Had to change the lamp again, I wonder why every lamp I put in this goes bad after 10 months or even less sometimes? could it be the 45 degree angle it's burning in? This time I installed a clear lamp it doesn't look that bad.
No those FPolc PCs turn on way after it's needed! I'm ready to climb up the pole in front of my house and sharpie half the window on that FPolc PC so that it comes on at a reasonable time lol.
Ahh if it's 175, buy a sylvania lamp at Lowes. they're about $16 bucks or so and will last a good long time it seems. I don't think it's the angle though...
Yea you'r right my mistake it's been a while since I'v had one installed But that 1985 FP up now works like a charm. yea to be honest I'm not too worried about it right now it gives me something to do once in a while. Plus i don't have the money for it right now, it's reserved for something else.
3-way bulbs can only run base down. You could install one of those LOA Bulb Buster things that run right on the 175W ballast lol. If the lamps still don't last with a different brand, could the capacitor be going, or is this an HX ballast?
No cap. on this ballast and when I first started out I was burning a 3 way lamp base up.? This was when my dad was terrified of mercury vapor lamps and wouldn't let me have any.... Now I have too many. LoL.
They are...I've seen them in hardware stores and would've bought one to stick in my 175w yardblaster to ease the load on my off-grid power system but not for 27 bucks
LOL the Bulb buster thign was a joke. I wouldn't use that. I heard they fail the first night it's under freezing (so as soon as you put it out i guess lol)
Nah don't use stinky sodium vapor. Let's see how this MV lamp turns out i guess. Maybe you had just gotten dud lamps.
I don't think it's the ballast or the lamp's position though. I think it's just the lamps. It's too bad we don't live in the early 60s when planned obselecence wasn't in the dictionary yet and a lamp that failed before the end of its rated life was unheard of.
I would probably stick a older (but not vintage) lamp like say a early 90s Sylvania or a late 90s Philips Westinghouse both of which are still common on eBay but should still last as long as a vintage lamp.
The early 90s Philips MVs are decent from what I'm told, they still even have the Lifeguard arc tube, albeit in a rattly Philips ED lamp. I have two and they seem OK but my area light is only turned on when needed so I really can't say for sure.
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Ahh if it's 175, buy a sylvania lamp at Lowes. they're about $16 bucks or so and will last a good long time it seems. I don't think it's the angle though...
Nah don't use stinky sodium vapor.