probably not protected at all since weren't the early electronic ballasts unpotted? It probably explains why these things were so junky. Did all LOA products use electronic or semi-electronic ballasts or did their early fixtures use real magnetic ballasts at one point?

hmm i wonder if that was the issue,i wonder if there would be a way to pott the electronics in some type of resin to protect it from moisture/condensation

I believe LOA changed the design of their electronic HPS ballast but it was still junky, knowing LOA I bet the electronic ballast in this was left unprotected.

I believe the 80w MV electronic ballast on my ICI Lite-Light had a protective lacquer coating though. The only LOA fixture I knew that used a real magnetic ballast was their 15w undercabinet light which had a real choke with a hardwired starter.

@Aaron, I believe you should be able to get resin, lacquer and/or potting epoxy from a electronics supply place and paint some on or dip the ballast in it.

yeah i don't think i've ever seen a pre-2K LOA light around here. RI gets very muggy in the summer which would be the death of any unpotted electronic ballast. That's why most computer labs are air conditioned so the humidity doesn't fry the computers.

Yeah most probably have since failed...When did LOA start making light? My guess is the 80s since that's the earliest light from them I've seen on here or LG.

Toronto gets pretty humid in the summer too, most places here are air conditioned. My elementary school did not have AC and every May and June it got so hot and humid during class the teachers turned most of the lights off.

I just tried it.....The lamp started for 2 seconds,then snap,crackle, pop the lamp went out and some smoke came out of the electronics what a piece of junk I knew these things weren't much good,I picked this up mainly for the lamp.

Be very careful!!!! Jeremiah the J-frog had once had gotten one, tried it on original lamp, it worked, but when he put a Westinghouse BT lamp in, it started to fire up then sputtered off....the ballast had failed!!!!

here the schools don't have AC in most rooms. My elementary school had central air in the library, computer lab, the office area, and auditorium and a window unit in the art room. I think the music room may have had central air...

My middle school had central air in the music rooms and window units in the two art rooms and three computer/technology rooms. Other than that there was no AC at all.

At my high school there are some window units in random rooms as it seems. My Physics room has two ancient window units but both are low on freon and don't cool off the room at all so they're not used... there's no central air at my high school since it was built in the 50s.

@Darren, wow these are junkier than I thought.

@Jace I find it funny that a Westy managed to kill the cheapo LOA ballast.

@Mike, my elementary school had no AC at all (odd since it was built in the early 80s) except the Kindergarten areas which has a window unit but my high school had central AC...possibly retrofitted in when they added ducts in the drop ceiling since it was built in the 60s.

It's even worse in my neighbourhood! The elementary school is split in two buildings, one built in the mid 30s and the other in 1912 I still remember the huge cast iron hot water radiators, most being original to the buildings. They are of the typical 1910s style LOL.

The classrooms were hot in June! But I think my high school had A/C, despite being a building from the 1940s.

Wow, did the lamp survive?

unfortunate about the instant failure, wonder if a magnetic ballast of any kind would fit inside?

@ Joe and Vince; ah my elementary school was built in 1992, the middle school was built in 1970. Orginally, the only high school in Cranston was Cranston High on the east side next door to city hall. Then my high school was built in 1958 (additions have been added though, the last one in the late 90s) and Cranston High was renamed Cranston High School East and my school was named Cranston High School West (most people refer to them either as Cranston East and Cranston West or even just East or West).

Yes,the lamp is ok. It might be possible to stick in a reactor ballast,the space is pretty small though.

@Darren, I guess either a HPS choke or a electronic CFL ballast (for a 18w LPS conversion) would fit.

@Vince, sounds like your elementary school and high school were pretty interesting...any old lights left in them?

Yes,a 35W to 70W HPS choke should fit,the space might be a little tight for a electronic CFL ballast.

The only place with old lights is the attic of the 1912 part, still incandescents! I think the basements of both buildings have incandescents too.

interesting. i don't think i've ever seen a school (or any commercial building) with a basement or attic (unless you cheat can call the space above the drop ceiling an attic lol)

Interesting, my schools were pretty new and didn't have attics too. Unless you count the loft area above the stage.

Most buildings downtown here have basements and some have underground connections to the subway or neighbouring buildings.

Most of my schools growing up except one school did not have any AC at all...the only AC you would find is in computer labs, sometimes lounge rooms, and a few others....but they were all window or wall AC type.....the schools ranged from 1964-1969....although the 1969 had a newer wing built in 1988 (they had some clear mercs in the halls!!!) I think they had AC.....

But one school built in 1998 had complete AC system!