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What the heck is up with this rapid start wiring?

I

ITSME.ULTIMATE

Jan 1, 1970
0
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/9751/clipboard013yi.png

This is a wiring diagram Motorola(now out of lighting business)
specified for 3 lamp rapid start with one lamp in a remote location.

Two lamps on the top row are wired in such way that only one end of each
lamp is heated. Wouldn't this cause the unheated ends to fail
prematurely?
 
V

Victor Roberts

Jan 1, 1970
0
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/9751/clipboard013yi.png

This is a wiring diagram Motorola(now out of lighting business)
specified for 3 lamp rapid start with one lamp in a remote location.

Two lamps on the top row are wired in such way that only one end of each
lamp is heated. Wouldn't this cause the unheated ends to fail
prematurely?

Yes, if wired as apparently shown. Are you sure that the
person drawing the diagram did not make a mistake? Why is
the dashed line there? Perhaps the pair of red leads from
the lamps in the primary and remote fixture are each
supposed to share the pair of yellow ballast wires, just
like the blue/white pair is shared between two lamps.

--
Vic Roberts
http://www.RobertsResearchInc.com
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V

Victor Roberts

Jan 1, 1970
0
Victor,


I have seen this wiring scheme on electronic ballasts before. The
YELLOW wires are connected internally, linking together all of the
leads shared by the remote and the primary lamp. The remote lamp is
optional. When using only 2 lamps, you would ignore the YELLOW dashed
leads and wire the RED heater wires to the primary. I cannot swear that
this is the case, however.

I have wired up an ADVANCE REL-2S110 in a very similar manner, although
the ballast wire colors are different. The REL-2S110 has a BF of 1.15
if operating 2 F48T12HO's, so I tried it with 3 lamps, directly tying 2
lamp ends together.

I was once sent a diagram of a Rapid Start European ballast (Tridonic?)
which was also wired like the Motorola diagram.

Thanks Ron. If the wiring is correct then one of the
electrodes in each of two of the lamps operates without
external heat. This should shorten the life of the
electrodes, except that many rapid start lamps are also
rated for instant start operation. Heating the electrode at
one end of the lamp will allow the discharge to be started
with a moderate open circuit voltage. Once a discharge has
been established, the ballast seems to have enough voltage
to swap cathode and anode even though the new cathode is
still cold. I have never seen data from a cycled life test
of lamps operated in this manner. Perhaps others have and
can point to the data.

--
Vic Roberts
http://www.RobertsResearchInc.com
To reply via e-mail:
replace xxx with vdr in the Reply to: address
or use e-mail address listed at the Web site.

This information is provided for educational purposes only.
It may not be used in any publication or posted on any Web
site without written permission.
 
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