Hi Guys,

I have an old American Electric street light that used to work and now does not.

I am trying to identify it and determine what is wrong and if I am using the correct bulb in it. I cannot find a model number on it.

Let me know what you think, thank you.

Thats a 250w mh lamp being used on what looks like a 175w mv nema head, if you have a 175w lamp use that and see if it strikes.

There's a local volunteer fire department with a similar light with the same bulb inside of it. It lights off but it's dim the other side of the building has the same fixture with its original bulb

Thank you!

I have a 175W MV! bulb, Will try it.

Thats a 250w mh lamp being used on what looks like a 175w mv nema head, if you have a 175w lamp use that and see if it strikes.

Sadly it did not fire up with a brand new MV 175w bulb.

I had tested the fuse and it had continuity even though both ends of the fuse seemed loose.

Is there a troubleshooting guide somewhere on here for that type of light?
I'm not even sure how to take it apart to test the components.

This is (I think) a AE Series 11. That being said, there are around 6 different single voltages it could be intended for, or it may be able to run on several different voltages, but you would have to connect some of the wires in a certain arangement. And there are probably three diffrent lamp types it could be intended to use, in around ten wattages. The wattage has to be correct or it won`t work properly. I don`t have a Series 11 so I`m not going to try to be more specific. But your light`s troubleshooting is going to be like most HID fixtures. They don`t vary a lot from fixture to fixture. BTW this thread should probably be moved to 'Lanterns/Fixtures | Modern'. Your light is probably made after 1980.

Sadly it did not fire up with a brand new MV 175w bulb.

I had tested the fuse and it had continuity even though both ends of the fuse seemed loose.

Is there a troubleshooting guide somewhere on here for that type of light?
I'm not even sure how to take it apart to test the components.

I didn`t know these had fuses.

Sadly it did not fire up with a brand new MV 175w bulb.

I had tested the fuse and it had continuity even though both ends of the fuse seemed loose.

Is there a troubleshooting guide somewhere on here for that type of light?
I'm not even sure how to take it apart to test the components.

Taking it apart is the easy part...
Being able to test the components, and putting it back together afterwards is the tricky part... 

Taking it apart is the easy part...
Being able to test the components, and putting it back together afterwards is the tricky part... 

True, but getting the magic smoke back inside the capacitor is impossible!

This is (I think) a AE Series 11. That being said, there are around 6 different single voltages it could be intended for, or it may be able to run on several different voltages, but you would have to connect some of the wires in a certain arangement. And there are probably three diffrent lamp types it could be intended to use, in around ten wattages. The wattage has to be correct or it won`t work properly. I don`t have a Series 11 so I`m not going to try to be more specific. But your light`s troubleshooting is going to be like most HID fixtures. They don`t vary a lot from fixture to fixture. BTW this thread should probably be moved to 'Lanterns/Fixtures | Modern'. Your light is probably made after 1980.

Thanks for the info!
I know I have run it in the past on 120V but where the old bulb went I don't know. Dang.

Taking it apart is the easy part...
Being able to test the components, and putting it back together afterwards is the tricky part... 

How true!

Did they make bucket/area lights in 250w mv

Did they make bucket/area lights in 250w mv

Yes, they did.

Yes, they did.

My issue now is how to take it apart and what to look for that would tell me what lamp it needs.

I am attaching some of the spec sheets. Seems they can be made to use MH or HPS.

My issue now is how to take it apart and what to look for that would tell me what lamp it needs.

I am attaching some of the spec sheets. Seems they can be made to use MH or HPS.

They were offered in HPS, MV and MH, though not at the same time.