# 120-277 volt ballast



## pudge565 (Dec 8, 2007)

This thread is Cleetus.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

meadow said:


> Is a 120-277 volt ballast running on 208 or 240 an issue?


Yes because they need a neutral to operate,if you hook them up to 208 or 240 you'll let the smoke out.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

pudge565 said:


> This thread is Cleetus.


What's he look like..:laughing:


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## CEFishin (Aug 13, 2013)

meadow said:


> Is a 120-277 volt ballast running on 208 or 240 an issue?


Not an issue since it's multi tap ballast. Volts ranges between 120v-277v.


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## Celtic (Nov 19, 2007)

I don't think so...



















Why the question?


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## Meadow (Jan 14, 2011)

HARRY304E said:


> Yes because they need a neutral to operate,if you hook them up to 208 or 240 you'll let the smoke out.


Apparently not, these have been running like this for about a year. 





CEFishin said:


> Not an issue since it's multi tap ballast. Volts ranges between 120v-277v.


Ballast is electronic rather than a muti-tap. Voltage is selected electronically.


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## Meadow (Jan 14, 2011)

Celtic said:


> I don't think so...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Ballasts are intellivolt rather than multi tap. Just have never seen them hooked up to 208 instead of 120 or 277.


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## Celtic (Nov 19, 2007)

This style for flores.?












> IntelliVolt multiple-voltage technology enables operation from 120 to 277V, 50/60 Hz
> Enhances accuracy of ordering and reduces
> SKU requirements


*ELECTRONIC FLUORESCENT BALLASTS - Philips Lighting

*
*Ballast Replacement Guide - Philips Application Server*

Go for it*:thumbsup:
*


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## Meadow (Jan 14, 2011)

Celtic said:


> This style for flores.?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yup! Problem is I have never seen those connected phase to phase or any info on doing so.


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## Celtic (Nov 19, 2007)

meadow said:


> Yup! Problem is I have never seen those connected phase to phase or any info on doing so.


Wade though that pdf I linked to and you will :thumbsup:


..or just zoom in on this Intellivolt ballast to see the wiring diagram:









...or just connect it the way you usually would L1+L2 to B & W.....mind your ground!


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## micromind (Aug 11, 2007)

Out of curiosity, I hooked one up to 208. Worked fine, even after several days.


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## mbednarik (Oct 10, 2011)

I have about 50 running that I have installed on a 240v system. Going on about a year without any issues. The way I take it as long as the voltage is between the two, I think you will be fine.


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

HARRY304E said:


> Yes because they need a neutral to operate,if you hook them up to 208 or 240 you'll let the smoke out.


:blink:


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## Meadow (Jan 14, 2011)

mbednarik said:


> I have about 50 running that I have installed on a 240v system. Going on about a year without any issues. The way I take it as long as the voltage is between the two, I think you will be fine.


Looks like it. By chance could the warrantee be voided? Im thinking about contacting Philips via Email on this.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

erics37 said:


> :blink:


Eric on these electronic ballasts it does not say you can run them at 208 line to line or 240 line to line,so one can assume it's not a good idea to hook them up to line to line voltages if its not in the specs.

Maybe they work fine that way but it does not say so in the specs,I'm not willing to blowup a bunch of ballasts just because someone says you can do it.

Lets see it in the specs .


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

If they only wanted them used on 120 and 277 then they shouldn't have used a dash. :laughing:

The switching PSU in them doesn't give a F' what you feed it as long as its somewhere in its voltage range.


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## jefft110 (Jul 7, 2010)

Yep. 

It would be 120/277 not 120-277.


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## drumnut08 (Sep 23, 2012)

meadow said:


> Is a 120-277 volt ballast running on 208 or 240 an issue?


No issue at all . I put in about 12 RAB , high output , high bays and they're running on 240 VAC . The ballasts were either GE or advance , but I called tech support a d spoke to an engineer before I fried them all . The new " smart " voltage sensing ballasts don't care what you feed them with and also don't get locked in to whatever you feed them with . These same lights will work fine on 120 volts if you decide to change things up . I bench tested one an it satisfied me enough to go through with it . The engineer told me when it's 120-277 , the ballast is good for any voltage in this range . When it's 120 / 277 it's one or the other , no in between .


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## drumnut08 (Sep 23, 2012)

HARRY304E said:


> Eric on these electronic ballasts it does not say you can run them at 208 line to line or 240 line to line,so one can assume it's not a good idea to hook them up to line to line voltages if its not in the specs.
> 
> Maybe they work fine that way but it does not say so in the specs,I'm not willing to blowup a bunch of ballasts just because someone says you can do it.
> 
> Lets see it in the specs .


