I use a MH ballast box cobbled together with some kind of refractor (changes every so often when I decide so) to light my shed. It is the only source of light there, and the other sources nearby are all HID. So I'm thinking of adding a standby lamp with a special restrike relay. I have a couple of questions, thought.

This is all 120V, magnetic gear, HX-HPF, 50W.

1. Since the restrike relay is not connected to a different tap on the ballast, it is connected together with the 120V supply, can I use a standby lamp of greater wattage than the MH ? (let's say a 100W stand by lamp)

2. Does the stand by lamp need to be a quartz lamp normally sold for that purpose ? Can I use a standard incandescent lamp ? I plan on remote mounting the stand by lamp in it's own fixture, only about 1-2 feet from the ballast housing.

Many thanks.

Yes to both questions...

But make sure you do not overload the relay switching element (whether that is a triac and/or contacts).

Ok, thanks. I don’t plan on exceeding the maximum wattage indicated on the relay, which would typically be at least 200 watts. I will probably use a standard incandescent lamp of either 60 or 100 watts.