From Friday Night Lights to the Olympics: How Obsolete IGBTs Keep Events Bright
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Whether it’s a high school football game, a packed baseball stadium, or an international sporting event, there’s one thing every fan counts on—bright, reliable lighting.
But behind those dazzling beams isn’t just a light switch—it’s a complex network of power electronics, often relying on IGBTs (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors) that have been in service for decades.
And here’s the kicker: many of those IGBTs are now obsolete. That means when one fails, the entire lighting bank can go dark. Not exactly what you want in the middle of the fourth quarter or during a gold medal ceremony.
The Hidden Side of Stadium Lighting
Large-scale venues often run their lighting infrastructure for 20+ years. Even when they upgrade to LED, it’s not always a complete replacement—many auxiliary, backup, or specialized lighting zones still run on older HID (high-intensity discharge) systems.
Some famous examples:
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MetLife Stadium (New Jersey) – When it opened in 2010, metal halide floodlights ruled the field. Even with LEDs today, auxiliary areas may still rely on older control systems.
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Lambeau Field (Wisconsin) – Home to decades of football history… and more than a few legacy lighting circuits.
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Rose Bowl (California) – This 1922 classic has seen countless lighting upgrades, but older IGBTs can still be found behind the scenes.
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Fenway Park (Massachusetts) – Even with modern LED upgrades in recent years, backup circuits and auxiliary lighting may still rely on legacy IGBT modules.
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Caesars Superdome (Louisiana) – LEDs handle the main lights, but backup systems still use legacy tech to ensure the show goes on.
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Daytona International Speedway (Florida) – One of the largest lit sports facilities in the world, with a mix of modern and older controls powering miles of lighting.
Internationally, places like Wembley Stadium in the UK, Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia, and Tokyo Dome in Japan have also had to keep legacy IGBT-based systems running alongside their modern upgrades.
The Real Parts Behind the Lights
If you’ve ever opened a lighting control cabinet in one of these venues, there’s a good chance you’ve seen modules like these:
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Infineon BSM25GD120DN2E3224 – A 1200 V, 25 A dual IGBT module used in ballast drivers and mid-power HID light bank circuits. ATI has these on order and ready to ship in 7-10 days. Order Online
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Mitsubishi CM75DY-24H – A 1200 V, 75 A dual IGBT, often found in high-current dimming racks and large floodlight control systems. ATI currently has 5 units in stock for immediate replacement needs. Order Online
When these parts fail, finding a replacement quickly is critical—especially on game day. The bad news? Both are long discontinued from their original manufacturers. The good news? ATI Accurate Technology Inc. specializes in tracking down these hard-to-find modules so you don’t have to.
Why Obsolete IGBTs Still Matter
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Legacy systems last longer than you think. Many stadiums only replace parts when they fail, not the whole system.
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Downtime is expensive. A single failure can mean lost ticket sales, broadcast interruptions, or rescheduled events.
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Obsolete doesn’t mean unavailable. It just means you need the right sourcing partner—like ATI.
ATI: Your Go-To for Hard-to-Find Lighting Parts
At ATI, we’ve helped venues big and small keep the lights on when the manufacturer says, “Sorry, we don’t make that anymore.” Whether it’s for a local high school field or a major international arena, we have:
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Thousands of obsolete and hard-to-find IGBTs in stock.
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Direct replacements, cross-manufacturer alternatives, and compatible options.
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Fast shipping to get your lights back on before the next event.
From Friday night under the lights to the world’s biggest sporting stages, ATI keeps the game going—literally.
📞 Call us: 239-734-7566
🌐 Visit us: https://www.igbts.us
📧 Email us: websales@igbt.us.com
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Photocredit: CBSNews