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hnc


Registered: 07/11/04
Posts: 145
Loc: Maine
Last seen: 8 days, 13 hours
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Salvaged Lighting
#5617992 - 05/11/06 04:40 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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Have never had the cash to invest in a nice HPS lighting system, so I've never bothered to do a significant amount of research into how they work and how to set one up. But by a stroke of luck I came across an up-rooted street light and just couldn't help myself... I managed to bring home the following.
-150 Watt HPS Bulb -35-150 Watt Starter -Mogul Socket -150 Watt Ballast -Capacitor -Reflecting Hood
I did have to cut 3 wires that I am unable to identify the source of or their purpose but considering I have the important parts, it stands to reason that I'll be able to repair it. I was just looking for general comments and suggestions. Thanks.
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Schwip
Never sleeps.


Registered: 06/27/05
Posts: 3,937
Last seen: 11 years, 2 months
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Re: Salvaged Lighting [Re: hnc]
#5618079 - 05/11/06 04:56 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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good find! too bad it wasnt one of the huge hps lights like they put up on the hightway. 
sorry, i cant help you wire it up..... but im sure someone around here can help
-------------------- -------------------------------- " If the sky were to suddenly open up there would be no law. There would be no rule. There would only be you and your memories... the choices you've made, and the people you've touched. If this world were to end there would only be you and him and no-one else. " .............. "MAN! You know there aint no such thing as left over crack!"
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Legoulash
Stranger

Registered: 09/07/02
Posts: 4,347
Last seen: 12 years, 7 months
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Re: Salvaged Lighting [Re: Schwip]
#5618334 - 05/11/06 06:03 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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The wires will be marked with what their purpous is. What do the wires say? Is the Socket already wired to it?? IS the capasitor/ignitor/transformer all rigged together already??
It should have a wiring diagram on it so try and get a pic of that if you can.
Also the "extra" wires are just for differnt voltages IME*.
Chances are you just have to wire an extention cord to 3 wires. The black is your hot the white is nutral and the green is ground. They should just be color coded with an extention cord.
Also use extreme causion with capasitors they hit hard. sometimes you dont get a second chance with them.
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whatever123
Whatever I did, I'm sorry


Registered: 04/07/05
Posts: 2,613
Loc: San Diego, CA
Last seen: 5 years, 6 months
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Re: Salvaged Lighting [Re: Legoulash]
#5618354 - 05/11/06 06:07 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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I remember using camera capacitors to shock people when I was in middle school. Good times....
-------------------- Koala Koolio said: there should be a 3 month waiting period between registration and posting.
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hnc


Registered: 07/11/04
Posts: 145
Loc: Maine
Last seen: 8 days, 13 hours
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Re: Salvaged Lighting [Re: Legoulash]
#5618402 - 05/11/06 06:18 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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There is some writing on the 3 cut wires but none of it seems to indication a fuction. By flexing my powers of deductive reasoning, I going to take a leap and say its simply the power, white black and green. You indicated that the white and black are hot and neutral and green should be the ground.. and yes, it was completely wired up for me.
So all I need here is a heavy duty extension cord and some crimps to wire'em together or...?
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ToolTroll
tourettic


Registered: 08/02/04
Posts: 2,326
Loc: N. Cack
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Re: Salvaged Lighting [Re: hnc]
#5618595 - 05/11/06 07:05 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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I would go for it, man. Wire a heavy duty extension cord to the three wires and plug it in, it seems pretty basic. Use basic safety precautions, turn off the power to the outlet, use lots of electric tape, etc. Good luck, man.
-------------------- "This whole idea that different is bad, that a change in consciousness is in itself harmful, is really one of the fundamental problems inherent in the drug war.” - Rick Doblin my cactus collection You vote with your dollars. Everyday. Vote responsibly.
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Schwip
Never sleeps.


