Sooo, in the town I live in, LED Replacement is in OVERDRIVE!!  I've grown to like the light output of the 3000K LEDs that Ameren is using, as it looks like a brand new DLX WHITE Mercury lamp.  Now, I'm assuming Leotek does not make a directional flood (yet), since Ameren uses GE EFM1 for the directional lighting. 

I've noticed that when the Leoteks come on, it takes about a 1/4 of a second to get to it's full brightness, but the GEs just pop on, with no ramp-up period.  I am going to guess that GE uses their own LED Drivers, as the Leoteks have Philips Advance LED Drivers. 

Does the LED Driver manufacturer matter, or is it the specific light engine that each manufacturer uses. 

I am not a traitor to HID lighting, but HPS is not exactly the greatest light source.  I LONG for the days of Mercury Vapor, as I remember when I moved to Southern Illinois, 85-90% of the residential streets were lit up by Mercury Vapor, and as quiet as my township is, it was GORGEOUS!!!   As soon as 2 years ago, when Ameren made the switch to LED, 95% of the residential streets were lit by HP Sodium Vapor.  I can't say I was a fan.  I think it's kind of cool the color changes that an EYE Sodium lamp goes through, but the end result was a rather harsh pink-orange color, and it wasn't all that bright (100w). 

Ameren uses the Leotek GCJ to replace the GE 201SA Sodium lights.  The GCJ uses 39-40 watts @ 580ma.  I am unsure as of right now what drive current code Ameren uses for the Leotek GCM lights that are replacing the 250w sodium.  (does anyone here know?)

I have a lot of questions, but this will do for now.  In the last 2 years, Ameren has replaced about 35% of ALL street lights in my town to Leotek GCJ/GCM, and they're only moving faster now. 

I have the same question everyone has.  Why has LEDisease taken off so quickly.  When Sodium first debuted in the 70s, I don't believe they moved at such a rapid pace to replace Mercury (as you can see above, where I mentioned in 2005, my town still had 85% Mercury lighting)
    I know everyone is trying to go green, but let's be realistic.  I don't see any SOLAR LED street lights, although I am sure they will be coming soon. (back-up power in case the solar battery gets below a certain number)
 

Yeah, I wonder the same thing.

My co-op started using those Evluma Areamax LEDs for PALs, and my neighbor across the street has one that replaced an HPS NEMA PAL that replaced a Regent MV yardblaster that they put up (still there actually). I loved that MV color light as a kid. But the LED is very close in color to a coated MV.

My town still uses a ton of HPS streetlights and even a fair amount of MV streetlights in parts. LEDs are mostly only being used for new utility PALs and for DOT highway spot replacement. They're still installing HPS AEL 115 streetlights for replacments on streets and HPS was still used for new highway lights until last year. The Evlumas in my neighborhood start up instantly, and there's no color change like with HPS. I miss that about the HID lights, but I will admit the new areas that have been changed to LED are lit nice and bright.

Yeah, I wonder the same thing.

My co-op started using those Evluma Areamax LEDs for PALs, and my neighbor across the street has one that replaced an HPS NEMA PAL that replaced a Regent MV yardblaster that they put up (still there actually). I loved that MV color light as a kid. But the LED is very close in color to a coated MV.

My town still uses a ton of HPS streetlights and even a fair amount of MV streetlights in parts. LEDs are mostly only being used for new utility PALs and for DOT highway spot replacement. They're still installing HPS AEL 115 streetlights for replacements on streets and HPS was still used for new highway lights until last year. The Evlumas in my neighborhood start up instantly, and there's no color change like with HPS. I miss that about the HID lights, but I will admit the new areas that have been changed to LED are lit nice and bright.

My town is completely LED with the exceptions being PALs, few intersections and a GE 100w HPS M-250R1 FCO. Lights are all GE. ERL1 for the 70-150w HPS equivalents, ERLH for the 200w HPS equivalent, and ERS1 for the intersections which is the 250w HPS equivalent. Caltrans group replaced lots of HPS lights to LED last year. Now, if an HPS light works it gets to stay. If it stops working, it gets replaced.  The GEs have a cool, quick rapid-start startup. Lights need to better quality lol.

I can’t say I’m a fan of GE anymore.  Back in the ‘80s (early), they were the “bees knees”, and if your street was lit up by a GE, you were in great shape!  They could do no wrong!  The capacitor problems of the M250R2s, and the failure of late model 201SAs have all but stained their reputation in my eyes.  All of the 201SAs that were installed in the last 5 years seem to be failing completely. 

