Gallery of Lights

Lanterns/Fixtures => Modern => Topic started by: RichD on October 10, 2011, 05:39:26 PM

Title: NEMA vs. Yardblaster...
Post by: RichD on October 10, 2011, 05:39:26 PM
Hey guys. Can somebody explain the difference between a NEMA head/fixture and Yardblaster? I've been using the terms interchangeably, but I gather they're two different things..? ???
Title: Re: NEMA vs. Yardblaster...
Post by: Mike on October 10, 2011, 08:25:56 PM
A NEMA head is better built and is more for the commercial market while the modern yadblaster is usually poorly built and is more for residential markets. The yardblaster has a screw on bucket optic and is usually 9" wide. The NEMA head has latch on optics that are 12" wide. Overall, NEMA heads are more expensive but are far better built than yardblasters. An easy way to tell NEMA heads from yardblasters is that yardblasters have a triangular mounting flange while NEMAheads do not.
Hope this helps. Let me know if you need more help. ;)
Title: Re: NEMA vs. Yardblaster...
Post by: joe_347V on October 10, 2011, 08:51:45 PM
Basically a NEMA head is a lighting head with a 6" opening and two latches for fitting the optics on to it. It does not depend on the type of optic fitted...a bucket light, gumball, radial wave can be considered a NEMA head if it meets the NEMA requirements.

Even the oddball GE 201-SA is considered a NEMA head.
Title: Re: NEMA vs. Yardblaster...
Post by: Mike on October 11, 2011, 02:25:02 PM
Yep. i know lots of people believe that the tern "NEMA head" is referring to the bucket style lens with the ballast head. The truth is, like Joe said, that the term "NEMA head" is referring to the part were the socket and usually the ballast are. And yardblasters (except for mercury ones) have medium base sockets where as NEMA heads are almost always mogul sockets. (some companies make the MH ones medium for some reason. :8) ) I personally don't think HID lamps should ever use medium base sockets unless it's a self ballasted one.