Update: I guess the OVX really did die in less than a month it's now a FCO 125. Same wattage though.

-----[24 Dec 2011 at 22:34]-----
Apparently they never fixed the OVX it's been out since last January and it was installed last December so it's been out for longer than it was working.

And I'm really sure why they decided to use a 250w lume in place of the old 150w GE M-250R2.

Maybe they just wanted a FCO fixture so they replaced it. still though, what a waste in that case.

Most likely it died because it was never relamped, that's my guess anyways...

Yeah those Cooper ignitors don't seem to be fighters when it comes to cycling lamps. Two of the M-250R2s I reported on Rte 37 started cycling around Valentine's Day. Only about three months in. It's still onlt those two cycling though. NGrid didn't even bother to relamp the offramps or merges either. Nor did they relamp the intersecting freeway, I-295. The only thing is that the poles on RIDOT's lights (ones controlled by individual PCs are actually serviced by NGrid) don't have pole numbers so i can't report individual lights without counting the poles myself which I don't plan on doing.

Most ignitors are only designed to last about 6 months with a dead lamp, I wish they would push for more of the auto-off ignitors that only let the lamp cycle a few times before cutting out until it gets power again, that would save a lot of fixtures from being needlessly replaced.

Yeah I agree with automatic shut-off ignitors, but I don't see them at all really. I wonder how much more it costs to have one of those installed in the fixture. I think AEL is the only cobrahead maker who has that feature (that's if they even have it). I think Holophane has that feature for their highmasts.

Yeah Holophane has that option for all of their lights, AEL use to have the feature (according to older catalogues) but they dont have it anymore...

Oddly I don't think that OVX cycled very much...maybe like a week if it even cycled. And yeah I like the idea of auto shutoff ignitors, a lot of fixtures here would be saved if we used them (my utility dosen't replace ignitors).

Hmm. I know this is a late response, but I found this. It's made by Howard Lighting and is a ignitor shut-off device that's wired in with the ignitor's nuetral, similar to your R47's ignitor switch Joe. Sounds pretty good since it can be used with any style ignitor, HPS or PSMH. I wonder how much those things cost...

Interesting find, if these were more popular maybe we wouldn't have to replace anymore Powerlites and Unidors since the ignitor died.

Yeah. I wish they were more popular too. A lot of fixtures here would be saved from NGrid's scrap dumpster.
And to answer Ian's question way up there: The four bundled wires act as three individual primary lines. The fourth wire on the top is just extra. I think the primary lines have to be coated so that they don't flash over though.

Around here ignitors do get replaced.....

I also have 2 photocells that actually has a sensor that will shut off the whole streetlight if it detects cycling.....tried it, it works....when it detects it and stops...an LED inside the photocell will flash

Interesting, they sound like they might be more feasible to retrofit in older lumes, you have a spec sheet or a pic of them?

I think DTL has a "Diagnostic" photocell that does what Jace described. I'm not sure if they're still made.

Update, all the lights before the signals got replaced with LED. The lights past the signals are still HPS as that's the city limit.

LEDs are popping up everywhere in the GTA!

GTA is getting overrun by them. Its only getting quicker. Soon enough the HPS will be gone from streets

Yeah it has been, pretty much the only cities in the GTA with HPS streetlighting is Richmond Hill and Toronto.

Colorado is getting overrun by LED's too, they have replacing ALL of the state maintained lights with LED's, different kinds. There are still lots of HPS but I wonder when those will get replaced. The orange glow of the city will turn blue soon. How soon? Not sure..

Im suprised Richmond Hill hasn't started yet. Toronto still has some in BETA. No actual conversions yet though.

Yeah Ive noticed a difference in the sky in Mississauga where its almost all LED now. Not really Yellowy/Orange anymore