Preheat on 277V « on: December 23, 2014, 07:44:24 PM » Author: Patrick
Why do you think preheat ballasts for large lamps didn't remain popular in the U.S. on 277V circuits?  Wouldn't a simple choke ballast with no autotransformer be able to operate on the higher voltage like they can in Europe?
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	Re: Preheat on 277V « Reply #1 on: December 23, 2014, 10:24:41 PM » Author: themaritimegirl
Indeed it would work. Be more efficient than an autotransformer, too. I would say it was mostly due to the benefits of rapid start (which requires an autotransformer). Easier maintenance (not having to deal with starters), quicker and more aesthetically pleasing startup, and longer lamp life are the reasons rapid start won, despite the drawbacks. Also, should a lead-lag setup be desirable, I assume that's easiest to do in a series setup, which means autotransformer. This is all just speculation on my part, though.
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	Re: Preheat on 277V « Reply #2 on: December 23, 2014, 11:51:06 PM » Author: nicksfans
That's a good question actually. I guess everyone had already become accustomed to RS and its advantages, as TheMaritimeMan mentioned.
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	Re: Preheat on 277V « Reply #3 on: December 26, 2014, 12:53:10 PM » Author: Medved
The market for the single voltage 277V ballast isn't that big to justify the separate ballast design for that voltage and even the logistic with the starters, if those are not used on other voltage levels. With the RS concept, the ballast differs just by the primary section, the rest is common with the most common 120V variant.
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	Re: Preheat on 277V « Reply #4 on: January 25, 2022, 01:40:12 PM » Author: WorldwideHIDCollectorUSA
Actually, I recently discovered that the Mexican ballast company ISB Sola Basic manufactured 2 lamp F40T12 preheat ballasts designed for 277v 60hz mains for the Mexican market. You can find them listed in this catalog: https://www.scribd.com/document/226220885/Balastros-Sola-Basic Their 277v 60hz 2 lamp F40T12 preheat ballasts are known by the part number 624-T-600. Those 2 lamp ballasts do mot appear to use a starting compensator since each tube on the ballast’s wiring diagram has a starter loop outside the ballast casing. In addition, There were also some 277v 60hz F40T12 preheat ballasts made by GE in the 1950s as well if you look at some of the 1950s GE lamp catalogs.
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	Re: Preheat on 277V « Reply #5 on: January 25, 2022, 11:20:15 PM » Author: wide-lite 1000
According to my 1983 GE "Ballast & Energy Systems" Catalog (GE form 7200) GE made both 2 lamp (GE # 89G568W) and 4 lamp (GE # 59G265W) 277v pre-heat ballasts for the F90T17 lamps .  The same catalog also lists 277v versions for trigger start ballasts for (1) F8T5 , (1) F15T12 , (1) F20T12 and a 2 lamp version for either F15T12 or F20T12 pre-heat lamps.
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	Re: Preheat on 277V « Reply #6 on: January 26, 2022, 10:39:42 PM » Author: nicksfans
wide-lite... now that you mention that 4 lamp 277V ballast, I seem to recall a catalog listing for a GE ballast for four F100/90T17 lamps designed to run on 240V called a "Forlamp" (a counterpart to the "Tulamp" I guess). This would've been well before the 80s...probably 40s or 50s if I remember correctly.
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	Re: Preheat on 277V « Reply #7 on: January 27, 2022, 01:23:01 AM » Author: WorldwideHIDCollectorUSA
It would be interesting to see what fixtures would use 4 lamp F100T17 preheat ballasts. It seems quite possible that such ballasts were used in industrial high bay fixtures back then due to how bright F100T17 and F90T17 tubes were.
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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.