Fluorescent shop lights?

Davej posted for all of us...

I read the threads about the ballasts. Does anyone install the quick disconnects while doing it?

Reply to
Tekkie®
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I doubt quick disconnects. Most just use wire nuts on the replacement ballasts. When working I bet I installed hudreds of ballasts and always used wire nuts. Most of the ballasts were on 277 volt circuits. They are not normally changed often enough for quick disconnects.

Reply to
Ralph Mowery

It is the code now in commercial and has been for the last few cycles

410.130(G) (G) Disconnecting Means. (1) General. In indoor locations other than dwellings and associated accessory structures, fluorescent luminaires that utilize double-ended lamps and contain ballast(s) that can be serviced in place shall have a disconnecting means either internal or external to each luminaire. The line side terminals of the disconnecting means shall be guarded.
Reply to
gfretwell

I think we are talking about two differant things. YOur disconnect is manily a switch to cut off the power to the light to make it safe and my thinking is a multiconnection plug where the ballast can be changed out just by disconnecting that plug instead of the 6 or 8 wires of the ballast. I wish that local disconnect had been in effect at the place I worked at. The building was very large and some if it was 6 floors tall. We often had to hunt for the breakers to turn off the lights to change out the ballast. We did put inline fuse holders in the ones we changed out so the next time we could kill the power. Also most of the lights were on a 277 volt circuit that ment you had to cut off 3 breakers to totally kill the power as often only one neutral was used. Break the neutral and youcould have power fed through on the other two legs.

Reply to
Ralph Mowery

This is usually a connector on the ballast itself to comply with "contain ballast(s) that can be serviced in place" as cheap as possible.

There is a push for NEMA to standardize this plug but I imagine the manufacturers all want their own design..

Reply to
gfretwell

snipped-for-privacy@aol.com posted for all of us...

So Greg, my takeaway (new lingo) is that in dwellings they are not required . Would you do it in your own home?

Reply to
Tekkie®

Probably not. I am not shutting down a whole row of lights in an office building when I change a ballast. I to think that once they settle on a common connector, all ballasts will have one. Most homeowners don't change a ballast anyway.

I am thinking about ordering a bunch and retrofitting all of my 48" lights to T-8. I am running out of F40-T12s and I might as well get into the 21st century.

Reply to
gfretwell

With 60 Watt LEDS at $20 +, it is not worth it.

You can get 10 CFLs for that price.

Most are rated for 5 + years.

One problem with CFL's is that they don't last in humid environments or in enclosed spaces where heat is not disappated.

Reply to
Andy

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