HPS light or Ballast gone bad ?

Good Morning,

Yesterday while I was watching the game I noticed that my 400 watt HPS light had gotten dimmer. A lot dimmer.

The ballast worked fine when I put it on the Metal Halide.

Sounds like the light, not completely dark but not very dim. The HPS bulb has been used for about 10 days, the ballast 2 months.

Any insight would be appreciated.

Peace -

P.S. - I have them under 315 Multi-spectrum CFL's right now.

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Golddog it does sound like your bulb if your MH bulb works fine in the same ballast. Make sure the bulb was screwed in all the way, a little extra twist.

I'd advise getting an inexpensive light intensity meter and measuring your light's output each week. You don't have to know what the numbers mean, only compare each weeks numbers measuring decreased output over life. When you hit a certain percentage from new replace the bulb.

I had an 8 month old Solarmax that I though would be good for another 4 months, it had dropped in intensity but I hadn't been measuring. Yield and root production was off.



http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Digital-Light-Meter-50-000-LUX-LCD-Photo_W0QQitemZ160397120649QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item255869d489



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Is the bulb brand new and is your ballast digital??

The Bulb is only been used for about 10 days.

the Ballast has been in use for around 2 months and does light the metal Halide.

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"your ballast digital??"

A most excellent point. What kind of ballast and bulb? Manufacturer and model.

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The ballast is from Stealth Hydro - from Custom automated Products. (not digital)

The bulb, couldn't find the box, it is a Sunlite LU400-MOG one retail for $30