I am thinking about constructing a few ballast boxes, and I’m wondering what connector I should use for the output.
I have considered using the IEC C series connector, but I think it is too standard and somebody could plug something else that isn’t meant to be plugged into it by mistake.
The other connector I have considered using is the stage pin connector, which is commonly used in theatrical lighting (often on dimmed circuits) here in America, and comes in sizes from as little as 20A all the way up to 100A

What connector do you use?

I have never made a ballast box so I can't say what I use, but these are some recommendations:

- Stage Pin
A little bulky, kind of annoying to use sometimes because it is flat, but definitely does the trick.

- NEMA ML-2 or NEMA L5-15
Two different locking versions of a normal 120V 15A outlet. Connectors are easy to find everywhere, can use normal electrical boxes for receptacles.

- Neutrik PowerCON
Compact 120V 16A locking connector, looks very professional and is finger-safe, but they only come in blue for some reason.

Get ordinary plug and socket of another country -
Choose one that won't fit into any common socket or adapter in your country. (But there is risk of somebody using adapters, especially the Chinese ones with multiple holes that accept all plugs)

Swiss SN441011 won't fit into any other socket worldwide. The 16A variant is less common, and might have thick enough pins to prevent plugging into adapters

Italy CEI23-50 won't fit into any other socket worldwide. The 16A variant is less common, and have pins spaced far apart so it might prevent plugging into adapters
 - The socket is not recessed, and the sleeving on the pins does not make it "fool proof" at HID ignitor voltages. (Don't stick your fingers to the pins)
 - The plug is not polarised, but this generally is not an issue for any HID lamp

British BS546 won't fit into any other socket, but in itself is fairly common around the world. The 15A variant have thick pins sufficient to prevent plugging into adapters
 - The plug itself is huge, but this is not a bad thing at HID ignitor voltages

Israel SI32 won't fit into any other socket worldwide, but does fit into most adapters



Use IEC 60309 industrial connectors
 - Some types (typically Blue 2P+E 16/32A 6h and Red 4P+E 16/32A 6h) are fairly common in industrial use, so in factories etc there will be sockets where it can be plugged in and availability of adapters
 - There are more special (and harder to find) plugs in the 60309 series that are not compatible with anything else, like Green 2h for 400Hz



Modify an IEC C connector to make your own special version
 - https://www.lighting-gallery.net/gallery/displayimage.php?album=2096&pos=10&pid=58040
 - Keep clearance betwen any conductors you add and the L pin, especially considering HID ignitor voltages



If you use flex cable or moulded plugs with cable - Some flexes - especially the thin ones in the 0.5mm2 range (20AWG) or so - Have too thin insulation to withstand HID ignitor voltages at all

In all cases, any cable after the ignitor does pose some fire risk. If the cable gets damaged or its insulation fails, it will be subjected to ignitor voltage that will keep arcing going, and the ballast will prevent the tripping of any breakers, possibly including AFCIs

If this have to work unattended, either design it so the ignitor is in the luminaire and not in the ballast box, or use shielded cable and GFCI

@Multisubject Thanks for bringing the NEMA ML-2 to my attention! The L5-15 is reasonably popular but the ML-2 is a lot more uncommon, so I think that is a good option. The PowerCON is also an interesting item and I will consider it.

@Ash Also a good idea, but the consequence of said plugs and sockets being foreign is that they are really hard to obtain here, and shipping is often extremely expensive or most sellers won’t even ship overseas (I am all too familiar with this as the plugs and sockets of the world are one of my many interests)
I will definitely consider the idea of modifying an IEC or some other connector, but it is slightly more involved than using a premade plug and socket.

I agree with @Ash in suggesting the use of IEC 60309 connectors, those are hardly ever used here though they are a little bulky.

I just thought of the possibility of using an IEC C19/C20, those are pretty much only used in high power 240V computing applications, so I don't think anyone will end up misusing it. They are pretty compact, and of course finger safe as well. They can handle 16A at 250V.

