Sodium or metal halide to CFL conversion

[Streetbu]

So I have a sodium, possibly a metal halide light on the front of the garage. 175w bulb in it, works fine. Decided I would try to save some $, bought an adapter that screws in to the bulb socket and reduces it down to the normal household bulb size. I then installed a 125w CFL. WHAT a difference! Much brighter, almost too bright actually. 3 days later the bulb is blown I returned the bulb and got a 100w CFL, then realized the light sensor blew out too. I've read that CFL's aren't to be used with timers or light sensors. Any idea's why? You would think going from a 175W draw to 43W would make it easier on the sensor. Any other idea's to save me $ on my electric bill preferably without replacing the whole fixture?

 

[nehog]

Uh, you did remove the ballast when you put that CFL in there, right? If not, no surprise the bulb blew! A Sodium, MH or Mercury bulb takes a much higher voltage than line voltage provides (the ballast is a step-up autotransformer and a capacitor.

 

[Streetbu]

Hehehe, well that might explain things! No wonder the 125w CFL was so bright!

 

[Super Mech]

Ballast needs to be bypassed. The adapter you got just changes the thread size for the bulb. You need 110v going to the CFL bulb.

 

[nine4gmc]

 

[Streetbu]

Makes complete sense, I didn't know that that style of bulb had a ballast though...

 

[Fueler]

If you want a direct fit bulb there is this.
http://www.oeo.com/oeo-products/warehouse-industrial-solutions/high-bay-lighting/product/11-oeo-180

 

[Norcal]

If it's 175W, it's not HPS, it would be either Mercury Vapor (Really obsolete) or Metal Halide, the closest equiv. High Pressure Sodium is 150 watt.

Some of the big box store larger size CFL's have a base down only limitation.

There are 2 types of "sodium" lamps, HPS which has a amber colored light, & Low Pressure Sodium which has a yellow light output, but the lamps are huge in comparison to HPS lamps.

 

[Charles_Las Vegas]

Replace the fixture with what you need and leave the real electrical work to electricians. Just the safer thing to do.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[rburke65]

Easy Charles Las Vegas ...... everyone here is learning.....

 

[Streetbu]

Haha no biggie. I've screwed the pooch much worse than this! LOL AC electrical and I have an agreement, I don't screw with it and it doesn't screw with me! Probably came from being shocked by 110v for 2 minutes when I was about 10 years old. DC voltage I can walk circles around most people though. I knew the color codes on resistors when I was 11 LMAO. Weather is supposed to be decent on Sunday so I'm digging into the fixture then and will post my results. or questions hahaha