We use the pilot system for Hotwater and Street lighting in West and North Auckland.
There are 2 varieties with the Pilot system.
1. Tail and Charley. Lightcell from substation to contactor, string of 20 streetlights, contactor, string of streetlights etc.
2. Express pilots. Dedicated express pilot line feeding contactors only.
Contactors feed streetlights and hotwater control circuits.
In the meterbox there is an IPR relay or contactor which switches the actual hotwater load.
Near substations you see LV 8 wire systems, 3Ø + N, 2 pilots and the two express pilots.
Further away down the line you see LV 6 wire systems.
Most lights are 85, 250 or 400 Watts SOX, high pressure sodiums with the peach orangy glow.
The restrike is reasonably fast. quite often less than 1 minute although the older SOX lamps can take up to 5 minutes for a restrike.
Low pressure sodium has disappeared, perhaps a couple of them are in use in remote areas.
Biggest issue was the poor colour rendering.
