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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 33
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RDK Offline OP
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First off the building is a county shop thats built in 1998.There has been two other Electrical company doing repairs on the shop. There was a fall out with them and the county. SO now im the one fixing all the problems. I have one major problem with the out side pot lights. There is no prints for the building so im learning as i go. Everything is three phase 208/120V. Out of the 32 pots only 4 work.They are the proper voltage 120v checked. The others are 255V!! I have no clue or never seen this before. The other contractors just replaced the par38's. Then the next day they burnt out. What or why is this happening?Im lost I looked and look and everything is spliced so so. Help

Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 4,294
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Is it possible that you're checking the voltage at the lampholders, and that they were/are metal halide lamps?

They are available in PAR38


Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,335
S
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It sounds like a either an open neutral within the circuit or a neutral and light leg crossed. You mentioned that everything is 120/208 three phase or Are you talking about the lights in questioned?


"Live Awesome!" - Kevin Carosa
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 33
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RDK Offline OP
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Voltage at the lamp holders. They and just a normal par38 light builb standard.First think I check was if they were MH with a regular buld dropped in.I found no balast just direct connection.The lights never worked since new. And there is no way to check how everything was wired. Main panel 208/120 lights are off of B phase. Hot 255V neutral vols.008 to .8. The same electrical contractor wired 21 175w MH around the shop. They installed the wire behind the bulb and I found 3 lights that burned and the rest have crispy cooked wire. The breakers never tripped pannel is FP stablock. There is also a ton more problems ill show pix latter on.

Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 764
K
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Not sure I understand. Hot 255V neutral vols.008 to .8. ...What?
The fixtures never worked and the building is from 1998 with FPE Stablok? Sounds like the electrical contractor was cleaning out his basement.

Have you tried using 130V PAR 38 bulbs?

Just thought,...with 32 fixtures, I’m guessing you would probably have several circuits to deal with. If they are fed with multiwire branch circuits and you have a loose neutral connection somewhere when under load, then you could potentially turn a lot of those PAR 38’s into flash bulbs.
You might start by checking connections in all of the light junction boxes themselves.


Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 33
R
RDK Offline OP
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Everything is feed from four breakers. FP means Federal Pioneer 15amp stablok's. When I put the meter from ground to hot im getting 255volts. I tryed the same with the neutral to see what the voltage was. Sometimes I explane not to well. Im more of a talk in person guy than a typing guy.Spring they are istalling new sofets So i need to for now temp fix it. I thought maybe thay have a par 38 250V to temp fix for now. Ive pulled open all the pots and everything seems ok. Unless there is a broke wire somewhere.

Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 265
W
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Sounds like the lights may be fed with a multi-wire circuit and the neutural is broken or disconnected.


Jimmy

Life is tough, Life is tougher when you are stupid
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 507
M
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high leg?

Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 853
L
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The last 2 responces sound right.
Have you checked for ballasts?
Your description is vague.
Take a deep breath,Step back, and we can probably walk you thru it.

Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 33
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RDK Offline OP
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Your description is vague.Sorry not a big typer.

No Balasts just a normal pot light check all of them.
I think the neutural is broken but where. I checked all the splice and they look good. Unless there is a juction box somewhere with a bad splice. The bad thing is the building has been botched bad.

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