Why are CWA ballasts more common to find than HX Autotransformers? « on: August 29, 2023, 12:55:11 PM » Author: Robotjulep
Why are CWA ballasts more common to find than the HX Autotransformers? I have collected many metal halide CWA ballasts such as m58, m57, and so forth. I hardly come by any HX Autotransformers though. Why did newer HID lighting start using CWA? Did constant-wattage make the lamp warm up faster? Or did it just shorten the lamp life so that more bulbs had to be purchased? It seems that HX Autotransformers were better in terms of compatibility than the CWA. You could run mercury-retrofit lamps on the HX Autotransformer but with the CWA you couldn't. But another question: Is it possible to convert or modify a CWA ballast into an HX Autotransformer? For example: wiring an inductor in series with output, wiring a capacitor in parallel, or some other form of modification? CWA compatibility with mercury lamps has always intrigued me. Oftentimes, I would see a 250w CWA that works with both mercury vapor and metal halide of the given wattage. Then, I have CWA ballasts for m58 250w metal halide lamp only. What is the difference as to how they work?
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	Re: Why are CWA ballasts more common to find than HX Autotransformers? « Reply #1 on: August 29, 2023, 01:16:46 PM » Author: WorldwideHIDCollectorUSA
First off, HX autotransformer ballasts nowadays are more commonly used as preheat fluorescent tube ballasts and are also commonly used for low wattage HID applications in North America. I believe that lead peak CWA ballasts for North American HID lamps became popular was due to their ability to possibly extend lamp life through better current regulation compared to simple choke ballasts and HX autotransformer ballasts, which operated lamps at differing currents as the primary supply voltage varied.
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Desire to collect various light bulbs (especially HID), control gear, and fixtures from around the world.

DISCLAIMER: THE EXPERIMENTS THAT I CONDUCT INVOLVING UNUSUAL LAMP/BALLAST COMBINATIONS SHOULD NOT BE ATTEMPTED UNLESS YOU HAVE THE PROPER KNOWLEDGE. I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INJURIES.

	Re: Why are CWA ballasts more common to find than HX Autotransformers? « Reply #2 on: August 29, 2023, 06:16:37 PM » Author: Robotjulep
Interesting the CWA can extend the life of certain HID lamps. But is there a way to safely run Mercury vapor and their retrofit lamps on CWA ballasts without damaging them? For example a Sylvania Unalux lamp intended for HX autotransformers or Chokes?
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	Re: Why are CWA ballasts more common to find than HX Autotransformers? « Reply #3 on: August 29, 2023, 06:20:52 PM » Author: WorldwideHIDCollectorUSA
Even though the Unalux lamps are restricted for use on HX autotransformer ballasts and series choke ballasts, you could still run them for a very SHORT PERIOD of time on CWA ballasts mainly for testing purposes, but long term use will indeed destroy CWA ballasts. On a good note, there are a number of high pressure sodium retrofit lamps that actually were SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED with mercury vapor CWA ballast compatibility in mind. Those lamps include the Philips line of Retrolux lamps and the Iwasaki Sunlux Super Ace and Iwasaki Sunlux Ultra Ace high pressure sodium retrofit lamps. On top of that, the Philips Retrolux lamps and Iwasaki Sunlux Ultra Ace high pressure sodium retrofit lamps are even designed with probe start metal halide CWA ballast compatibility in mind as well.
« Last Edit: August 29, 2023, 06:23:56 PM by WorldwideHIDCollectorUSA »		Logged

Desire to collect various light bulbs (especially HID), control gear, and fixtures from around the world.

DISCLAIMER: THE EXPERIMENTS THAT I CONDUCT INVOLVING UNUSUAL LAMP/BALLAST COMBINATIONS SHOULD NOT BE ATTEMPTED UNLESS YOU HAVE THE PROPER KNOWLEDGE. I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INJURIES.

	Re: Why are CWA ballasts more common to find than HX Autotransformers? « Reply #4 on: August 29, 2023, 06:22:27 PM » Author: funkybulb
In old days of mercury vapor HX and CWI ballast was very commom.   HX was popular cause it was simple in design   But lamp will go out in any small power dip.   HX ballast was very common in Nema head and residental HID lighting.    CWA became more important and have more head room due to auto transformer set up also the cap provide some current limit to the lamp while some of power factor is corrected .  Soon as ballast got MV ballast got banned.  The HX ballast was first to dry up as there was still demand.  And most CWA gear wont fit In a nema or yard blaster fixture.  before 2008 there was MV and MH listed balllast but MV became delisted after 2008.   U can Still get HX ballast in HPS and low wattage pulse start MH.  Those can come with power factor correction caps.
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	Re: Why are CWA ballasts more common to find than HX Autotransformers? « Reply #5 on: August 30, 2023, 10:36:33 AM » Author: Robotjulep
I wonder if high wattage mercury vapor lamps used the HX autotransformer ballast. For example, 700w or 1000w. Or did they just use CWA or CWI?
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	Re: Why are CWA ballasts more common to find than HX Autotransformers? « Reply #6 on: August 30, 2023, 02:35:25 PM » Author: funkybulb
In early days H34  mercury lamp uuse a reactor ballast   On 240 volt.   This back when they were using  240 volt Dela 3 phase transformer banks on the grid.    And use of steo up auto transformer ballast on 120 volt it was more ecomoical  to do  CWA ballast about when Wye 3 phase system came out  And H36 ran on higher voltage and half the current as H34  Mercury lamp.    In 240 volt countries they use reactor ballast for all there HID as it another type of HX ballasst.
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	Re: Why are CWA ballasts more common to find than HX Autotransformers? « Reply #7 on: August 31, 2023, 04:59:09 AM » Author: WorldwideHIDCollectorUSA
From what I read in the following GE I-Line Multi-Vapor brochure that was shared by another LG member, I have seen that there were such things as HX autotransformer ballasts for 1000W H36 mercury vapor lamps that were offered in a wide range of voltages including our domestic 120V supplies! See the link below: https://www.lighting-gallery.net/gallery/displayimage.php?album=search&cat=0&pos=3&pid=210282 From what I have read, here are the ballast model numbers for 1000W H36 mercury vapor HX autotransformer ballasts designed for 120V 60Hz operation: GE 9T65Y2250 (1 lamp) Jefferson 232-1366 (1 lamp) Jefferson 232-2366 (2 lamps) Jefferson 233-1366 (1 lamp)
« Last Edit: August 31, 2023, 05:09:28 AM by WorldwideHIDCollectorUSA »		Logged

