ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Neutral To Ground

Friday we had the main service (277/480V) shut down on a job I am finishing up. I took that opportunity to pull the neutral disconnect link and check for neutral to ground connections. Sure enough, there were some. We traced them down to a couple of pinched neutral ballast wires in the ReLock lighting system. The last one we found was (is) in the exterior metal halide wall packs. Since these fixtures were not in our scope of work (installed by core and shell contractor, powered by us) we left it alone and today I wrote a letter to the owner via the General Contractor notifying them of the problem.
I am a little worried that I may have opened up a can of worms. I am now being told by my PM that he had a lot of trouble in getting clear readings with HID fixtures in the past. (This was in the infamous Huntington Beach area for those of you from around here) They have a connection or leakage that gives you the impression there is a bad connection.
Is this common with HID fixtures? I have always thought the neutral to ground reading should be clear no matter what. Does the circuitry in these fixtures not allow this?
Posted on: Mike Holt & Electrical-Contractor.net

Nick,
I replaced the cap in a M/H HID, and it seemed to "correct" the equivalent problem.
Also, one doesn't need to use a "supermeter" to satisfy the folks in HB.
Of course, I'd never suggest that you cheat, but some of the people that pass this test do it with a battery and a light bulb!

[This message has been edited by electure (edited 04-30-2002).]

Thanks Scott,
The job I am doing is in Ontario and already finaled. We didn't have the test to go through. The job I was referring to in Huntington was some fancy hotel my PM did when he was a GF. I was just being proactive trying not to leave this job with known problems. Turns out it has come around to bit me. The Architect and engineer have responded it is in my specs to fix the problem. Even though we did not supply or install the lights or branch circuiting to them. I haven't double checked yet to see if I have an out but as well written as there specs were they are probably right. What's that saying again?... Nice guys Finnish where?

[Note to self...Don't be so conscientious in the future.]

[This message has been edited by Nick (edited 04-30-2002).]