Every retrofitted HID fixture I've managed to get a hold of no longer has a ballast present. Both were very easy to access though, one fixture is a large shoebox that the top opens on, and the other was a floodlight that was installed on a roof. From what I've seen, usually the ballasts are pulled by the people doing the work for the scrap value they hold...

An update for this:

I finally got around to desoldering and opening the mains transformer, there is no thermal fuse, although I found the cause of the failure. The common (neutral) connection of the transformer burnt away where is enters the bobbin, leaving a tiny stub sticking up, and a ball of melted copper on the bit of wire leading into the splice.

I'm not exactly sure what would've caused that while leaving the rest of the windings unaffected. Not much hope for making it work again for determining the output unless I can somehow find a way to get a wire to the tiny stub in the center of the transformer...

I have another cool one: "Disco Snails."

I would also have old school-type and other equipment in it. Film strip projectors, overhead projectors, CRT video projectors, a nice old bell system, slave clock system and PA, fire alarm system that works(so I could clear everyone out of the place if a fire started), a functional mimeograph machine, CRT TV carts with VCRs(probably only one).

Call me crazy but I've always kind of wanted to buy a small school or church building and make that my house, Id leave the lighting intact if its original and where possible the features would remain intact like blackboards, floor, intercoms but I would make it nicer so new paint, some nice trim, maybe some upgrades to windows, stuff like that. Some rooms would be modified like a home cinema/ entertainment, obviously my shop, a second shop but for electronics. My Gf would want a room for her reptiles and also a room for doing art related stuff. Bathrooms, I would leave 1 male and 1 female bathroom as is in the location that visitors are likely to be, whilst the others would be converted to more home like with single toilet, bath and such. If its a church, the main hall area would see the pews (benches) removed but saved or sold off. Outside I would reclad the building, keep the wallpacks up and maintained, the parking lot would remain also because theres lots you can do with a flat area like that.

I've had similar thoughts about living in an abandoned middle school. i would leave it as original as I possibly could without compromising safety(things like rotting structural members would be fixed.) I might also make it more interesting by doing stuff like converting a room to a church-type chapel with pews, churchy lights and an old organ (which would also be slightly practical because I could also use that space for home theater) or adding a 1A2 key telephone system or replacing the gym lights with combo incandescent/MV. I would also add some kind of old school remote control system for the lights(X10 maybe) and also I might convert a classroom (either one near the cafeteria or a home ec classroom so it would have gas/electricity for cooking) into a regular-style kitchen and dining room. and also convert one a few rooms(office maybe) into bedrooms so i did not have to sleep on a cot in the principal's office . Also add one of those neon ceiling fans and also some permanent neon if the code would allow it.

There's a museum in San Francisco that I went to back in 2021 that still has HID low-bays in use as well as mostly incandescent in all the display cases.

the LDS church I go to has almost no LEDs except for on the organ and 2 spotlights.

@SussexEuroSOX I'll tell you this, the moment you made this post i immediately sent it to the creator of the Lights of Belgium website, i'm a good friend of his, and he was extremely glad his website helped your research!

If i would, i'd create a similar post as yours in this forum about Indal itself and how it dominated the international street lighting market all around the globe, from making aluminium plates to lighting solutions for every occasion! I'd be inspired, and of course, i have made my research along with having 10+ Indalux catalogues from each decade

Ahhh mate! That’s lovely!  I love going on that site! It’s the site that helped me learn a lot about the different types of street lights back in 2024, so the least I could was give them a little credit  I would Definitely Read a Indalux one! I am very interested to know more!!!

I think some of us should do this. I may not as I'm sure to not be interested, but @PabTheSpanish - If you want to make a Spain Lighting Board, I'd be happy to read it 😎

@SussexEuroSOX I'll tell you this, the moment you made this post i immediately sent it to the creator of the Lights of Belgium website, i'm a good friend of his, and he was extremely glad his website helped your research!

If i would, i'd create a similar post as yours in this forum about Indal itself and how it dominated the international street lighting market all around the globe, from making aluminium plates to lighting solutions for every occasion! I'd be inspired, and of course, i have made my research along with having 10+ Indalux catalogues from each decade