Mercury Vapor light

john in la · Jan 19, 2020

I have a 175W Mercury Vapor dusk to dawn street/yard light.

What do I need to do to convert this to a LED bulb other than making sure the bulb has a E39 base.
I assume 50W would be about right.
The bulb is about twice the price but I am thinking the electric savings will cover this extra cost.

David G · Jan 19, 2020

A mercury vapor bulb has a ballast, best to replace the whole fixture.

john in la · Jan 19, 2020

So would removing the ballast solve the problem.
Or is that so hard it is not worth the time.

I have not looked at the fixture as it is 15 feet off the ground.

mj · Jan 19, 2020

i have a light that has been converted to a LED bulb ;the ballast was removed and the bulb's base changed to a smaller one to fit the LED.

old-9 · Jan 19, 2020

It shouldn't be hard to by pass the ballast, and there are adapters for the lamp. Just remember to keep the photocell wired in correctly.
here

Steve@Advance · Jan 19, 2020

You have to bypass the ballast.

OK to just leave it in, just wire the socket direct, seriesed through the photo cell. The photo cell needs a line connection too.

But you might want to price the entire fixture, sometimes it is about the same price as just a lamp.

Be sure to keep your receipt, some of those Chinese replacement lamps have a very exaggerated life expectancy.

David G · Jan 19, 2020

Steve listed the steps.

casecollectorsc · Jan 19, 2020

Did it on two lites in my yard. Remove the ballast and get the adapter to fit your bulb and socket. Had to grind the socket down so the adapter would seat in the socket. Put up one 10,000 lumen bulb and one 5000 lumen. Can't really tell the difference between the two but a lot brighter than the old mercury vapor. 10,000 bulb was $39 and the 5000 was $19.99 at Menards...cheaper now I think...google corn cob bulb.

casecollectorsc · Jan 19, 2020

I might add...the neighbor bought a 5000 lumen complete lite from the local elec. co-op. What a cheap joke, my 5000 lumen bulb is almost twice as bright as the $200 unit he bought.

Geo-TH,In · Jan 20, 2020

John,
Someplace I posted how I easily made a repairable Dusk to Dawn light. First gut the light fixture remove ballast and bulb base. You will need the photo eye, mount a light socket that fits the LED . I use a COB LED, less than $20. You can use any LED. Depends on how much light you want.

The photo eye is like a light switch. Have photo eye apply power to LED, it's that simple. It even works on newer lights that use an electronic photo eye.
I have done this to at least 6 lights. It works and unlike any other LED dusk to dawn, you can repair it not have to replace everything.
geo

Geo-TH,In · Jan 20, 2020

Steve,
Remove the ballast to make it lighter to mount again.
You can't repair a new fixture, so you will have to remove it and install another fixture. Unscrewing the LED is much easier than working on the end of a ladder removing and replacing.
I made a plug on my Dusk to dawn so I don't have to connect 3 wires, I only have to plug it in.

Planning to mount a new Dusk to dawn on new pole barn. I going to put a small extension cord on it and push the cord inside pipe. That way I can plug it in inside the pole barn.

I HATE WORKING ON A 20 FOOT LADDER. Ladders are death machines!!!
geo

rustyfarmall · Jan 20, 2020

(quoted from post at 06:53:47 01/20/20) Steve,
Remove the ballast to make it lighter to mount again.
You can't repair a new fixture, so you will have to remove it and install another fixture. Unscrewing the LED is much easier than working on the end of a ladder removing and replacing.
I made a plug on my Dusk to dawn so I don't have to connect 3 wires, I only have to plug it in.

Planning to mount a new Dusk to dawn on new pole barn. I going to put a small extension cord on it and push the cord inside pipe. That way I can plug it in inside the pole barn.

I HATE WORKING ON A 20 FOOT LADDER. Ladders are death machines!!!
geo

I will suggest wiring it through a light switch, so you can turn it off if needed.

sammydwm · Jan 20, 2020

I just pulled the ballast out. The bulb I used had a regular base but Menards had adapters.

Mercury Vapor light

john in la

Well-known Member

David G

Well-known Member

john in la

Well-known Member

mj

Well-known Member

old-9

Well-known Member

Steve@Advance

Well-known Member

David G

Well-known Member

casecollectorsc

Well-known Member

casecollectorsc

Well-known Member

Geo-TH,In

Well-known Member

Geo-TH,In

Well-known Member

rustyfarmall

Well-known Member

sammydwm

Member

Similar threads