Desire to collect various light bulbs (especially HID), control gear, and fixtures from around the world.

DISCLAIMER: THE EXPERIMENTS THAT I CONDUCT INVOLVING UNUSUAL LAMP/BALLAST COMBINATIONS SHOULD NOT BE ATTEMPTED UNLESS YOU HAVE THE PROPER KNOWLEDGE. I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INJURIES.

	Re: Why are CWA ballasts more common to find than HX Autotransformers? « Reply #8 on: September 02, 2023, 11:03:36 AM » Author: Robotjulep
Was the current draw from large HX Autotransformers significantly larger than that of a CWA? Another question: Are CW and CWA ballasts the same thing?
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	Re: Why are CWA ballasts more common to find than HX Autotransformers? « Reply #9 on: September 02, 2023, 11:22:54 AM » Author: wide-lite 1000
I almost owned a pair of 1000w H-36 HX ballasts ! They were made by CGE . Unfortunately , the seller shipped them improperly and BOTH punched a hole in the side of the box and were lost !     @ WWHID : Unalux lamps on a CWA can also damage the lamp as well . I killed a brand new 880w Unalux on the CWA ballast in the Wide-Lite . It ran for less than 5 minutes before it started to cycle .
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	Re: Why are CWA ballasts more common to find than HX Autotransformers? « Reply #10 on: September 02, 2023, 02:06:10 PM » Author: WorldwideHIDCollectorUSA
@Robotjulep, When looking at the current draw between HX autotransformer ballasts and CWA ballasts, you have to know that the current of HX autotransformer ballasts varies depending on the ballast’s power factor. If the HX autotransformer ballast is a low power factor version where there is no capacitor connected parallel to the mains, the current draw would be pretty high. If the HX autotransformer ballast is a high power factor version with a capacitor connected parallel to the mains, the current draw is reduced. However, all CWA ballasts would draw the same current if they are running on the correct mains voltage supply since all are high power factor because without the series capacitor in the circuit, they would not function properly since the series capacitor also provides power factor correction as well in addition to superior current regulation. Lastly, on a HX autotransformer ballast, the capacitor is largely optional, but it is highly recommended if you are using a high wattage HX autotransformer ballast if you really want to minimize current draw to avoid tripping a circuit breaker or blowing a fuse in a fuse box. @wide-lite1000, Thank you for sharing your testing experiment with your Sylvania 880W Unalux lamp. Did not realize that it started to cycle after a short period of time. In addition, I am so sorry that you lost your 1000W H36 mercury vapor HX autotransformer ballasts and hope you get a refund ASAP especially since they are almost impossible to find nowadays.
« Last Edit: September 02, 2023, 02:12:52 PM by WorldwideHIDCollectorUSA »		Logged

Desire to collect various light bulbs (especially HID), control gear, and fixtures from around the world.

DISCLAIMER: THE EXPERIMENTS THAT I CONDUCT INVOLVING UNUSUAL LAMP/BALLAST COMBINATIONS SHOULD NOT BE ATTEMPTED UNLESS YOU HAVE THE PROPER KNOWLEDGE. I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INJURIES.

	Re: Why are CWA ballasts more common to find than HX Autotransformers? « Reply #11 on: September 02, 2023, 07:25:46 PM » Author: Robotjulep
Good to know.
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	Re: Why are CWA ballasts more common to find than HX Autotransformers? « Reply #12 on: September 03, 2023, 08:59:52 AM » Author: wide-lite 1000
@ WWHID : It was more of a screw up than a test . I didn't realize that the Unalux lamps weren't compatible with CWA ballasts at the time !!    As for the 1kw HX ballasts , yes I did reciece a full refund...Rather had the ballasts though .
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	Re: Why are CWA ballasts more common to find than HX Autotransformers? « Reply #14 on: September 03, 2023, 10:59:32 PM » Author: wide-lite 1000
That's exactly what the sleeve for mine says ! I only noticed it AFTER I fried it !
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