Does my SON 70W bulb require an external ignitor ?

[karl666]

Hi,

I arrived home tonight to find that my external wall mounted NEWLEC NL3798 70W SON light unit has gone out. I installed it about 3 years ago and never had to change the bulb before.

The problem is that I don't know if the bulb has an internal ignitor or needs an external ignitor. I have not opened the unit yet but wondered if anyone knew how to tell ?

Regards,
Karl.

 

[Stoday]

Look for a triangle on the lamp. It will either enclose the letter "E" or "I".

If it's "E", you need a replacement lamp with external ignitor. If "I", the lamp must have an internal ignitor.

 

[aptsys]

If you fit a lamp with an internal ignitor, it'll generally always work. If there is an external ignitor, it just pops the one in the lamp, and the lamp works as normal...

 

[karl666]

Thanks for your suggestions.

I will get up the ladder later today and have a look.

Regards
Karl.

 

[333rocky333]

A majority of 70 watt fittings dont have ignitors nowadays to keep cost down
They use the internal ignited lamp, with the markings on as above post.

With the external ignited fitting you would normally hear the ignitor buzzing trying to strike the failed lamp, when the power is initially turned on, that is providing the ignitor hasn't failed.

The best thing is too look in the fitting.
Dont always assume the lamp you remove was the correct one, as "I" lamps work in "E" fittings, but not ideal

The ignitor has 3 terminals, not to be mistaken with a possible capacitor that has 2 terminals.

 

[karl666]

A majority of 70 watt fittings dont have ignitors nowadays to keep cost down
They use the internal ignited lamp, with the markings on as above post.

With the external ignited fitting you would normally hear the ignitor buzzing trying to strike the failed lamp, when the power is initially turned on, that is providing the ignitor hasn't failed.

The best thing is too look in the fitting.
Dont always assume the lamp you remove was the correct one, as "I" lamps work in "E" fittings, but not ideal

The ignitor has 3 terminals, not to be mistaken with a possible capacitor that has 2 terminals.

I took the bulb out today and noticed it had a triangle with an "I" inside it. As mentioned by a previous post, it looks like the bulb has an internal ignitor. Went and bought a new bulb but the unit is still not working. 240 volts is reaching the unit but the light remains off.

Oh well - Guess i'll have to buy another complete unit £££££

Thanks to all that posted.

Regards
Karl.

 

[karl666]

After leaving the new bulb in place for 2 days its suddenly started working.

Is it possible that the bulkhead has the ignitor and it took a few days for it to blow the ignitor in the bulb ? If so then it looks like the replacement should have been an "E" type instead of an "I".

I bought this unit second hand so maybe it ws fitted with the wrong bulb in the first place.

Regards,
Karl.

 

[Spark123]

Can you post a photo of the control gear?

 

[karl666]

Can you post a photo of the control gear?

I'll try and get up the ladder later on this week and post a few pictures.

Cheers

 

[karl666]

Can you post a photo of the control gear?

Sorry for the delay

Untitled

• karl666
• 8 Jun 2011
• 1

 

[333rocky333]

Looks like it has a photocell to turn it off during daylight
the thing with 12 on is the capacitor
cant see an ignitor or where the wires go so cant tell really

 

[karl666]

No problem - thanks for looking

 

[Barnsbury]

Sorry to revive an old thread. Particularly as this is my first post.

I have a faulty? SON fitting. The bulb is a RADIUM RNP-E 70W/I, The only bulbs i can find in the stock room is an OSRAM NAV(SON)-E 70W/I

Are these essentially the same bulb, just different manufacturers?

 

[ricicle]

Yes

 

[Barnsbury]

Thought so, Thanks for the quick reply