HTGsupply ballast STINKY!!!

so i got a 400w hps light and ballast from HTGsupply and its their brand ballast.

after running overnight my basement stunk like no other. so i dug back into where my ballast was and the smell was coming from the ballast. its smells like its burning paint? metal? but the ballast wasn't hot, it was warm but not hot.

is it just getting broken in?

let me know if anyone has experienced this before.

I have a 400w MH from them it has no odor, I would say send it back and get a new one.

was there anything laying on your ballast that may have started to melt? if not i would def. contact tony and have him replace it, which he should do no prob.

send that shit back yo, the smell will kill your plants

i got my ballast from there and it runs fine

do they normally click for like 20 secs before boot up? first time i plugged it in the bulb ignited instantly and got full power in a couple mins. the last time i turned it off then back on it took a bit.

should i be worried about my house? its plugged in right now and i'm 20 mins away and at work.

well wait its actually off for a few more hours as i just switched to 12 12 today.

but you guys think i can run it for a few days until he ships out a new one?

like i said its not hot but its warm. maybe i'll clear an area and let it sit out in the open on the concrete incase something ignites in there.

Mine had kind of a funky smell when I got it too. That nasty hot glue/melting plastic smell right?

After a few days 24/7, it was gone (far as I can tell, maybe the fumes just killed whatever part of my brain was picking it out..)

My guess is it's the glue they use on their decals, looks like the kinda shit that would react to the heat. I just tried to stay out of the room for a few days, and haven't noticed anything since.

mine didnt smell....

whatapothead said:

do they normally click for like 20 secs before boot up? first time i plugged it in the bulb ignited instantly and got full power in a couple mins. the last time i turned it off then back on it took a bit.

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you didnt turn it off, then immediately try to turn it back on did you? if you read the stuff that came with it it says that you arent supposed to turn it off and then turn it back on immediately(not good for ballast for some reason i guess.). you are supposed to let it cool before turning it back on.

I would give them a call, my ballast was acting screwy last week, not smelling, and I called them up, they were incredibly helpful, and mailed me a free bulb

dang i did read everything that came but must not have read it closely enough cause i didn't read anything about off on quickly.

i just did it one time and its running fine and it smelt before i did that.

cyphen i think we have the same thing. hopefully my smell goes away as well.

Its dust. if you put it in a dusty area... the balest is ganna suck it right up...and burning dust smells like CRAP!~!

Make sure it aint that!

no more smells... they only lasted a day or two. pretty sure it was the glue from the stickers on the ballast getting warm.