Basic Help please!

[Thumpa]

Hello guys and girls

I am afraid I am a bit stereotypical when it comes to DIY (helpless, waiting for man etc.) although I have been getting better but I am bewildered by this one. I suspect I know the answer but I am always nervous when it comes to electrics.

I have installed a lighting system into my flat and I have a 'compact control gear UAL' which is apparently necessary to run one of the lights. However all the symbols are gobbledigook to me. Being used to L, N and E and thats about it, this one is -

Wiring from Gear to Plug:
PH (circle with slash) ------ F
N (circle with slash) ------- N

Wiring from Gear to Light:
LR (Lightning Bolt) ------ Bottom of Bulb
LA ------------- Side of Bulb

Anyone tell me what this is? I suspect that PH/F is Live and N/N is Neutral and the Lightning Bolt is live, well it would make sense but I wanted to check with someone who knows! Next time im just getting fluorescent lights.

Thank you!

Lil.

 

[Lectrician]

What type of light is it - sounds like a discharge type.

The way you imagine the wiring sounds correct, although I wouldn't like to commit!

A photo (if possible) of the control gear would good.

 

[Thumpa]

Hi, youre gonna laugh but I drew the image im having trouble with. Its a high pressure sodium lamp thats meant to be really bright. Now you will find out why i have decided against art for university. Apologies about the terrible terrible sizing, especially that flash of lightning!

http://www.imagedump.com/index.cgi?pick=get&tp=271449

hope thats some help! God knows i need some. why they cant just stick to brown wire goes here, blue goes here i dont know.

 

[andy]

Hi, youre gonna laugh but I drew the image im having trouble with. Its a high pressure sodium lamp thats meant to be really bright. Now you will find out why i have decided against art for university. Apologies about the terrible terrible sizing, especially that flash of lightning!

http://www.imagedump.com/index.cgi?pick=get&tp=271449

hope thats some help! God knows i need some. why they cant just stick to brown wire goes here, blue goes here i dont know.

SON type lights arent exactly designed for domestic use...

the diagram you have looks right, but im not 100%

 

[pdcelec]

Wherabout in a flat would you install the sodium lamp?

 

[andy]

Wherabout in a flat would you install the sodium lamp?

very high room? hopefully he's in the upstairs flat!

 

[Thumpa]

(She) has very high ceilings! haha, no - my flatmate goes to Goldsmiths and is an up and coming 'artiste' (to use her own pronunciation). This is part of her installation. Apparently she needs the brightness so it can shine through the clay and theres no heat or something. I dont pretend to understand.

Nobody knows what the PH / N / F /N are? Im presuming N = Neutral but without knowing for sure what the others are im not going to burn down the flat finding out! Thanks for your help guys,

Lil.

 

[Adam_151]

PH = Phase (live/hot)

 

[Thumpa]

Thats great! Thats enough to risk it, thank you!

XXX

 

[mapj1]

Your drawingis correct but as well to check it is 220-240V control gear and not 110 or something wierd. (not very likley but not impossible)
Beware - the ignitor transformers shock the bulb with about 6000 V to start them, then once it warms up the voltage drops to something more modest. Only the proper high voltage holders should be used - not an ordianary B and Q drop cord and lampholder plasstic tat
If in doubt I'd arrange either an insulator or some earthed metal between you and the ignition electrode wiring (spark symbol) if I were you - unless its a ready made enclosed fitting.
PS if it goes out it may well need to cool before it will re-strike, so once on- leave it on if it will be needed again in less than 10 mins.
good luck, and pack the sunglasses...

 

[ban-all-sheds]

and is an up and coming 'artiste' (to use her own pronunciation).

That pronounciation usually implies someone who uses a chrome plated pole in her acts of artistic expression....

But I digress.

Is she aware of the colour of the light from a sodium lamp?

 

[Thumpa]

I asked her, she said 'bright' and about now im thinking a chrome plated pole would come in handy, especially if she burns down the flat. This does not instil a great amount of confidence - perhaps this project would be more suitable moved away from living spaces and into a studio!

One final question and then I will be out of your hair, (Mapj1) the UAL and the holder came without wiring so she is using B&Q standard wiring, is that suitable? Im concerned about the 6000v surge!

Thanks for all the replies guys!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I asked her, she said 'bright'

So she didn't say "bright and noticeably yellow", then....

 

[mapj1]

I'd make sure you can't touch the wiring when its all assembled - either trunking, or boxing in in someway. You'll know if you have a problem soon enough. I
In practice it wont suddenly catch fire, but it might not be good to be touching it.

To Ban - what sort of clubs do you go to then?

 

[olly_k]

I assume this igniter has a built in ballast does it???
don't know a lot about Sodium but I use to re-con Metal Halide lamps at work (stingy bosses wouldn't by new!) and when pulled luminares apart the heat generated would often have melted high voltage / temp wire! and the state of the igniters was unbeleivable! How these things never started a fire god only knows.... Only ever replaced bits with suitably rated spares - never took any chances - note this was for a shop not living area!!!
Are Sodium vapor lamps and assosciated gear cool running????