Fluorescent Light - proper voltage

I have a fluorescnet light fixed in a new industrial paint booth application. The data plate says 277 VAC .43AMP 110VAC .9AMP. On the system I have 480V 3phae 60Hz with a neutral. When I measure from one phase to neutral I get ~270V. If I hook one phase and neutral to the balast wiring will this give me the proper voltage that is needed to operate the light fixture? I do not have 110VAC available, with out running new wires. Any help with this would be greatly appriciated.

Reply to
David McCarroll
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270 V should be well within its operating range. The fact that you are asking this question causes me a little concern that perhaps you are not qualified to perform the work.

Charles Perry P.E.

Reply to
Charles Perry

Take a break here..

I have been in the "bus" for 35 years and have NEVER seen and dual voltage fluorescent ballast. I am not saying that they do not make it I have never seen one. HID fixtures all of the time. HID's are usually not used on spray booths. There should be some red,blue wires going to the ends of the lamps. If this ballast really has two transformers in it. Then there should be 2 sets of line wires for the ballast.

If you get on the wrong set of input wires, you will let the magic (smoke) out.

277 is nothing to play with. It flat hurts when you get hit. Please consult a electrician locally before possibly making an huge mistake.

Please provide the manufacture and model number for this ballast, so I can learn something new. Thanks

Reply to
SQLit

On Fri, 29 Oct 2004 06:53:53 -0700, David McCarroll put forth the notion that...

Yes, but where are you getting your power from? This should be coming from a 15 or 20 amp breaker, and not just tapped off of any old hot wire nearby. 277/480 volt systems are dangerous to work with unless you completely understand what you're doing. Also, you may have to run your power in explosion proof conduit and fittings, so check with a qualified industrial electrician.

Reply to
Checkmate

Thank you for the information. Yes, I probably am not the most qualified person to tackle this. My part of the system was to program and control the spray guns used to apply the coating to the product. However, the licensed electrician was not sure either. I was just trying to use an available resource for the answer.

Thank you,

David

Reply to
David

I had never heard of this before either. Thanks for your input. I will make sure, that is one thing I'm trying to do now, before I connect any wires. I have worked with 480 V 3 phase before, just never used one phase of it with a neutral for anything. So was just trying to make sure, and ask someone who might know a little more than me.

Next time I am out on site I will get all the specific information from the ballast and post it. Thanks again for your input.

David

Reply to
David

Thank you for the information. I am getting power from a newly installed sub-panel from an 80 AMP breaker that is feeding a control enclosure through a 60 AMP fused disconnect. In the enclosure there is a distribution block, I would be picking up one phase from the distribution block and neutral from the neutral bar installed in the control enclosure. This is all new wiring. I've worked with 480 V 3 phase power before going to motors and such, but that was using all three phases, I have never used

1 phase and a neutral. I was just trying to verify with those who probably know more than I, before hooking anything up. Again thank you for the questions, give somethings to check.

David

Reply to
David

277V is common for industrial/commercial lighting. As you have found, it is the Phase to neutral of a 3 phase 480 volt system. The licensed electrician did not know this? John
Reply to
JohnR

I was surprised by this myself. I don't know why he didn't seem to know this or why he hadn't thought about it. Anyway, thanks for the info.

David

Reply to
David

I've seen a lot of dual voltage ballasts. There are generally 3 input wires, the voltage select wires usually have a stickers with either 120 or 277 printed on it. Use the one you need, insulate the one you don't.

Handy to stock them if your facility has both voltages, keeps inventory down although the unit cost is usually a little higher.

Reply to
uray

I'm not surprised. I've had one who couldn't figure out a machines required supply voltage (240 or 480) while staring right at the control transformers input taps.

Reply to
uray

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