HELLP!! ballast or bulb???

S

sandee

Member
HELLO- I'M NEW AND NEED SOME PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. SERIOUSLY QUCIK! OKAY I BOUGHT A USED BALLAST OF EBAY, ITS A HYDROFARM 1000WATT HPS, SO I BOUGHT A MH 1000WATT BULB FROM A PRETTY WELL KNOWN STORE ON EBAY AND HE SPECIFIES THAT THIS MH BULB CAN BE USED IN A HPS ONLY BALLAST, SO I THINK COOL THE PRICE IS RIGHT THE KELVINS ARE GOOD PERFECT!, SO TODAY I SET IT UP TURN IT ON-WELL MY HUBBY DID. WHEN I GET BACK ABOUT 45 MINS LATER AND CHECK THE LIGHT IS OUT THE BALLAST IS ON I CAN HEAR IT-NOT TO LOUD BUT I CAN HEAR IT LOWLY HUMMIN-ITS WARM BUT NOT TO HOT TO TOUCH, AND THE LIGHT IS OUT!!! SO WE THINK FUDGE THE LIGHT BURNED OUT:sad:- MAYBE ITS NOT OK WITH HPS AS SPECIFIED. LIGHT- HOOD- METAL AROUND CORD SET- ALL HOT, BUT THEY GET PRETTY HOT ANYWAY RIGHT.WELL AFTER 15MINS OF DISCUSSION OR SO WE PLUG IT IN AND THE LIGHT COMES BACK ON!! WHAT THE HECK?? SO WE CUT IT OFF IMMEDIATLEY SO WE DO'NT BURN IT OUT. NOW THE PROFESSIONAL HELP -DO YOU THINK THE BALLAST IS BAD? :sad:WHAT SHOULD I DO TURN IT ON AND WAIT AND SEE? MY PLANTS NEED LIGHT AND THIS CAN THROW US OFF COURSE A FEW WEEKS:sad:-NO WORRIES IF IT HAPPENS IT HAPPESN BUT I WOULD LIKE TO AVOIDTHE DELAY-NO MONEY TO REPALCE THINGS FOR A WEEK, NOW I HAVE A FAN BUT NO DUCT TO HOOK IT UP TO THE REFLECTOR, DO YOU THINK IT JUST GOT TO HOT AND THE LIGHT SHUT IT SELF OFF-CAN THE LIGHT EVEN DO THAT? ANY ADVICE IS GOOD ADVICE THANKS-SANDEE PS BUE BE QUICK WITH YOUR ADVICE I'M IMPATIENT!!LOL J'K THANKS:-P P.S PLEASE FORGIVE MY SPELLING I HAVE SLE LUPUS AND MY PROOFREADING IS ALWAYS WRONG-BUT I THINK ITS RIGHT.
 
pilgram

pilgram

Well-Known Member
did it come in a box? it sounds like your sayin it is a mh to hps? the lamp should say so
 
S

sandee

Member
ok specifically-the ballast is a hps only hydrofarm 1000watts.
the bulb is a 1000 watt mh bulb.
it (the bulb) came in a box that says nothing other than general specks- however on the website i bought it from when he broke done the specks of the bulb he states specifically"will work in a HPS only Ballast" - that is why i bought it. The bulb still works now but shut it self off (i think) there was no timer hooked up to it yet. so i'm wondering which one of these is broke,going out, or what could have happened? THANKS
 
pilgram

pilgram

Well-Known Member
if its a conversion bulb it would say so down by the brass,if its not it will shut off in your HPS system
 
S

sandee

Member
ok im gonna go check right now- but why the hell would he state that in the ad "a very important detail" if it wasn't, its not like he charged alot more for it because of that, but people are strange who knows-i will go check and tell you THANKS that makes it real easy.!!!
 
jkeddy

jkeddy

Member
friend had the same prob ,he found out it wasent the bulb ,he was just tripping the breaker and when it resets the ballast wasent turning the bulb on but his ballast was still humming.......he turned it off let it set for 5 min then it worked (after he realized his heater was hooked to the same 15amp.
 
S

sandee

Member
purplekrunchie said:
my question is: If you bought a hps, why would you want to use a mh bulb in it in the first place?
Click to expand...
sorry..thanks for your replies.i checked nothing there,except the stamp on the outside of bulb:
Mh growlamp
1000/ttmh64/hor
5200k
on the box it says optimized spectrum metal halide grow lamp 1000w,thats it then warnings and spectrum diagram. It took so long cuz i repositionedthe reservoir and feeled her up -i have a seperate dwc for the clones until i want to put them in the ebb n flow 2gallon buckets, and cooked for the boys!! Aaggh! I want to try the light again but i'm scared to blow it out. I have the mh bulb duh for veg, and then the hps bulb for flowerin, i know that much, some prefer different but i think this is the best. I should say this is my first time with this size and dedication and commitment and caring so i want it to be right. I tried to save some money and got a great deal on a ballast on ebay, the conversion bulbs 'where the box actually says it is are only 65- but i found this one for 28 bucks its hella nice and bright but it may not be what the guy advertised it as, i'm guessing, just hoped someone had that experiences and had a good thought about it. I try and take some pictures for you to see with my camera phone hope they come out okay-but give me a few minutes.thanks sandee
 
withoutAchance

withoutAchance

Active Member
open the ballast and disconnect the igniter and you should be good and you could even add a switch to the igniter wires making it switchable from MH to HPS iot is reall simple the igniter should be marked and thiers only 2 wires on it diconnect and tape up ends no its MH only ballast. google for better instructions.

rep this info fo sure
 
withoutAchance

withoutAchance

Active Member
if you dont want to do that the breaker idea and the ballast not powering the buld because its the wrong one are also good ideas the latter because the igniter would power teh bulb unitl it shut off and then the bulb would be dark and of course the igniter would restart once ou restart it, the breaker idea is only plauseible if ytou have self resteeting breakers.
 
S

sandee

Member
1110102242b.jpg1110102249.jpgthat s sounds like a good idea -i will see if my husband wants to try that-or just wait to get the right bulb-and he said1110102242.jpg exactly that'we don't have resettable breakers and that was all that was plugged in at the time..thanks everyone for your ideas i think the guy1110102242a.jpg just lied or didn't know..i don't know why he would but i will email him and see if he will give e the conversion bulb for the inconvience and 1110102249a.jpgfor the false advertisement..but with these things you can expect to lose some and win some here are some pictures, i will try to insert. thanks1110102250.jpg
 
withoutAchance

withoutAchance

Active Member
that looks like a conversion bulb to me or an hps, the glow is MH for sure, is the ballast 120v or 240v, i love thought older hf ballast i have 5 from the early 90's still bright as the day i got them. set up looks good youll need to get the buckets into a 4x4 or as close to that as possible for 1 1000w to work best.

A normal MH bulb is a fatty like 4-6 inches.

my best guess is that is a conversion bulb.
 
S

sandee

Member
how much acan you bend the lines or have them wiggled - i heard they had to be straight thats why i have them space like that? should i just pull them all into each other, also it is a 120 v ballast- thanks w are gonna read up and try the doctoring of ballast later.
 
withoutAchance

withoutAchance

Active Member
u can trim the line it is really cheap compared to evething else like 15cents a foot or less. and alongated the same direction as you r hood is better some say the area for a 1000w is 4x8 with alongated with the hood.

post a LINK to the ebay guy ide like to read his discription. becasue thats either a HPS or conversion style bulb it should also have a bulb type or shape #, but i sure all MH have a fat body.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top