Replacing Metal Halide Arc lamps

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david.mullins

david.mullins

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Location
Santa Barbara, CA, USA
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Electrical Engineer
We are looking into replacing our metal halide arc lamps in our shop/warehouse with LEDs and we also want to go to a long fixture rather than bulbs to eliminate shadows from the point lights. The current fixtures take the GE MVR 400U bulbs and the luminaire has a transformer base, mounted by clamps to the roof beams, and plugged into an outlet, directly above the transformer (within a foot, horizontally). It appears to be a straight blade plug and outlet.

My question is, first, is this installation still legal (straight blade? not quite "directly beneath" the outlet?, C shaped clamps with thumb screws to the metal ceiling beam?) :?

Second, can we then replace them with fluorescent style fixtures with LED elements using same outlet. We'll probably chain the fixtures to the steel beams, if so.

Thanks!
Dave
 
I believe by "transformer" you mean the ballast housing on top of the fixture?

This sounds like a normal installation in every metal buiding I have seen.

The outlet has a specific amperage and voltage rating so the new fixture needs to be rated to be powered by that.

There are two options for replacing.

1. Bypass ballast in existing fixture and install a high power led corn cob lamp

2. Install new 4' or 8' t5 fluorescent or LED fixtures
 
Glock23gp said:
I believe by "transformer" you mean the ballast housing on top of the fixture?

1. Bypass ballast in existing fixture and install a high power led corn cob lamp

2. Install new 4' or 8' t5 fluorescent or LED fixtures
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Yes, that's the ballast. On 1, GE sells direct screw-in LED replacements but they're over $200 each. Not sure if anyone has copied them, yet. 2. Those are the ones we're leaning toward as long as that style of cord and plug is legit to minimize re-wiring the whole shop. Thanks!
 
I have bought Hyperikon corn cob lights, fluorescent leds and wallpacks on Amazon with zero problems.

There are many lamp manufacturers with warrantys so look elsewhere besides GE.

I just looked into the current options to replace some old T12 fixtures in a 48x60 shop and I am installing some 4 lamp T5 HO fixtures. The dollar per lumen just isn't there for 4` LED tubes yet. The similar LED fixture to the T5 is twice the price per fixture. That's a hard sell.

My $.02

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-T337A using Tapatalk
 
david.mullins said:
Yes, that's the ballast. On 1, GE sells direct screw-in LED replacements but they're over $200 each. Not sure if anyone has copied them, yet. 2. Those are the ones we're leaning toward as long as that style of cord and plug is legit to minimize re-wiring the whole shop. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Personally I would not go that route. If you are really looking for long life and energy savings you should be eliminating the ballast as well.


On the other hand if you are just looking to say 'We went LED' and want power company rebates than a retrofit lamp may be just the thing.
 
I'm definitely in the "replace the whole luminaire" camp. Just the other day I installed some LED 2X2 drop ins. There was no comparison, they were miles ahead of any fluorescent with an LED retrofit lamp. The same is true in the HID world.
 
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