Ballast is done for?

Hello good people,

One of my light dims out and turns off and then again dims up and stays on for few minutes and again goes off... Does that mean the ballast is done for?

Also my other light makes a constant hissss nois (the actual bulb makes that noise) if I turn the ballast to 50% it will stop hising!

Thank you

I would definately keep it off until you can figure it out. You do not want an electrical fire, beleive me lol.

Did you get a new bulb recently? If not how old is this one? Is it a digital or magnetic ballast? Is the bulb the same wattage as the ballast? Are you running too many amps on one circuit?

Just brainstorming

Oh this is two different bulbs\ballasts? Did the problems start at/around the same time?

I work with digital ballast and I hear some kind of electric frequency when near them. Is your bulb close to or touching the reflector? I have literally started fires by letting the glass of the bulb touch the glass of the reflector.

Hey man, yes I have 2 sets of digital ballast/bulb 600HPS

I got them around a year ago, changed the bulbs about 6 month ago.
I tried the bulb that goes off and on with a working ballast and it does it again, therefore I assume it is the bulb not the ballast.( I thought the bulb just dies after it is done, maybe not!)
the set that the bulb is making the hissing noise I am just going to change its bulb as well.

My HPS are due for a changing also, using MH for veg stage right now though.

HTGSupply.com (they have retail stores also) sells cheap quality digital bulbs. All companies say bulbs last forever but its bullshit. Digital ballast are expensive but bulbs are half cost.

When you change your bulbs it is wise to check all the screws on the reflector. They slowly loosen from vibration. I didnt realise this and my bulb melted to the reflector glass and shot fire through my vents. Good times.

Sorry to keep ranting.

I was reading some other threads and people claim adjustable ballast kill bulbs fast if used under 100% This could be the reason for your bulbs dying out like they did.