Don't be scared Harry , everybody's doing it , lol ! When in doubt , call tech support , if you're uncertain .


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## buddhakii (Jan 13, 2011)

No issues. As stated they can operate anywhere within that range.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

Jlarson said:


> If they only wanted them used on 120 and 277 then they shouldn't have used a dash. :laughing:
> 
> The switching PSU in them doesn't give a F' what you feed it as long as its somewhere in its voltage range.


What's the switching PSU?:blink:


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## Celtic (Nov 19, 2007)

HARRY304E said:


> What's the switching PSU?:blink:


Power supply unit.

Unlike a multi-tap, this is an intellivolt....just connect the wires and it senses the input voltage to correctly apply output voltage to the tubes.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

Celtic said:


> Power supply unit.
> 
> Unlike a multi-tap, this is an intellivolt....just connect the wires and it senses the input voltage to correctly apply output voltage to the tubes.


:whistling2::laughing:

Well I'm going to have put one in my house and see if I can blow it up !:laughing:


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## Celtic (Nov 19, 2007)

HARRY304E said:


> :whistling2::laughing:
> 
> Well I'm going to have put one in my house and see if I can blow it up !:laughing:


Make sure you wear a helmet!
We don't want you getting injured :thumbsup:


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

HARRY304E said:


> Eric on these electronic ballasts it does not say you can run them at 208 line to line or 240 line to line,so one can assume it's not a good idea to hook them up to line to line voltages if its not in the specs.
> 
> Maybe they work fine that way but it does not say so in the specs,I'm not willing to blowup a bunch of ballasts just because someone says you can do it.
> 
> Lets see it in the specs .


Like the other guys said, anything in the voltage range will make it work. Theoretically you could wire it up to 173 volts and it would go. Anyway, most equipment has no idea if a conductor is a neutral or not. All it cares about is getting the right voltage.


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## micromind (Aug 11, 2007)

I've seen some of these ballasts that the nameplate states would operate on 125DC as well as 120-277AC.


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## Meadow (Jan 14, 2011)

erics37 said:


> Like the other guys said, anything in the voltage range will make it work. Theoretically you could wire it up to 173 volts and it would go. Anyway, most equipment has no idea if a conductor is a neutral or not. All it cares about is getting the right voltage.


 
Don't some of these have MOVS though shorting the neutral to the case?


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

meadow said:


> Don't some of these have MOVS though shorting the neutral to the case?


Fluorescent ballasts? I have no idea. I doubt it because all it seems to take is for the building 3 blocks away to turn a light on to create enough disturbance in the Force to knock out an electronic ballast


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## Meadow (Jan 14, 2011)

erics37 said:


> Fluorescent ballasts? I have no idea. I doubt it because all it seems to take is for the building 3 blocks away to turn a light on to create enough disturbance in the Force to knock out an electronic ballast


:laughing:

GE ballasts? Ive had more luck with Philips advance. Avoid SLI and such like the plague.


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

meadow said:


> :laughing:
> 
> GE ballasts? Ive had more luck with Philips advance. Avoid SLI and such like the plague.


Yeah I exclusively use Philips stuff. I'm just making a point :laughing:


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## Kramsof (Dec 10, 2012)

What if I only have 115 volts between the ungrounded conductor and the grounded conductor? Will a 120-277V ballast still work???


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## Meadow (Jan 14, 2011)

Kramsof said:


> What if I only have 115 volts between the ungrounded conductor and the grounded conductor? Will a 120-277V ballast still work???


 
I heard they were rated 103 minimum 306 maximum or something like that.


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## Kramsof (Dec 10, 2012)

meadow said:


> I heard they were rated 103 minimum 306 maximum or something like that.



It would probably say on the ballast 103V-306V if that were true. I'm not taking any chances. I'll special order the 115V ones.


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## Meadow (Jan 14, 2011)

Kramsof said:


> It would probably say on the ballast 103V-306V if that were true. I'm not taking any chances. I'll special order the 115V ones.


 
I was wrong I stand corrected: 

"{Multi-Voltage technology means a single ballast handles​
voltage from 108V to 305V.}"

http://genet.gelighting.com/Lightin...er?Catalog=Lighting&RequestType=PDF&RecId=321


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## pudge565 (Dec 8, 2007)

Kramsof said:


> It would probably say on the ballast 103V-306V if that were true. I'm not taking any chances. I'll special order the 115V ones.


I am fairly certain ANSI requires a 10% swing in voltage either direction.


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