You can never have too many street lights

[Mixolydian]

After installing thousands of fixtures (no street lamps) including several dozen 400w metal halide wall packs, I look at them with disdain. Hobbies don't need to be explained, but this seems like a strange one. These fixtures are not really works of art, just the most cost effective way of making light.

I used to hang old motherboards on my wall, and am no stranger to weird collections, but at least with my collection I could see how things changed from the various years motherboards were made. I gave up on collecting them around the SocketA/478 days, but even that was a huge change from the oldest 386/25 I had.

Well of course they're not art. Not everything in life is art. But like computers, they certainly have changed over the years.

 

[SlickSnake]

A weird item to feel the need to collect. Unless you are collecting them for a future grow room, then it's completely understandable.

 

[natto fire]

Well of course they're not art. Not everything in life is art. But like computers, they certainly have changed over the years.

I guess I figured that most people collect things because of some intrinsic value, usually an artistic one. I still think it's neat, but like my motherboards there is something a bit off about collecting junk. I hope you either already know that and won't let it get out of control, or have a big enough place/deep enough pockets to collect responsibly. I went on a huge purge 7 years ago and it felt so good that now I get anxiety if I have too much stuff.

 

[John Connor]

LMAO! What are you going to do with that OP? Now collecting traffic lights is where it's at! Ever since I was a kid and watching Mr. Rogers have one I was interested.

HEHE. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXiGzwhmCug

 

[Mixolydian]

I guess I figured that most people collect things because of some intrinsic value, usually an artistic one. I still think it's neat, but like my motherboards there is something a bit off about collecting junk. I hope you either already know that and won't let it get out of control, or have a big enough place/deep enough pockets to collect responsibly. I went on a huge purge 7 years ago and it felt so good that now I get anxiety if I have too much stuff.

I disagree. I think the main reason people collect anything is because they find it interesting.

LMAO! What are you going to do with that OP? Now collecting traffic lights is where it's at! Ever since I was a kid and watching Mr. Rogers have one I was interested.

HEHE. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXiGzwhmCug

I remember that! I wanted one of those so bad!

 

[alkemyst]

Read this as having too many street walkers...left disappointed.

 

[Mixolydian]

Read this as having too many street walkers...left disappointed.

u jelly bro?

 

[alkemyst]

u jelly bro?

Not at all your lights light them up so I can inspect and get the deed done.


kthxbye!

 

[Mixolydian]

This thing has been a real prick. Spent all day yesterday trying to get it to work with no success. Had everything wired up correctly. I was convinced that the ballast was bad (even though nothing would indicate that there is anything wrong with it). So I left it alone for a few hours. Came back, plugged it in, and it fired right up. Damn thing has a mind of it's own.

Ignitor installed:




Lamp igniting:


Warmed up:


Maybe it's just me, bit it seems a bit dim for a 250w. This is typically the sign of a bad ballast capacitor, but I checked it with my multimeter and it seems to be OK.

Now it will sit in my garage.

 

[lxskllr]

Was the light sensor preventing it from lighting?

 

[Mixolydian]

Was the light sensor preventing it from lighting?

no, it was using a shorting cap.

 

[natto fire]

Do you have an ammeter? That should be the best way to find out if your cap is going bad, as it mainly is there for power factor purposes with that magnetic ballast. Do you have the specs for what resistance you are supposed to see across the ballast?

 

[Pray To Jesus]

They're free in Detroit. Just got to pull them out from the street.

Actually, the city will pay you to pull them out.

Hot Deal!

 

[mnewsham]

A weird item to feel the need to collect. Unless you are collecting them for a future grow room, then it's completely understandable.

As someone...knowledgable about the subject I am skeptical of a street light providing sufficient light for a proper grow room, though I could be proven wrong.

 

[Mixolydian]

Do you have an ammeter? That should be the best way to find out if your cap is going bad, as it mainly is there for power factor purposes with that magnetic ballast. Do you have the specs for what resistance you are supposed to see across the ballast?

Used a multimeter to check both the capacitance rating and the resistance. Seems to be OK.

As someone...knowledgable about the subject I am skeptical of a street light providing sufficient light for a proper grow room, though I could be proven wrong.

Actually, HPS and MH lights are the most commonly used lights for growing purposes.

 

[mnewsham]

Actually, HPS and MH lights are the most commonly used lights for growing purposes.

it wasn't the type of light that concerned me so much as the positioning and intensity, these are fairly large fixtures, an actual grow light fixture would be much easier to manage. I'm sure you COULD grow with these, it wouldn't be practical nor would it be ideal.

 

[Colt45]

I've been wanting to get a few low pressure sodium lamps + ballast, socket, but they seem to be hard to find now.

About the only place around here that still uses them is prisons, it seems. I guess they need a lot of light and don't care about colour rendition, just efficiency.

 

[Mixolydian]

it wasn't the type of light that concerned me so much as the positioning and intensity, these are fairly large fixtures, an actual grow light fixture would be much easier to manage. I'm sure you COULD grow with these, it wouldn't be practical nor would it be ideal.

you would have to take the light distribution pattern into account and position everything so the plant(s) are receiving the maximum amount of light. kinda tricky, but it can be done. of course there are other types of fixtures better suited for this purpose. but light is light.

 

[natto fire]

you would have to take the light distribution pattern into account and position everything so the plant(s) are receiving the maximum amount of light. kinda tricky, but it can be done. of course there are other types of fixtures better suited for this purpose. but light is light.

Well, yes and no. Plants prefer a specific spectrum of the EM band, but they will grow with any light yes.

As far as making sure your light is working correctly, I would get access to an ammeter and measure it's current draw. Most electronic ballasts I have seen label the power factor they are supposed to run at, not sure if that magnetic ballast has that, but should be easy enough to find.

Once you have your measured current draw and line voltage, you can use ohms law to make sure it matches up with the power factor of the ballast, and lamp combination.

 

[tynopik]

when Mixolydian is overzealous in adding to his collection: https://gfycat.com/ScalyHiddenEmu

 

[Ns1]

I'll allow this necro

 

[Red Squirrel]

when Mixolydian is overzealous in adding to his collection: https://gfycat.com/ScalyHiddenEmu

Lol talk about bad luck, had it feel a few seconds earlier or later it would not have hit anyone.

 

[IronWing]

There was a light rain in the forecast.

 

[IronWing]

Auto-sensing wipers worked like charm.

 

[Thebobo]

I don't have pics of them all together, but you can see pics of all the lights I own from the link in my sig.

Nice cat. You have an eclectic collection of photos and stuff pretty cool.