as360. At a cost of $1000+ I am not going to do anything now, shell shock.

 

[LarryFine]

Alright- I have 3 circuits for the building.

Circuit #1- 14 heads
Circuit #2- 12 heads
Circuit #3- 10 heads

7.2w lamps in all heads (or so it says on the prints) I have 12v batteries installed, 2 per circuit. I want to say 35 amp hours each.

Okay, at 7.2w and 12v, that makes each bulb's current (7.2/12) 0.6a. That gives you:

Ckt 1 - 8.4a
Ckt 2 - 7.2a
Ckt 3 - 6.0a

Now figure your voltage at the last light using typical VD calcs, and keep in mind how little voltage drop it takes to make a big difference at 12v.

I agree the best bet may well be to place a complete (cheap?) lighting unit at each head location, or at least every 2nd or 3rd location, and supply 1 or 2 extra heads each.

 

[JohnME]

thanks again guys.

Just an update- the city failed us for the CO due to the emergency lights.

I did end up taking one of the remote circuits and split it in half, and added another pack. Everything worked great at that point. The issue was that the city wanted the emergency lights to come on in the area of the outage- which makes sense. These are tied into 4 circuits and the building has 12 lighting circuits, so figure that one out.

The engineers for the job are telling me I didnt wire it to their plans and all hell is breaking loose.

I have yet to get an answer from anyone as to what I didnt wire per the prints.