Need help with ballast/bulb? Issues.

TrichomeBob

TrichomeBob

New Member
Hi guys,

ok I'm a complete retard with electronics.

im in middle of flowering and my HPS running on a digital ballast has just turned it self on and off.

its doing this about every 5 minutes now, it's not completely turning off, the bulb goes down to like the start up light, where it just glows a bit, stays like that for a few seconds then the light comes back on.

this only started about an hour ago and seems to be about every 5 minutes.

im using a 600w exolux dimmable digital ballast, that's had about 5 months of use and its been fine.
the bulb is on its second run and only been in a week so has about no more than 12-14 weeks of 12/12 use.

any thoughts on this I'd appreciate as its starting to bug me, I look on the net and seems to say my ballast is going, but its been fine for months and is screwed to my wall since day 1 so can't get knocked or anything.

plz help.

I'm gonna wack a 125 cfl in the tent for now as I don't like the light going down even tough it's like 3-4 secs I reckon it can stress my plants.
 
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contraptionated

New Member
Good thing you got it going. If you didn't I would have suggested to troubleshoot in this order of operations- 1) Change the bulb with one that you know is definitely working. If no luck then-2) Swap out the capacitor (If ballast is magnetic, disregard for electronic ballast) with a known to be working capacitor , if not -3)Swap out igniter , if not -4) Change ballast
 
MrFowlio

MrFowlio

Active Member
very good advice but would you (contraptionated) know anything about wiring a "closed" ballast with 5 terminals including com? I really need help because my ballast isn't like any others people are using.... here is the problem but I suppose more minds working on the same problem would be better.....

I posted the question on another page offering tech support but please take a look!
https://www.rollitup.org/grow-room-design-setup/656170-offering-tech-support.html
 
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contraptionated

New Member
To be honest , I've never dealt with that kind of ballast. I've only dealt with the kind you find in the US. I think someone else already answered the question in the other thread .
 
fir3dragon

fir3dragon

Well-Known Member
TrichomeBob said:
Hi guys,

ok I'm a complete retard with electronics.

im in middle of flowering and my HPS running on a digital ballast has just turned it self on and off.

its doing this about every 5 minutes now, it's not completely turning off, the bulb goes down to like the start up light, where it just glows a bit, stays like that for a few seconds then the light comes back on.

this only started about an hour ago and seems to be about every 5 minutes.

im using a 600w exolux dimmable digital ballast, that's had about 5 months of use and its been fine.
the bulb is on its second run and only been in a week so has about no more than 12-14 weeks of 12/12 use.

any thoughts on this I'd appreciate as its starting to bug me, I look on the net and seems to say my ballast is going, but its been fine for months and is screwed to my wall since day 1 so can't get knocked or anything.

plz help.

I'm gonna wack a 125 cfl in the tent for now as I don't like the light going down even tough it's like 3-4 secs I reckon it can stress my plants.
Click to expand...
mine did the same thing. It seemed to happen with my ac kicked in... My bulb was blown.
 

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contraptionated

New Member
I maintained a super-gigantic (more than 1 mile square) industrial facility for many years. Besides all the intricate motor control troubleshooting and preventive maintenance that was tasked about on a daily basis, there were so many, perhaps close to a thousand electronic flourescent T-8 ballasts that all burned out (each and every last one) within 3 years of installation after a large amount of contract work was completed. Electronic ballasts are defacto inefficient because of the excessively high rate of unrepairability and complete failure. Stick with the magnetic ballasts . Much more reliable.
 
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