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150W HPS ballast box - Double-casing model! I already made a single-casing ballast box before, but the fan supply was external and it was an overall crappy prototype. This double-casing model is made of two emptied PSUs combined together. Cooling system is made of two fans (one by casing half) supplied by a 18V AC transformer, rectified with a bridge rectifier and finally regulated by a 7812 voltage regulator. Maximum temperature I got after 90 minutes is 19.2°C! (With an ambient temperature of 14.7°C). Keywords: Misc_Fixtures

150W HPS ballast box - Double-casing model!

I already made a single-casing ballast box before, but the fan supply was external and it was an overall crappy prototype. This double-casing model is made of two emptied PSUs combined together.

Cooling system is made of two fans (one by casing half) supplied by a 18V AC transformer, rectified with a bridge rectifier and finally regulated by a 7812 voltage regulator.

Maximum temperature I got after 90 minutes is 19.2°C! (With an ambient temperature of 14.7°C).

HPIM0221.JPG 100_0938.jpg HPIM0019.JPG HPIM4206c.JPG 100_0897.jpg
File information
Filename:HPIM0019.JPG
Album name:Vince / HID lamps and ballasts
Keywords:Misc_Fixtures
Company and Date Manufactured:Canadian General Electric
Model Number:H1000W36-15
Wattage:1000W
Lamp Type:Mercury vapour
Filesize:857 KiB
Date added:Feb 12, 2011
Dimensions:2592 x 1944 pixels
Displayed:151 times
Color Space:sRGB
Contrast:0
DateTime Original:2010:12:30 20:14:14
Exposure Bias:0 EV
Exposure Mode:0
Exposure Program:Program
Exposure Time:1/60 sec
FNumber:f/3.6
Flash:No Flash
Focal length:7.5 mm
ISO:182
Light Source:Unknown: 0
Make:Hewlett-packard
Max Aperture:f/3
Model:HP DVC V5061u
URL:http://www.galleryoflights.org/mb/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=5014
Favorites:Add to Favorites

Comment 2 to 21 of 21
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SeanB~1   [Feb 12, 2011 at 01:31 PM]
Keep the input filter of the 2 power supplies ( cut the board to just leave a corner up to the bridge rectifier) and use them as a noise filter, fuse and inrush limiting for the ballast.
gailgrove   [Feb 12, 2011 at 02:14 PM]
Nice ballast box Very Happy the lamp not so much Laughing
GullWhiz   [Feb 12, 2011 at 11:11 PM]
Yes I do see the BT lamp.....I may be wrong but it appears to be a Sylvania BT lamp....lucky dude!
TiCoune66   [Feb 13, 2011 at 12:51 AM]
Nah, the BT-25 is "only" a '86 Philips 70W HPS lamp. It used to cycle, but now it doesn't even start anymore.... Sad I wish it was a Sylvania merc though!

Sean: Yeah I could do that. However on most PSUs I get there are way too many components around the bridge rectifier to do so. It makes cutting harder and it won't give something as tidy as using separate components. And the voltage regulator needs to be bolted to the casing to ensure its proper cooling.

Niall: It's only a Philips ALTO, but I still like it ^_^. I like HPS too Wink
joe_347V   [Feb 13, 2011 at 12:54 AM]
Looks good Vince, mine is only a single case model and runs hotter than yours even with the fan running.
gailgrove   [Feb 13, 2011 at 12:55 AM]
I like HPS too, but not ALTOs Mad
joe_347V   [Feb 13, 2011 at 12:56 AM]
Somehow I think my utilty uses them too, one streetlight burnt out in less than a month Confused
gailgrove   [Feb 13, 2011 at 01:55 AM]
Some here cycle from the day they are installed Rolling Eyes
SeanB~1   [Feb 13, 2011 at 06:30 AM]
Funny thing is that here even the Alto lasts at least a year, a lot better than the guess-who-in-china-made-it lamps. It probably has something with the writing on the shipping box saying " Not for sale in the USA " with the American made lamps.
GullWhiz   [Feb 13, 2011 at 06:49 AM]
To be honest....I donno why the people above badmouths Philips Alto HPS.....from my friends experience as lineman and used lamps I receive....average for Philips Alto HPS is about 3 years.......(I've seen more for lower wattage (100/150 watts) however...the 1997 Philips before Alto lasted 10 years!!! Also it's also reported most early failures happens with specific fixtures such as 150 watt acorn with metal shield close to lamp cause early cycling....
Form109   [Feb 13, 2011 at 10:23 AM]
no idea what my utility uses....i would assume the GE Fixtures they install nowadays would come with a GE Lamp but maybe not.
gailgrove   [Feb 13, 2011 at 01:54 PM]
Maybe Jace because ever HPS ALTO I see installed in my city last less than a year, thats why I have a "badmouth" for ALTOs! And Devonte according to the spec sheets GE fixtures don't come with a lamp.
GullWhiz   [Feb 13, 2011 at 02:58 PM]
Coopers are well knownto have bad reflectotrs that causes early cycling...the ones I often find that cycles earlier are the Cooper fixtures.
gailgrove   [Feb 13, 2011 at 03:27 PM]
Actually I have noticed 250 watt 115s seem to cycle very early - out of the 10 I know of that have recently been installed 7 are already cycling or dead Rolling Eyes
GullWhiz   [Feb 13, 2011 at 04:31 PM]
Yes because 250 watt is orignally supposed to be in a medium sized fixture, not a small sized fixture.....in my area my electrical company uses medium sized fixture for 250 and 400 watt....but MD state uses 250 on small fixtures and they often cycle earlier......MD state used to use medium fixtures for 250 watt but they stopped around mid to late 80s although from time to time they use medium fixtures but mostly big fixtures.....that's because 250 is too high to use in small fixtures..... Wink
gailgrove   [Feb 13, 2011 at 07:13 PM]
I know that Jace, but it seems it has always been done since the start of HPS.
joe_347V   [Feb 13, 2011 at 09:37 PM]
@Jace, well I wasn't trying to badmouth altos, I was just saying that I saw a light that burnt out after less than a month in service, sorry for any misunderstanding that might have caused.

Granted, the light is question was a Cooper so it might have been because of the reflector issue.
gailgrove   [Jul 29, 2011 at 09:35 PM]
Hey Vince you should get a 120 volt case fan for this, I'm working on a power supply for my Dad's model train layout and I got one of them, it works much better than having a separate transformer for the fan.
I'll also post a picture of the unit when I'm done (I was done but the transfomer died just after it was installed Rolling Eyes )
TiCoune66   [Jul 29, 2011 at 10:11 PM]
I built my ballast boxes with what I have available, and since I have plenty of 12V transformers and 12V fans, that's what I use LOL.

And I want to add some electronic gadgets eventually (like a temperature control), the 12V supply is there!
streetlight98   [Aug 17, 2011 at 07:21 PM]
I've noticed the FCO M-400's here have early cycling, but it may have to do with the lamp. Rolling Eyes

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