ADH030412 HID TroubleShooting - Electrical Sector

1 HID TroubleShooting GUIDE. These suggestions are intended to serve as a LOW LIGHT OUTPUT 3. Set the ohmmeter to the highest resistance guide in determining the possible cause of the 1. Check voltage supply. scale and check the capacitor. There should problem and to suggest corrective maintenance 2. If unit is equipped with a multi-tap ballast, be one of three results: procedures. If a large percentage of lamps fail to verify the Electrical connection is on the a. If a low resistance is measured on the operate in a new installation, it will generally be proper voltage tap. ohmmeter and gradually increases, the found that operating conditions are causing the 3.

2 Check for loose Electrical connection on capacitor is operable. trouble. In this case, the entire Electrical capacitors. Verify capacitor is wiring properly b. If a high resistance is measured on the installation should be checked thoroughly. within the circuit. ohmmeter and does not decrease, the Because high voltages are common in HID 4. Incorrect or defective capacitor replace capacitor is open and should be replaced. lighting systems, it is recommended that only capacitor. c. If a low resistance is measured on the qualified personnel attempt to make Electrical ohmmeter and does not increase, the measurements or take corrective measures and VISUAL INSPECTIONS capacitor is shorted and should be that they use reasonable caution in doing so.

3 Before any components are checked internally in replaced. the fixture, make a visual inspection of the lamp, LAMPS Electrical system and components. (Ballast). (Normal End of Life) Check ballast assembly for burned components. 1. Mercury and Metal Halide lamps at end of life (Lamps check for:) Check for loose Electrical connections. If the tend to emit low light output along with 1. Cracks in the outer envelope and broken arc ballast has problems, it is possible that one of intermittent starting. There will be some tubes. the following could be the problem. blackening on the ends of the arc tube and 2. Cracks or seal leakage where envelope meets some erosion of the electrode tips.

4 Base. 1. If the system is an older system, it could be 2. High Pressure Sodium lamps tend to cycle off 3. Blackening at ends of arc tubes. normal end of life for the ballast. and on at the end of life. This is a result of the 4. Leaker (sodium deposits inside envelope). 2. Check lamp source and wattage to make sure lamp requiring more voltage from the ballast 5. Correct light source and wattage used in it corresponds with ballast label ratings. If the to stabilize and operate than the ballast can conjunction with proper ballast. light source and wattage are mismatched with provide, thus the lamps cycle off and on. 6.

5 Correct orientation of Lamp Base Up (BU) or the ballast, it can lead to premature end of life At this point the HPS lamp could have Base Down (BD). for the ballast. blackening on the ends of the arc tubes and 3. If the ballast is located in an extremely high possibly a brownish color on the outer ( Electrical System Check:) ambient temperature, it can overheat the envelope which is sodium deposits. 1. Check ballast for insulation or coil damage. ballast. 3. Low Pressure Sodium lamps retain their light 2. Check leads for loose connection, 4. It is possible that a voltage surge damaged output at end of life; however, starting disconnected or pinched wires.

6 The ballast. becomes intermittent, then impossible. There 3. Check multi-tap ballast to make sure incoming 5. A shorted or open capacitor can damage the will be some blackening on the end of the arc line voltage is on proper tap of ballast. ballast. Also, check the capacitor rating on the tube. (120V to 120V tap, etc.) ballast label with the capacitor to insure that 4. Swollen top or rupture in capacitor. the two match. (Lamps Will Not Start) 5. Check to see that capacitor rating agrees with 6. The ballast can become inoperative when the 1. Check lamp possible wrong wattage or capacitor rating on ballast label. capacitor is wired wrong or if the wiring is voltage lamp installed.

7 Verify lamp source shorting against the housing. and wattage are being installed in conjunction (Ignitor). with information on ballast nameplate. (For High Pressure Sodium and low wattage To determine if ballast is supplying proper 2. Verify that lamp is properly seated in socket Metal Halide only. This component is used as a starting voltage to the lamp the open circuit and retighten if necessary. CAUTION: starting aid only.) voltage must be verified. See table below for Tightening too much may cause lamp to proper measurements per lamp source and break. Note: Never attempt to measure the voltage wattage. 3. Check voltage supply Incoming voltage for pulse of the ignitor (2500 volts).

8 Attempting to reactor and high reactance ballast should be measure this could destroy your measuring ANSI Open Circuit with 5% and all others should be within 5% instrument. Lamp Type Wattage Voltage (approx.). of designated voltage. MERCURY. 4. Replace with a known good lamp. 1. Check fixture with a known operating lamp. If H38 100 225. lamp starts the ignitor is good. H39 175 225. (Lamps Cycle) 2. Install a known operating ignitor. If the lamp H37 250 225. 1. This could be caused by normal end of life starts the original ignitor was bad or H33 400 225. with High Pressure Sodium lamps. Replace miswired. If the lamp fails to start, check the H36 1000 375.

9 Lamp. ignitor accordingly: METAL HALIDE. 2. Verify proper wattage and voltage of the lamp M98 70 230. being installed. M90 100 275. M102 150 275. 3. Heavy motor loads could be the problem. It is a. For 35 watt thru 150 watt HPS with a M57 175 300. always advisable to remove lighting circuits 55 volt lamp, insert a 120 volt M58 250 280. from those circuits servicing heavy incandescent lamp in the socket. If the M59 400 300. and/orpulsing loads. Heavy motor loads lamp burns, the ignitor should be replaced. M47 1000 400. canconsume so much power that the lamp b. For 150 watt thru 400 watt HPS with a 100 M48 1500 420. will not have enough voltage to sustain its volt lamp, place a mercury lamp of HIGH PRESSURE SODIUM.

10 Operation. comparable wattage in the fixture. If the S62 70 110. 4. If this is an outdoor application equipped lamp burns, the ignitor should be replaced. S54 100 110. S55 150 110. with a photocell, there may be a defective c. For 1000 watt HPS check the ignitor by S56 150 190. photocell. Replace the photocell with a replacing the original ignitor with a known S66 200 190. shorting cap, if the lamp remains on, the operating ignitor. S50 250 190. photocell is defective. If the lamp still cycles, S67 310 190. the lamp is probably defective or the wrong (Capacitor) S51 400 190. lamp/ballast combination has been used. 1.