# 480V photocell wiring diagram



## Hilandr451

Hello, new guy here - I'm an electrical designer at an engineering group that provides engineering and drawing packages for oil producers here in Bakersfield Ca.

I have a question: I am looking for a remote photo cell wiring diagram for a 480V single phase fixture.

The application is a single 400W HPS 480V (single phs) pole mounted light fixture on a wooden power pole. The fixture will be fed from a 15A molded case circuit breaker in a 3r enclosure at ground level on a plywood back board where power is distributed to 2 MOVs (motor operated valves). I am not controlling a contactor, and there is no available 120V control power and no neutral - just 480 delta.

I know I can install a plug-in photocell on the fixture, but I would instead like to install a remote photocell at the breaker enclosure so the electrician can defeat it from the ground to periodically check the fixture. 

I suppose I could always wire in a push-button momentary switch at the breaker box that would be pre-wired to by-pass the photocell up at the fixture, but having the electrician alter the wiring of the fixture at installation doesn't appeal to me.

I am putting together a drawing package and I need a schematic. I find nothing on Intermatic's web site - everything is either 120/277 or 208V to a contactor coil. Does anybody have a diagram? A part number would be nice too!

Thanks in advance, 

Greg a.k.a. "The Highlander"


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## MasterE

You could install a 2 pole 600v rated switch to by pass the remote photo eye as long as the phasing and circuit is the same.


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## HARRY304E

Hilandr451 said:


> Hello, new guy here - I'm an electrical designer at an engineering group that provides engineering and drawing packages for oil producers here in Bakersfield Ca.
> 
> I have a question: I am looking for a remote photo cell wiring diagram for a 480V single phase fixture.
> 
> The application is a single 400W HPS 480V (single phs) pole mounted light fixture on a wooden power pole. The fixture will be fed from a 15A molded case circuit breaker in a 3r enclosure at ground level on a plywood back board where power is distributed to 2 MOVs (motor operated valves). I am not controlling a contactor, and there is no available 120V control power and no neutral - just 480 delta.
> 
> I know I can install a plug-in photocell on the fixture, but I would instead like to install a remote photocell at the breaker enclosure so the electrician can defeat it from the ground to periodically check the fixture.
> 
> I suppose I could always wire in a push-button momentary switch at the breaker box that would be pre-wired to by-pass the photocell up at the fixture, but having the electrician alter the wiring of the fixture at installation doesn't appeal to me.
> 
> I am putting together a drawing package and I need a schematic. I find nothing on Intermatic's web site - everything is either 120/277 or 208V to a contactor coil. Does anybody have a diagram? A part number would be nice too!
> 
> Thanks in advance,
> 
> Greg a.k.a. "The Highlander"


On a single phase 480 volt photo control the wiring diagram is the same just that the white wire turns into Line 2 instead of a neutral.

http://www.sensorswitch.com/DataSheets/TLP.pdf


http://www.precisionmulticontrols.com/PMCcatalogue09.pdf


http://www.precisionmulticontrols.com/Photocontrols/Energy-Saving-Photocell.html


Welcome to the forum.....:thumbup:


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## Hilandr451

Thanks guys I see that there is no difference between the 120/208V wiring and the 480V stuff. The photocells still only break one leg to the light. I would need to use a contactor to achieve that. 

I'm going to go with a single remote photocell down at the ground level and hope nobody notices. With a lockable means of disconnect on the ground, it shouldn't be a safety concern. What I'm trying to accomplish here, with minimal cost to the client, is for the maintenance electrician to be able to test the light without having to bring a bucket truck to the site.

Thanks again!

-Greg


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## kaboler

How about a bypass switch? That's the way to go, regardless of how you feel. Electricians are professionals! Give us the power and the responsibility man.


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## erics37

You probably will have a tough time finding a stem-mount or button photocell good for 480V. You can get one of these:









(Intermatic LC4535)

and one of these:









(Intermatic K122)

Your electrician can jimmy-rig it all together, that's what we do.


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## kaboler

He wants to take the power out of an electrician and put it in the hands of an... engineer. Scary hahahaha.


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## HARRY304E

kaboler said:


> He wants to take the power out of an electrician and put it in the hands of an... engineer. Scary hahahaha.


Go back to bed..


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## erics37




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## MasterE

erics37 said:


> You probably will have a tough time finding a stem-mount or button photocell good for 480V. You can get one of these:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (Intermatic LC4535)
> 
> and one of these:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (Intermatic K122)
> 
> Your electrician can jimmy-rig it all together, that's what we do.


Yes they do make them and no problem getting them..http://precisionmulticontrols.com/Photocontrols/T-ST-ETseries.html
And they also have this..http://precisionmulticontrols.com/relays/relay2.html


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## freeagnt54

All I can say is that those intermatic 480v stem mount photocells are garbage, at least in my experience. I had a similar set up as you all I had was 3ph 480v with no neutral. I had the photocell controlling a contactor and the first three yes three failed within the first 5 minutes and I had to special order them each time.


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## Amish Electrician

The Intermatic instructions are in error, and you WILL let the smoke out.

Look closer at the ratings. The eye is only rated for 277v to ground. 480 to ground will kill it. The drawings are mislabled.

You want to control 480, use a contactor with a lower voltage to the coil.


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## RIVETER

Hilandr451 said:


> Hello, new guy here - I'm an electrical designer at an engineering group that provides engineering and drawing packages for oil producers here in Bakersfield Ca.
> 
> I have a question: I am looking for a remote photo cell wiring diagram for a 480V single phase fixture.
> 
> The application is a single 400W HPS 480V (single phs) pole mounted light fixture on a wooden power pole. The fixture will be fed from a 15A molded case circuit breaker in a 3r enclosure at ground level on a plywood back board where power is distributed to 2 MOVs (motor operated valves). I am not controlling a contactor, and there is no available 120V control power and no neutral - just 480 delta.
> 
> I know I can install a plug-in photocell on the fixture, but I would instead like to install a remote photocell at the breaker enclosure so the electrician can defeat it from the ground to periodically check the fixture.
> 
> I suppose I could always wire in a push-button momentary switch at the breaker box that would be pre-wired to by-pass the photocell up at the fixture, but having the electrician alter the wiring of the fixture at installation doesn't appeal to me.
> 
> I am putting together a drawing package and I need a schematic. I find nothing on Intermatic's web site - everything is either 120/277 or 208V to a contactor coil. Does anybody have a diagram? A part number would be nice too!
> 
> Thanks in advance,
> 
> Greg a.k.a. "The Highlander"


Why not just use a disconnect with a contactor, and a manual test switch? And, of course, a control transformer.


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## freeagnt54

Amish Electrician said:


> The Intermatic instructions are in error, and you WILL let the smoke out.
> 
> Look closer at the ratings. The eye is only rated for 277v to ground. 480 to ground will kill it. The drawings are mislabled.
> 
> You want to control 480, use a contactor with a lower voltage to the coil.


The box and the photocell itself both say 480v, and what I hooked them up to was only 277v to ground.


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## cguillas

kaboler said:


> How about a bypass switch? That's the way to go, regardless of how you feel. Electricians are professionals! Give us the power and the responsibility man.


Us? You 'n me we's jus' apprentices.


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## noarcflash

http://www.precisionmulticontrols.com/PMCcatalogue09.pdf


great site. seems like you can avoid using a lighting contactor with some of their direct wire photocells.


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