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National Grid Training Facility: An Indoor Streetlight! OK I was grinning ear-to-ear when this greeted me as I entered the room full of mock set-ups at the training center (see photo of the capacitor bank for info as to why I was there). This is an NOS (as in never installed outside; I suppose technically it's used so it's not NOS) GE M-250R2, 100W HPS. NEES used this style arm (1-1/4" galvanized steel) in the 1990s during the big HPS onslaught. I suppose this could be from the 90s. It's no later than the early 2000s since by 2005 or so I think GE has changed their NEMA tag font and I think starting around 2004 NGrid switched to Cooper lighting products until ultimately going back to GE by 2006-ish. Note the tape wrapped around the PC. That must mean the light is operational, though the HV stuff is not connected to anything. There is a 4X4 splice box above the two triplex feeds to the right. I believe that's what feeds the light, though I'm pretty certain the light was connected to the triplex as well. The triplex goes to a service drop for a fake house (just an office/storage room) with a meter and everything. The light is 12-15 off the ground. Also note the short length of Hendrix construction primary cabling under the street light. And there's a cut-out on the pole against the far wall behind the street light. Keywords: American_Streetlights

National Grid Training Facility: An Indoor Streetlight!

OK I was grinning ear-to-ear when this greeted me as I entered the room full of mock set-ups at the training center (see photo of the capacitor bank for info as to why I was there).

This is an NOS (as in never installed outside; I suppose technically it's used so it's not NOS) GE M-250R2, 100W HPS. NEES used this style arm (1-1/4" galvanized steel) in the 1990s during the big HPS onslaught. I suppose this could be from the 90s. It's no later than the early 2000s since by 2005 or so I think GE has changed their NEMA tag font and I think starting around 2004 NGrid switched to Cooper lighting products until ultimately going back to GE by 2006-ish.

Note the tape wrapped around the PC. That must mean the light is operational, though the HV stuff is not connected to anything. There is a 4X4 splice box above the two triplex feeds to the right. I believe that's what feeds the light, though I'm pretty certain the light was connected to the triplex as well. The triplex goes to a service drop for a fake house (just an office/storage room) with a meter and everything. The light is 12-15 off the ground.

Also note the short length of Hendrix construction primary cabling under the street light. And there's a cut-out on the pole against the far wall behind the street light.

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Filename:021717_009.jpg
Album name:Mike / Outdoor Lighting
Rating (1 votes):55555
Keywords:American_Streetlights
Filesize:356 KiB
Date added:Feb 18, 2017
Dimensions:2048 x 1536 pixels
Displayed:263 times
URL:http://www.galleryoflights.org/mb/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=21490
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lite_lover   [Feb 18, 2017 at 03:52 AM]
Looks like a cool facility. Cool
streetlight98   [Feb 18, 2017 at 04:03 AM]
Yeah I had a blast checking everything out! they also had a couple more M-250R2s on arms but I wasn't able to discretely snap any pics of them since we weren't in close proximity to them.
joe_347V   [Feb 20, 2017 at 12:32 AM]
Cool facilty! I wonder if they teach you how to install streetlights too.
streetlight98   [Feb 20, 2017 at 12:49 AM]
they must since it's part of the job (albeit a small part) though I don't know if we will get to install a street light (or have it explained to us). I think the most we do is climb a pole, pound a lag, install a crossarm, and cut/splice cable.
HPSM250R2   [Feb 20, 2017 at 01:36 AM]
@Mike
Doesn't sound bad at all. How long is this training?
streetlight98   [Feb 20, 2017 at 02:34 AM]
My class at National Grid is once a week for 9 weeks, 8:30 to 2:30 with a 20 minute break and 40 minute lunch break.
HPSM250R2   [Feb 20, 2017 at 02:40 AM]
Wow 9 classes? The school I contacted was like a 3 month course, like 4 days a week.
I might need to look into National Grid.
streetlight98   [Feb 20, 2017 at 02:50 AM]
That's ONLY the hands-on part at National Grid.It's much more involved than that. I've already completed a semester of courses (five) and I'm taking three other courses besides this one. In total, I will have taken nine coursed over the course of eight months. It's only the "fun" part that's 9 classes. The rest of it is more like a year. The rest of it hasn't been super easy but it hasn't been anything I can't handle without a little extra help from my professors.

Currently, I have a class called Electrical Systems on Monday and Wednesday from 8:30AM to 12:50PM and Renewable Energy Tues and Thurs from 2:30 to 3:45. Last semester I had Applied Math (advanced algebra and trigonometry), Digital circuits, electromechanical circuits, energy industry safety, and intro to energy industry.
HPSM250R2   [Feb 20, 2017 at 02:55 AM]
Oh I see. I haven't done enough research. But the school in Tennessee I reached out to I think covers everything in the three months. It sounds pretty good. It's the pole climbing that I am hesitant about.
For me, since I have been out of school since 2009, I don't really want to go back lol.
NiMo   [Feb 21, 2017 at 02:03 AM]
That is definitely an early 90s M250R2. I could tell by the top housing. When NGrid had a display setup at the Erie County Fair here, there was something similar in use.
LilCinnamon   [Feb 21, 2017 at 02:23 AM]
Mike, is this training for a job or just schooling? Oh it looks like schooling, correct? am ever so looking for actually getting a job and failing, or not looking hard enough, I don't wanna work for Walmart forever, any suggestions on how to start for any of you that know?

How much did it cost to go in, and is it just for lineman training or what?
HPSM250R2   [Feb 21, 2017 at 02:46 AM]
@Ian
Sounds like we're in the same/similar boat. I'm ready to move on to something bigger and better.
streetlight98   [Feb 21, 2017 at 04:02 AM]
@ NiMo: It's gotta be post-1993 but yeah, definitely from 1994-1999 since there was no logo on the door. In 1993, the M-250R2s had flat bottoms on the door and before that, the "house side" of the refractor was semi-recessed and the NEMA tag font was different.

@ Ian: Correct, it is through school. My community college offers this program. It's not just going to National Grid, NGrid is just part of the bigger picture (school). My general tuition (not included textbooks was $2193 for the Fall Semester and $2220 for the Spring Semester, which I am currently in. Add about $600 for textbooks and you get a grand total of about $5000 for my certificate. This program does not guarantee a job, but in general they will hire someone who successfully completed the program over a "nobody" off the street. NGrid historically has not hired many people from the program in the past three years but we were told that's supposed to change. I know a couple of contacts at NGrid (former and current employees) and if NGrid doesn't work out I could seek other local companies like Eversource (Tony works for them).

Another interest in mine is light manufacturing. I like to design light fixtures out of common parts. But that's a hobby, not a career. The lighting business is all LED-focused now, something I have little desire for. Plus I like personally constructing each light. Owning a company that has automated assembly and produces in mass numbers wouldn't be the same...

BTW, Ryan, how do you like that fixture (and PC) I sent you? Have you found a use for the fixture yet?
HPSM250R2   [Feb 21, 2017 at 04:09 AM]
The photocontrol is the year I have been looking for. So at least I've got another 2003 again.
I don't have anywhere to install the light in my parents house. I could use it in my house eventually though. For now all I can do is wire it to a cord and plug it in.

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