# Jumbo Ballast wtf ! 6 " can 70W MH



## daveEM (Nov 18, 2012)

Yeah we have here too. What a croc. Give us the time on the change over. 

Seen two guys changing one at a mall up here, not sure how long that took them but they were both staring at the sucker on their cart and looking up at the hole in the ceiling. They probably dinged at least a couple of hours each.

I've got a store with them... but "T Bar":thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:


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## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

Hard ceiling soffit I couldn't get into. That looked like an abortion !!! I already spent over an hour just to get the numbers for ordering. Probably have another 1.5 to finish. Thing was screwed to a large metal plate inside, so I hand to blindly use a nutdriver to get the screws out.


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## tates1882 (Sep 3, 2010)

dronai said:


> Hard ceiling soffit I couldn't get into. That looked like an abortion !!! I already spent over an hour just to get the numbers for ordering. Probably have another 1.5 to finish. Thing was screwed to a large metal plate inside, so I hand to blindly use a nutdriver to get the screws out.


We call those F can ballast. I still install them, currently putting 10 of them in at the carwash I'm doing. They suck to fix but I would say the average life expectancy is 8-10 years.


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## 347sparky (May 14, 2012)

dronai said:


> Hard ceiling soffit I couldn't get into. That looked like an abortion !!! I already spent over an hour just to get the numbers for ordering. Probably have another 1.5 to finish. Thing was screwed to a large metal plate inside, so I hand to blindly use a nutdriver to get the screws out.


A lot of the ones I have run across have a latch to release the ballast. Yes, they are a pain and our SH usually does not stock the "F can" ballast.


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## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

Appropriately named The "F ballast"


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## partyman97_3 (Oct 11, 2009)

Yea, my supply guy calls them an f-can. Several grocery stores I do service work for have these for their canopy light. Fortunately for me all of them are in a high canopy with access. Pretty easy to work on them from the top. Most of the ones I do are 175 watt MH.


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## case320 (Mar 4, 2009)

An inspection camera comes in handy for these for getting numbers and finding the screws/clip to get them out.


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## frenchelectrican (Mar 15, 2007)

Over here we call them F can as well sometime we called them "Brique noire" ( Black Brick ) as well they are pain in arse most of them over here are on 240 volt connection but few case 400 volts ballast.

They are equally bad over here it will eat up the time if you are not aware how long it will change those SOB's.

Merci,
Marc


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

dronai said:


> Appropriately named The "F ballast"



Cause of the number of times you say **** while trying to fight the damn thing out of the ceiling then back in. :laughing:


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## knowshorts (Jan 9, 2009)

Where are you at? Looks like a pottery barn or williams sonoma type place. Couldn't you just order a smaller ballast based on lamp type?


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## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

knowshorts said:


> Where are you at? Looks like a pottery barn or williams sonoma type place. Couldn't you just order a smaller ballast based on lamp type?


It's a large retail chain at a mall. You would think that you could substitute, but they must be large for a reason. What suck  planning for maintenance.


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## union347sparky (Feb 29, 2012)

dronai said:


> It's a large retail chain at a mall. You would think that you could substitute, but they must be large for a reason. What suck  planning for maintenance.


They are like that because they are fully enclosed and listed to go above a hard ceiling without needing an enclosure. Not sure if you can cover them with insulation or not though I have never seen it done.


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## frenchelectrican (Mar 15, 2007)

The other thing I forgot to tell ya on the F-cans ballast if you are aware that they do come with thermal cutout switch as well.

Useally they will have " P " denstation letter marked on the ballast number.

Merci,
Marc


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## delaware74b (Jan 29, 2012)

Most of the f-can based fixtures I have seen have a thermal cutout mounted to the main wiring j-box.(not the one on the end of the f-can ballast). 

All of the fixtures I saw were marked as being non-IC. I wouldn't want insulation near the reflector housing of a 175w MH. Those fixtures have enough problems burning medium base sockets without help from insulation! A local mall has 400 of these type and it's a 75% socket failure rate when changing lamps. Fixtures were installed in 2000 and ballasts are starting to fail. Easy change in the drop ceilings but an absolute b**ch to change in the hard ceiling. I figure an hour per not counting time to get lift to the fixture.


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## mbednarik (Oct 10, 2011)

One many canopy lights I try to upsell a line voltage LED lamp and bypass the ballast. Usually with the cost of the ballast and screwing around it really isn't much more money.


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## btharmy (Jan 17, 2009)

dronai said:


> Hard ceiling soffit I couldn't get into. That looked like an abortion !!! I already spent over an hour just to get the numbers for ordering.


That's when I stick my iPhone up there and snap a couple dozen pics. If you know where to aim you will get the info you are looking for.


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