HPS bulbs melting

M

michmed

Active Member
I"ve had 3 (of 8) 1000W HPS bulbs melt in the first 6 weeks with this setup. The glass gets so hot one melted a hole in it, another sort of melted right off the base. The third may have simply blown as there were floating bits inside it

From the box -

40A Double Pole service run directly to -
Cap MLC-8X - Master Light Controller to -
WelTthink 1000 Watt 120/240V MH/HPS Digital Ballast to -
Hydrofarm Raptor Reflector, 8" Air Cooled

2 of the melted bulbs were
MaxLume HPS Lamp 1000 Watt, C.A.P.

One was a
Sun Master Grow Lamp - Bulb Sod 1000W HO

Any ideas why
 
VICTORYGARDENSHYDRO

VICTORYGARDENSHYDRO

New Member
what size fan? is your intake and exhaust clear with no kinks in your duct? Obviously, your not removing the heat from the hood, it's backing up.
 
M

michmed

Active Member
a single 8" inline duct fan... no kinks, exhaust is clear, all 8" flex ducting in one window and out another....

The room is quite large and didn't seem to get "too hot" even before I got the A/C working (sadly about 2 weeks after moving in), in room temps during that time didn't get much above 85 deg. Since installing the A/C the room stays under 80

interestingly I didn't lose, melt, break any bulbs while the A/C wasn't working -- it's been the 3-4 weeks since then that I started to have troubles
 
dura72

dura72

Well-Known Member
this may seem stupid but is ur 240/120v ballast switch on at the correct setting. i remember setting an electric razor to 120v and im in the u.k, it went fast as hell but heated up really quick.
 
M

michmed

Active Member
dura72 said:
this may seem stupid but is ur 240/120v ballast switch on at the correct setting. i remember setting an electric razor to 120v and im in the u.k, it went fast as hell but heated up really quick.
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Good guess - but the ballasts are supposed to be self switching, nothing for me to change/move/switch
 
Monkeyfloss

Monkeyfloss

Active Member
I sincerely hope there are no children in the same building as your faulty equipment. .. If so, the potential consequences dont bare thinking about.
 
M

michmed

Active Member
Monkeyfloss said:
I sincerely hope there are no children in the same building as your faulty equipment. .. If so, the potential consequences dont bare thinking about.
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No children, but I'm a bit concerned about your support of euthanasia

There are 3 smoke alarms and a CO alarm in the basement and more on the living floors, I had similar concerns upon seeing the first meltdown. But the Raptor hoods are significant and have contained everything easily.
 
M

michmed

Active Member
Monkeyfloss said:
.....potential consequences dont bare thinking about.
Click to expand...
I could have been wrong but I sensed a bit of condescension?

Anyway I start there to provide a real update....I had suspected that I may have over tightened the bulbs in my overzealous eagerness as I set up probably too quickly. I didn't want to lead the crowd here as I sort of hoped someone might suggest or ask?

But I did call CAP (Custom Automated Products) after my local Hydro shop had little to offer. After all I have their light control box, greenhouse controller, bulbs, and ebb & grow systems. Their rep strongly suggested that the bulbs could have been overtightened flattening the lamp socket mogul pin....that's the working theory I'll be checking as the lights go off tonight.
 
S

s0high

Well-Known Member
Man that just doesnt make any sense. Maybe you compressed the tab and now it has a flaky connection? That still just doesnt make sense. You are using the factory cord set to the bulb? No extensions or splices right?
 
Dizzle Frost

Dizzle Frost

Well-Known Member
maybe you got a bad ballast? anyway you look at it its a fire in the making man, id disconnect it and figure out the problem before your making smores in yur kitchen
 
D

Dirty Harry

Well-Known Member
michmed said:
I could have been wrong but I sensed a bit of condescension?

Anyway I start there to provide a real update....I had suspected that I may have over tightened the bulbs in my overzealous eagerness as I set up probably too quickly. I didn't want to lead the crowd here as I sort of hoped someone might suggest or ask?

But I did call CAP (Custom Automated Products) after my local Hydro shop had little to offer. After all I have their light control box, greenhouse controller, bulbs, and ebb & grow systems. Their rep strongly suggested that the bulbs could have been overtightened flattening the lamp socket mogul pin....that's the working theory I'll be checking as the lights go off tonight.
Click to expand...
That is BS. Pressing down harder on the pin would only make a stronger electrical connection. It won't change what is flowing to the bulb.
Over tightening ANY screw type bulb will only result in two things...
1- The bulb breaks in your hand
2- It becomes a bitch to unscrew replacement time as you screwed it in so damn tight.

I have read one story about someone who had a bulb that formed a bulge and had pics. It looked like a small tumor but I don't remember where I saw it, so I have no link and that means it didn't happen to most readers.
 
sso

sso

Well-Known Member
such beautiful thoughts.


how about the 120/240v auto thingy breaking down?

or the bulbs being flawed?

kinda agree with the tightening the bulb too much, couldnt really be the problem, coff, salesmen, coff..
 
lakew00d

lakew00d

Well-Known Member
I would give the ballast company a call ask if they have has similar issues with them.
or it could be your socket you twist the bulb into. or you just have bad luck.
 
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