Get ordinary plug and socket of another country -
Choose one that won't fit into any common socket or adapter in your country. (But there is risk of somebody using adapters, especially the Chinese ones with multiple holes that accept all plugs)

Quite interesting, here in Australia some gearboxes have a special round ground pin type I socket exactly for this purpose.

https://www.reichelt.de/de/de/shop/produkt/sicherheits-bananenbuchse_4_mm_m4_rot-346987?PROVID=2788&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=183379230

insulated 4mm laboratory plugs. Rated for contious 1000V 32A. At least if you buy genuine MC or Hirschmann ones. Im pretty shure these are also available in the USA

Those are good too when used with their matching sleeved bananas

Here (Israel) i can get locally Nema 5-15 and Schuko sockets and plugs at my industrial electrical distributor. They stock them for use in factories where they are used for maintenance of some imported equipment

For example if an entire production line had been imported from the USA, then there often is a transformer installed inside the equipment cabinet, and most of the components in the line will work at their original US voltages (but 50Hz). Then if for example the line contains some internal equipment rack, the connectors there will be all the original NEMA ones

There may be a similar situation in the US too - Check at the more specialised electrical distributors



The NEMA and Schuko sockets i can get here are modular units made in Italy by Gewiss. The lineup includes also our standard SI32 and BS546. They make most international sockets

Several italian manufacturers - Ave, Gewiss, Bticino and others make a modular system, which is common here in new installations (had been around since the 80s). Empty frame is installed into the wall box, and individual modules like single sockets, single switches, ethernet ports, etc are assembled in the frame in any combination. The frame size for 3 devices fits in an US rectangular wall box and lines up exactly with the screw holes

@Ash We do strangely have the Leviton BSRDP, which is a BS1363A socket meant for US electrical boxes and wall plates, but there is no other type besides BS1363A available.
It is likely intended for either tourist accommodations or maybe military bases in Saudi Arabia, since they use both BS1363A and 60 Hz there.

@Alex Those banana connectors are also an option as they are sufficiently rated (I believe I can probably find an equivalent one from a reputable US vendor), and I will probably add them as a secondary output in addition to one of the other connectors since they would be useful for measuring voltage or (dangerously) using multimeter probes to quickly test lamps, but I still prefer a combined connector type.

The companies that make the modular stuff are mostly in Italy - Gewiss, Ave, Bticino, Vimar. Some are elsewhere in Europe - Schneider Electric (Merlin Gerin - France)

It looks like this modular system originated in Italy, though nowadays they sell it worldwide, so they do make the correct socket for each country. Here they sell it with the SI32 socket, as well as Europlug and BS546, and more are available at industrial supplies or to order

I would expect that somebody does import and distribute their stuff in the USA too

Here is what some stuff from Gewiss, and some 3rd party stuff made to fit into the Gewiss system, looks like :




Those systems are not compatible with the standard USA wall plates, and are not compatible with each other either. Each manufacturer's devices fit only their frames and their faceplates. However, they all are compatible with the same set of wall boxes, so if you have a standard box of 3, 4, or 6 module size in the wall, you can fit in it the devices from any of the manufacturers. The 3 module box is the same as the US standard box, but is installed sideways

Gewiss being very common and the oldest ones (so possibly some expired patents are involved...) so there are lots of 3rd party devices made that fit the rest of their system



Any of the solutions provided (IEC 60309, any country's plugs, and bananas) are only rated for low voltage in the <690V, and most in the <250V range

Common HID ignitors output as much as 5kV

Most of the sockets will, in practice, withstand HID ignitor voltages - As long as there is no particular bad spot (contacts too close together) in the particular socket design

However, in most "home" sockets, the socket contacts (of an empty socket) may be too close from inside to the socket face, the contacts of a plug too close from inside to openings or external touchable surfaces of the plug body, etc, sufficiently to be unsafe to TOUCH near the openings when the socket or plug are under ignitor voltage. (Which means anytime, as the lamp can extinguish and ignitor activate with no advance warning anytime, for whatever reason)

The IEC 60309 are as safe as you can get to freely plug and unplug it while the ignitor is ticking 5kV, as they have very large distances between any conductive parts and handling surfaces

With all the others, and especially bananas - Either design your lighting system such that the ignitor is in the lamp side of the system and not together with the ballast (this requires superimposed ignitor), or avoid touching the sockets and plugs when the ignitor may be active. The 1st option have the added advantage that it eliminates fire risk from the cable



Same warning applies also to use of multimeter - Neither the multimeter, nor the probe leads you hold in your hand, are meant to withstand a 5kV pulse. If you want to measure lamp voltage you need to disable the ignitor completely