Registered: 06/27/05
Posts: 3,937
Last seen: 11 years, 2 months
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Re: Salvaged Lighting [Re: hnc]
#5618600 - 05/11/06 07:06 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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it should work that way......
a long while back i had some similar lights.....they were wired for 220v and would not light up properly if just plugged into a normal 110v plug...
do they at least mark a voltage one there?
-------------------- -------------------------------- " If the sky were to suddenly open up there would be no law. There would be no rule. There would only be you and your memories... the choices you've made, and the people you've touched. If this world were to end there would only be you and him and no-one else. " .............. "MAN! You know there aint no such thing as left over crack!"
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MrMolotov
Ganja Patrol


Registered: 06/12/05
Posts: 640
Loc: SoCal
Last seen: 14 years, 1 month
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Re: Salvaged Lighting [Re: ToolTroll]
#5618611 - 05/11/06 07:09 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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Sodder the connections if you have the equipmnt. be careful
--------------------
OI OI OI
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trauma47645
The MushroomKing


Registered: 02/09/06
Posts: 771
Loc: Somewhere in this place c...
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Re: Salvaged Lighting [Re: MrMolotov]
#5618630 - 05/11/06 07:15 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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I dont think street lights will run on house voltage (110 or 220). I think they run on an offline service which would be either 440 volts or 660. Both of which are extremely dangerous but you should be able to get a 440 line run from your circuit box to a 440 outlet.. 440 is the common voltage that is run into a house before it is reduced at each breaker to the proper voltage for the appliance... 440 is commonly used in industrial setting for running high power machinery (three phase motors), welders and the such
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hnc


Registered: 07/11/04
Posts: 145
Loc: Maine
Last seen: 8 days, 13 hours
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Re: Salvaged Lighting [Re: MrMolotov]
#5618645 - 05/11/06 07:19 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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I do have a soldering gun but I'm not sure if it would be good practice to put that much load through something like that, but correct me if I'm wrong. I've only done minor circuity work and what not, nothing dealing with major power supply.
I can't seem to find anything that would indicate what voltage is needed. The starter says 55 volt but other than that the components are pretty indescript. I pulled the manufactorer and model number off the transformer but google doensn't seem to be helpful with this one. Do you think I should just go with trial and error? Plug it in and see what happens?
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Schwip
Never sleeps.


Registered: 06/27/05
Posts: 3,937
Last seen: 11 years, 2 months
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Re: Salvaged Lighting [Re: hnc]
#5618691 - 05/11/06 07:33 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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worst case it wont work.....
disclaimer: im no electrician, and well, you probably shouldnt listen to me
-------------------- -------------------------------- " If the sky were to suddenly open up there would be no law. There would be no rule. There would only be you and your memories... the choices you've made, and the people you've touched. If this world were to end there would only be you and him and no-one else. " .............. "MAN! You know there aint no such thing as left over crack!"
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trauma47645
The MushroomKing


Registered: 02/09/06
Posts: 771
Loc: Somewhere in this place c...
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Re: Salvaged Lighting [Re: Schwip]
#5618716 - 05/11/06 07:39 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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trial and error with the internal parts of that light exposed can result in severe damage to the unit or your property, a fire, injury to yourself or bystanders, and even death. I would not reccomend playing with that thing if you dont know what your doing.. even if you hook it up to 110 and it doesnt light provided its hooked up you probably energized all the components of that light which could lead to a potentially fatal electic shock if you touch them... your best bet is to get someone who knows what they are doing
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hnc


Registered: 07/11/04
Posts: 145
Loc: Maine
Last seen: 8 days, 13 hours
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I'm confident that I could install a system if I had bought it from a store and didn't have to speculate about compatability, wire identification, etc. I don't even have the resources to put something like this to use for another month or more, so I definately plan on dedicating some hours to this before attempting anything.
Now assuming this is infact setup for 440 or more, what parts would I need to replace to put it to use? I assume the transformer and nothing more.
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makaveli8x8
Stranger

Registered: 02/28/06
Posts: 21,636
Last seen: 7 years, 7 months
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Re: Salvaged Lighting [Re: hnc]
#5618868 - 05/11/06 08:25 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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if i paid taxes i might be offended by this, the gov will have to take more of our money now because they only planned for a 300 trillion dollar war, that lamp is going to put them over budget!
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  We were sent to hell for eternity Ø h® We play on earth to pass the time Over-population the root of all Evil-brings the Elites Closer to the gates.
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hnc


Registered: 07/11/04
Posts: 145
Loc: Maine
Last seen: 8 days, 13 hours
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I was actually a little fearful of a responce similiar to that. But they did shut down a trailer park on a technicality where this was found simply to improve property value, so I consider a small amount of retribution for that.
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Legoulash
Stranger