Just 2 years ago, I watched a lineman try to troubleshoot a 100w sodium 201SA, finally he just said “#*%^ IT!” And replaced the whole thing.  Since then, I have seen several do the same thing.  Most of the LEDs that are being put up are replacing “fairly new” 201SAs.  Older 201s are still going strong.  It’s gotten to the point where I have asked myself if Ameren ordered a bunch of “Walmart” fixtures? (Got them on the cheap with no real life expectancy to use until the LEDs came online)

Even most of their lamps are junk now. The newer 2017-2018 fluorescent lamps only lasted 1-2 years.

“I’m rolling in my grave!”
Signed,
Tom Edison

I didn't know the newer 201SAs were having issues. I knew some of the newer GE cobras weren't built as good though. When did they start getting bad?

I had thought about getting one of the newer HPS 201SAs on eBay but I think I'll avoid it now. I might get a Cooper or AEL NEMA someday.

Mostly looking for vintage fixtures now, or cobras though.

My town is completely LED with the exceptions being PALs, few intersections and a GE 100w HPS M-250R1 FCO. Lights are all GE. ERL1 for the 70-150w HPS equivalents, ERLH for the 200w HPS equivalent, and ERS1 for the intersections which is the 250w HPS equivalent. Caltrans group replaced lots of HPS lights to LED last year. Now, if an HPS light works it gets to stay. If it stops working, it gets replaced.  The GEs have a cool, quick rapid-start startup. Lights need to better quality lol.

They did group changeout of a couple miles to LED in 2016 (mostly M-400A2 Powr/Doors to Phillips Roadfocus.) But now they mostly just seem to be doing spot replacement to them. Although I feel like some fixtures near my house have been relamped, because they were greened out and now aren't.

Also some M-400s on another highway got group replaced to AEL ATB2. Not sure what the reasoning is for group or spot replacement. Even in 2017-18 there were newly installed M-400s on another highway that got rerouted and some AEL 115s where they put in some shoulder lanes.

My town is quickly going to LED. The city bought the freestanding light poles from Southern California Edison and the contractor is installing GE Evolve ERL1s to replace 50-150w HPS and ERLHs to replace 200-250w HPS. They are 3000K and look rather nice at night. SCE still owns and maintains the lights on wooden poles, about 800 of them, and they remain HPS for the time being.

My town is quickly going to LED. The city bought the freestanding light poles from Southern California Edison and the contractor is installing GE Evolve ERL1s to replace 50-150w HPS and ERLHs to replace 200-250w HPS. They are 3000K and look rather nice at night. SCE still owns and maintains the lights on wooden poles, about 800 of them, and they remain HPS for the time being.

Have you noticed any color shifting with them yet? The Evolve ERL1 that was installed in front of my house about a year ago started off with a nice halogen color, but now it's shifted to a weird cold pink color that I really don't like.

Have you noticed any color shifting with them yet? The Evolve ERL1 that was installed in front of my house about a year ago started off with a nice halogen color, but now it's shifted to a weird cold pink color that I really don't like.

No. The LEDs only started going up during the last week of January 2019 and work is ongoing. I will know in a year I guess!

GE back  some time in late 80s I got a 201SA  from a lineman come find out ballast use Aluminum windings.
Aluminum winding just heat up expand and contract
plus insulating varnish dont hold up well either.

in 1998 to date  GE make pretty crappy capacitor
for street lighting but also it affected HVAC industry
as well.  it known to blow lids of the caps!

GE back  some time in late 80s I got a 201SA  from a lineman come find out ballast use Aluminum windings.
Aluminum winding just heat up expand and contract
plus insulating varnish dont hold up well either.

in 1998 to date  GE make pretty crappy capacitor
for street lighting but also it affected HVAC industry
as well.  it known to blow lids of the caps!

Hmm, odd. My 201SA is 1987 and it have the copper windings. Copper and aluminum is not a great mix, it can cause fires due to reactions. This happened with some house wiring, and some of the GE fan motors, had copper and aluminum windings mixed and they would catch on fire a lot of times.

I didn't know the newer 201SAs were having issues. I knew some of the newer GE cobras weren't built as good though. When did they start getting bad?

I had thought about getting one of the newer HPS 201SAs on eBay but I think I'll avoid it now. I might get a Cooper or AEL NEMA someday.

Mostly looking for vintage fixtures now, or cobras though.

I’ve seen a LOT of newer M250R2s failing due to capacitor issues.  Not just the M250 either, the PF154 and PF400 too.  We just had a PF400 that was installed in April 2013 go bad because of the capacitor.  Back in the ‘80s, you could expect a new HPS fixture to last for over 20 years.  Today, you’re lucky to get 5 years out of them.

There was a time when HID lights were made in the USA, and a lot of them are just now starting to fail.  The Made in China or Assembled in Mexico crap will never last as long. Cheap production ans Cheap labor = (...) product

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