Electrical help!

[Welderpaul]

Any of you electricians tell me what type of light this is...a Son?
Light (should be) permanently on. When its dark it comes on for 10 mins or so, then goes off for a few mins, then comes back on. Highly annoying when it goes off just at a critical moment.

Landlord is an **** so we need to get it sorted and bill him. Not sure if it has an inbuilt photocell, and theres no PIR on it.

Anything obvious from my very technical diagnosis?

 

[Omniata]

Can't quite tell...

Don't do anything unless the landlord agrees though or he may be more of an **** and refuse to pay on the basis you didn't have permission, then be a real **** and tell you to put it back how it was before...

 

[Welderpaul]

The fact that the Landlord is paying has been agreed in writing. Its the only way of sorting the problem - to do it ourselves.

 

[piman]

Hello Paul,

it's difficult to tell from the picture but what you describe is typical of a gas discharge type of lamp that is U\S, replace the lamp and it should be OK.

Presumably it is switched by a photo cell when the daylight goes?

Alec

 

[pete3000]

see the screwfix page.
http://www.screwfix.com/cats/A354547/Lighting-Lamps/Floodlights/Commercial-Floodlights

Type SON is a sodium discharge lamp, choose your wattage 70, 150, 250 or 400?
You can get bulbs fairly cheaply. same site, selection of bulbs.

http://www.screwfix.com/cats/A354592/Lighting-Lamps/Lamps/HID-Lamps

 

[astro_al]

I don't know if it helps, but the ones I have indoors can't be switched back on for a few minutes once they are switched off. Perhaps at dusk when the photocell is 'marginally on', it is switching the light on, then off - hence the gap in light output, then when it is 'convincingly dark enough' it stays on all the time with no interruptions?

Just a theory, probably wrong!

Al.

 

[Welderpaul]

Even in the pitch dark it does the switching on and off thing.

 

[Justme]

If you have a fluctuating supply SON's will "flash" just like that. A mate fitted one to each end of his barn but would not listen to me about cable sizes. He fitted a thin cable & now when he turns them on one at a time the first one on goes off as the second one is turned on. Then as the first one comes back on the second goes off. Some times they will sync & stay on & some times not. Each one on its own is OK unless a large load is turned on else ware on the farm. He does have large voltage fluctuations any way as he is at the end of a long line.

You might need to re wire it on to a different phase if you have some gear that is causing it to flash.


Or it could just be busted.

Edit to add,

Just remembered he sort of fixed it by fitting lower wattage bulbs, not sure if he also changed the controllers as well.

 

[brightspark]

its more than likely the bulb. theres 2 types a son i -and a son e . take it out and check the wattage. bulb will have a triangle printed on it with either an i or an e stamped in it an i stands for an internal igniter in bulb an e stands for external ignitor in fitting check which one before replacing

 

[astro_al]

Anyone know the cheapest source for the bulbs? One of mine has gone...

Al.

 

[brightspark]

screwfix are reasonable or get there price and go to city electrics and tell em u want one cheaper trade price

 

[dave_sussex]

It is most probably the lamp, they do that when they have come to the end of their life, many street lights do the same when the lamp needs to be changed.

If you like, take the lamp out and post the details here, i have a few Son lamps kicking about, i may have one. (details of the actual light fitting could be useful too)

Cheers,

Dave.

 

[Welderpaul]

Cheers all, looks like a trip up a ladder is called for tomorrow.

 

[Drains]

As Justme - our SONs (or Metal Halides), at work sometimes go out when a big motor gets switched on. They don't like a voltage drop.

 

[jugs]

For identification

golden yellow light = SON = Hi pressure sodium

orange light = SOX = Low pressure sodium ( old road lighting, poor vision )

crisp white light = Metal Halide

 

[madkayaker]

its a 250w son if its clicking on and off then its the lamp that's gone your better to get it sorted reasonably quick otherwise it breakers the control gear

 

[Welderpaul]

Problem sorted. Just needed a new lamp.

 

[madkayaker]

there an easy unit we have 50+ at work

 

[Wozzaaah]

its a 250w son

Cheers dad.

 

[madkayaker]

it's not a miss type for a change