Registered: 09/07/02
Posts: 4,347
Last seen: 12 years, 7 months
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Re: Salvaged Lighting [Re: hnc]
#5624335 - 05/13/06 11:48 AM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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>>Do you think I should just go with trial and error? Plug it in and see what happens?
When it comes to electricity you should never guess and check. U will either fuck up the ballest or your self. Be sure to make all proper grounds, and use on a grounded socket.(the normal 3 hole sockets.
Chances are is that you just hook the extension cord to those wires (black, white and green). You could also hook up the socket to an extension cord so you have a remote ballests.
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hnc


Registered: 07/11/04
Posts: 145
Loc: Maine
Last seen: 8 days, 13 hours
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Re: Salvaged Lighting [Re: Legoulash]
#5625230 - 05/13/06 04:54 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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Alright, I'll dedicate some time to research and see if I can't find someone with more experience and have them look at it.
I appreciate the help with this guys, thanks.
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drSE
Pseudo Reality



Registered: 12/19/03
Posts: 4,432
Loc: Twighlight Zone
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Re: Salvaged Lighting [Re: hnc]
#5625274 - 05/13/06 05:17 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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I would say go ahead with hooking up with an extension cord and try that. You know that it is not less then 120VAC so you will be fine if it doesn't work, as long as you disconnect power fromt he outlet (preferably an outside outled) with the circuit breaker disconnect. Plug it in and then have someone watch and tell you if it lit up or not, and if it works good, if it doesn't then remember that when you unplug it, that the capacitor still has a charge on it, and i am assuming its a descent size capacitor.
if it doesn't work, don't try upping the voltage with a transformer, it might really be 120VAC, remember, you found it being worked on so the bulb probably isn't good to begin with. Most HPS lights that I have worked with i had to hook up to a transformer in parallel.
x1......... x3.x4.......x2 .............|¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯| |¯¯¯¯¯¯|¯¯¯|........| .\ ...........\..../......../ ..uuuuuuuuuuuuuu
..mmmmmmmmmm /............................\ x1.........................x2
just pretend that the periods aren't their, the spaces would disapere when i post it so i had to put the ... their so the pic would hold shape
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Grow Room
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hnc


Registered: 07/11/04
Posts: 145
Loc: Maine
Last seen: 8 days, 13 hours
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Re: Salvaged Lighting [Re: drSE]
#5625351 - 05/13/06 05:46 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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Helpful advice drSE, thanks. The bulb could be operational but it has seen a good amount of use for sure. I suppose I should replace that before anything else to make sure I'll even know if it works or not when I test it. It's a small investment and worth the peace of mind.
And it wasn't "being worked on", it was abandoned after the city removed everything else. In a sense... I was just picking up really expensive litter
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paradok
polly para dokta


Registered: 05/14/06
Posts: 27
Loc: Melbourne Australia
Last seen: 17 years, 8 months
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Re: Salvaged Lighting situation [Re: hnc]
#5627786 - 05/14/06 09:37 AM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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That looks like a great find/score (whateva) I'd definately be reeeeeeeally careful if you dont know what you're doing. Ive been hit with the full current going through a house (240V in Aus i think?). Was'nt fun! My former housemate is an electrician...if he was'nt such an asshole and ripped me off of rent money I'd ask him for you!  In any event, be careful as mate. I'd be prepared for possibly blowing a fuse if you have'nt got a safety switch installed that is (which is'nt a huge problem anyway). I'd just do my best to keep my distance when u plug it in.
Oh, to the point of my response. it seems you've got some pretty hefty lighting if you get it going, but you can never have too much of a good thing (well...within reason).
If you'd like to suppliment with a cheap, low heat light source I would definately get some fluro's. As Im sure many of you know, A lot of people insist that the common fluro light sucks for growing, but that is in fact incorrect. I agree it is the least desirable as your ONLY light source, but in conjunction with a HPS or Halide, they're a great boost to your lighting arsenal. They are fantastic for laying on the ground (granted they CANNOT get wet due to leakage (maybe elevated a foot or so as a precaution). Or alternatively put length ways leaning against a wall. This guarantees the lower limbs of your plants will be saturated with light, and will eliminate the common problem of having lovely buds at the top and middle of your plants, but scruffy, loose, poor quality buds on lower branches. Sorry I could'nt be of more help with the wiring of your current light. good luck buddy! and happy growing 
Paradok
-------------------- rehab is for quitters
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