As some you know I was recently given an Advance 71A5380 100Watt M90/140 Metal Halide ballast
This is my first HID ballast and lamp ever so it is new to me, If you don't count the '12' S62 ballasts that I scrapped about 6 years ago In my defense I did not even know what it was
but with stupid act behind me I can say I was not into lighting like I am now all I knew is that if I was to buy or be given a S62 lamp it would be the infamous orange glow that I ever so hate
OK with that terrible act behind me and my "Introduction" I now have some questions to show how little I know about HID Ballasts
Ignitor
How does the Ignitor work? I know that it gives the lamp a starting pulse of 4000 Volts. Is it's only job to start the lamp? and why does it have 3 wires?
Lamp
What is an M140 Lamp as I can't seem to find any information about them
I do know that is a 100 Watt Metal Halide lamp but that is about it
The lamp I was given is a Castor
M90/U/E/Med
Tell me if I am decoding this right or wrong
M90 = 100 Watt Metal Halide
U = Universal Burning Position
E = Enclosed Fixtures Only
Med = Medium Base
There was about 300 of these turned into LED
and I got the Castor and a bum capacitor But hey at least I got Something
Misc ramblings about lamp destruction
I saw a nice GE lamp but it was destroyed as the electrician dropped it from about 15 FT to the ground into the grass
The lamp did not break but the arc tube was displaced as the support was no longer wrapped around the ED dimple so I left it
I also saw a BT lamp get destroyed (I think it might of been EOL) as it did not work at night but the arc tube was totally clear but the LED also does not work at night so I think that pole just no power. The guy who dropped it said it was the wrong type of lamp for the fixture and something about a Life Guard type of lamp