Fixture Build Quality

[joe_347V]

My area likes to replace the fixture when ever they change out the pole even if nothing was wrong with the old one.

[Mike]

At least they don't do that here. This was just a surprise thing that doesn't happen very often....

[joe_347V]

They used to keep the old fixture but apparently someone had the bright idea to change them out starting last year.

They also change the arms out too but they use these 6 footers instead of the a 8 foot one so the new pole sticks out like a sore thumb.

[Mike]

When they replace an arm here, which is only if needed, it's a 6 foot upsweep. Those don't mix well with 10ft trusses.

[joe_347V]

I've noticed they only change the stuff if the light is on it's own pole, the lights on utility poles often get reused.

[Jace the Gull]

A lot of places don't change ignitors nowadays....

It's too bad they didn't standardise ignitors like they did with fluorescent starters.

Actually my area does! Even sometimes the fixture original fixture wasn't meant to be changed...sometimes it gets a new ignitor socket and ignitor during fix....if enough time..

[joe_347V]

Actually my area does! Even sometimes the fixture original fixture wasn't meant to be changed...sometimes it gets a new ignitor socket and ignitor during fix....if enough time..

Interesting, I hope more areas stop junking lumes just because the ignitor blew or worse just because the lamp was cycling.

That's good that not all the lights are scrapped.

Yeah otherwise those B2217s would have been scrapped.

[Mike]

Wow. I don't know why NG doesn't replace PLUG-IN ignitors, but they don't. Not even in the GEs that they've installed.

[joe_347V]

The Powerlites (at least the later ones) have plugin ignitors and my area also replaces them.

[Mike]

That's good. The only thing with an external igniter is the lamp cycles, and it's one more part to fail.

[joe_347V]

It's kinda of like fluorescent starters but ignitors are a lot more expensive.

[Mike]

Yeah. Starters are also all standardized as well. All share a common base for the same wattages and have the same operating characteristics, which make them cross-changeable (if that word even makes sense)

[joe_347V]

They should have done the same for ignitors (or at least for the two wire ones which are interchangeable for a given wattage).

[Mike]

Hmm. Of all things, I wonder why NEMA doesn't require a standardized ingitor and plug-in receptacle

[joe_347V]

I think it's because the three wire ignitors weren't really as compatible as the starters and that since HID lights are supposed to be serviced by electrician they thought that they could easily splice a new ignitor in unlike fluorescents which are sometimes serviced by homeowners and a more user friendly system would be better.