My Light Just Broke What Could It Be.

[KronikGrower]

I came home tonight and found my lights off when they were supposed to be on? I'm not sure what brand but I have a 400w digital.....I've used it 2 cycles so it's pretty new (bulb and ballast) .......I checked the timer its plugged in and it still works. I plug the light directly into the wall and --nothing-- no flickers no noise no nothing. the only thing that changed is I built a new room and moved in....switched everything to 12/12 on the third and now this? what should be my first step??? will it mess things up???

 

[lagarrettBLUNT]

possibly check your fuse box to see if maybe a fuse blew? idk usually professional lights dont just die like that. doesnt sound like you bought a cheapo anyways...

 

[DoctaGreen]

or check the fuse in the plug?

 

[vilify]

potentially the bulb? my ballasts never made noise unless the bulb was lit.

 

[KronikGrower]

checked the fuse and it intact although there is a little spec ( . ) as big as that period in the fuse line inside the glass. Is there anyway to see if the bulb burnt out by color change, blackness or anything else maybe like a normal light? I'm ten days in flower will it screw things now

 

[vilify]

never had a broken bulb, so im unsure there.
older bulbs will blacken, so that might be a helpful indicator.

im not sure if darkness will harm it as much as 2 much light would, but dont quote me on that. i would still get them back under light ASAP
CAP has cheap bulbs you could try a quick replace if a local hydro store carries it, and return the next day if it doesnt light.

sorry i cant be more help. best of luck

 

[KronikGrower]

all the help is appreciated thnx

 

[jimmy b]

If u have an electrical meter, chec voltage in socket, should be 300v i believe, carefully put one lead on bottom pin and other on the screw shell, if no volts, ballast issue, if volts then most likely lamp, i say most likely cause it still could be starter, u can also use a non-contact tester just to chec if theres voltage at socket, lil safer that way however u wont know if its proper voltage, true output voltage of your ballast should be clearly marked on nameplate. Prolly your lamp took a shot while moving, very brittle gas cha

 

[Coho]

Get a new bulb . Worst case you end up with a spare.

 

[GanjaGod420000]

I use the older magnetic kits, and it could be a bad capacitor, or starter(if itz a HPS kit), but definately start with the basics first... Get a meter, and check for input voltage, if thatz good, then u know it isn't the breaker feeding the receptacle, or whatever your primary voltage source is, and then check the socket, which should be around 350VAC, or so, and if thats good, then the ballast and components r ok, and itz probably the lamp(s)... But, since I dont use digital ballasts, Im not sure if they use caps or ignitors, which r many times the culprits... The electrical meter u use should be able to check for microfarads, which is the unit of measurement for the stored energy in the capacitors and starters/igtnitors... A good Fluke multimeter should have all the settings u need to troubleshoot these things... But, if u have checked the source where your timers r fed from, and they still work, then itz obviously not a breaker/fuse issue, and it sounds to me like more of a burnt up ballast issue, if u plug it into a known live source, and nothing happens... Digital ballasts wont hum like magnetic ones do, so, I'd try a new lamp and plug it in again, then if nothing happens, itz either the ballast, the capacitor, or the ignitor that is messed up here... Btw, I'm a 20 year licensed electrician, so u can PM me if u need further assistance...

 

[KronikGrower]

got a new bulb just put her in and nothing......checked fuse , still good still nothing.........WTF!!!!!! i touched where fuse goes, it shocked the shit out of me? so theres obviously power at the ballast.........still need to check the socket?

 

[PJ Diaz]

If you have a Metal Halide lamp, you could try that -- they have a built in igniter. If the MH lamp works, then you know the igniter in the ballast went bad. Also, are you sure the fuse is good? What was that speck in the fuse all about?

 

[KronikGrower]

still not sure about the speck. but the fuse completes a circuit still. I'm picking up a new 600w hps in the a.m. , Hopefully I can send this ballast in under warranty? then i'll just put both in the new room......

 

[dadio161]

check where you purchased your bulb. When I buy mine , they come with a one year warrenty. I blew a bulb after 2 grows and just took the bad bulb back . no problems. Got a new bulb.

 

[james76208]

from what ive read our bulbs aren't good for digital ballast at least not compatible as they should be read an article other day in a mag about it

 

[GanjaGod420000]

Sounds like a ballast issue to me... And, I wouldnt recommend sticking my finger in the fuse block anymore... They make $10 No Contact Voltage testers called hotsticks that make it a whole lot more enjoyable and less shocking to check for voltage... 110V can kill, too... Only takes .5 mA to stop the human heart... I love my magnetic core and coil kits, as they r easy to diagnose- it's either the capacitor, the ignitor, or a burnt up ballast 9 out of 10 times with those... I think digis, although they may be more affecient, can be more problematic, and harder to troubleshoot... A new ballast would def be in order it sounds like... Regular lamps will fire fine in digis, but just arent the best, because of the digital pulse the ballasts provide, for a more even ignition, and running cycle... ALso, your digital kit shouldve come with the proper lamp, or at least whoever sold it to u shoulve provided u with the correct lamp for that digi ballast, so I highly doubt that the lamp is the culprit here... There's a burnt up diode, or resistor, or SOME electrical component internally that isn't functioning... I haveta take it all apart and "put my hands on it" to properly troubleshoot the actual problem, as all of your "basics" are there, and working fine... I have a gas lamp tester that is awesome in determining if ANY gas lamp is viable or not, without using the corresponding fixture...

 

[missnu]

I think the only thing you can do is to send it in for repair or warranty...

 

[GanjaGod420000]

His fuse and fuse panel are fine... If he got shocked by putting his finger in the socket, then that'd be 110VAC, and if he's got power on his timers, as he stated, then POWER coming thru the fuse is NOT the issue... It's his ballast, and he may have the wrong lamps, but even with those, they should STILL work in a digi!

 

[GanjaGod420000]

BTW, missnu, how'd u ever get a HPS to burn in a MH ballast??? It will work in reverse of that, but not that way... HPS's need ignitors, and MHs dont... HPS ballasts will fire HPS AND MH lamps... MH ballasts will fire MH lamps only...

 

[GanjaGod420000]

I have plenty of 400W HPS lamps, and plenty of 400W MH ballasts, and I can say without any doubt that none of them r compatible, because of the missing starter... But, I burn MH's in HPS ballast kits all the time, with no early failures...