When wiring up a ballast....

MassiveErrection

MassiveErrection

Member
What capacitor should I fit to run 250w HPS?
What capacitor should I fit to run 250w hps and metal halide?
What kind of wiring should I use inside the ballast, does it need to be a special gauge or insulation type?
 
MassiveErrection

MassiveErrection

Member
dadio161 said:
when you figure this out...get a good fire extinguisher !!
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DSB65 said:
man just buy a good one or look on line and it will yell you...
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Spanishfly said:
Ask the manufacturer of the ballast, maybe? Good luck with it anyway.
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You buy me a good one and I will pay for the shipping.
I don't need an extinguisher, people actually made their own ballasts safely before, yes I have a sense of humour but am not thick.

Non branded electrical item
 
S

suleman

New Member
when buying a ballast, wouldn't it come with the cap and ignitor?

if not, hit up an electric supply store. they should be able to answer all questions.
 
S

Spoc

Active Member
Check out this site, it would be easier for you to get a ballast kit for $50 (advancedtechlighting).
 
patlpp

patlpp

New Member
Spanishfly said:
Indeed, I have wound my own transformer before for a valve radio. Different windings for HT, valve heaters and grid bias. Same principle.
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What century were you born? WTF does grid bias have to do with an HPS Ballast? WTF do valves (old brit term for diode) and filament heaters have to do with this? I think you are trying to dassle us with your BS OLD MAN!! LOL :razz: I know : windings Xc,Xl and all. It's just I haven't seen "valve" used in AGES


For plain Jane HPS caps @ 250 watts, use 35 micro-farad.
For MH caps@ 250 watt use 15 micro-farad.

However, most xformers will state what value the cap should be on them.

The gauge coming off my MH 400w xformer is 16 GA stranded.
 
ResidualFreedom

ResidualFreedom

Active Member
patlpp said:
The gauge coming off my MH 400w xformer is 16 GA stranded.
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But it is, at least should be, high temp insulation and surely not typical stranded wire.. It would be better advice to use no. 12awg stranded wire or get +105 degree wire.. All ballast wire is properly sized for internal wiring in the light, the temp calculations have been done.. When connecting ANYTHING
 
patlpp

patlpp

New Member
ResidualFreedom said:
But it is, at least should be, high temp insulation and surely not typical stranded wire.. It would be better advice to use no. 12awg stranded wire or get +105 degree wire.. All ballast wire is properly sized for internal wiring in the light, the temp calculations have been done.. When connecting ANYTHING
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I said mine was 16 ga., that's all. I did not say anything about temperature or anything about him to use "typical" stranded . I just stated what mine was,16 gauge, because mine is a UL listed autotransformer with 16 gauge stranded wiring off the secondary. I deliberately left the temperature portion of the OP's question open because I did not know.
 
fabfun

fabfun

New Member
do the ballast have a paper sticker on them if it does look on the label and it will say what uf and voltage rating of capacitor if u have a label if not i can go look at mine
and are u saying one ballast is switchable mh/hps
and go buy a 25 foot 14 gauge ext cord from home depot trust me it is actually cheap then buying off a bulk spool by the foot
if u need help with wiring let me know
 
SIR SMOKER

SIR SMOKER

New Member
fabfun said:
do the ballast have a paper sticker on them if it does look on the label and it will say what uf and voltage rating of capacitor if u have a label if not i can go look at mine
and are u saying one ballast is switchable mh/hps
and go buy a 25 foot 14 gauge ext cord from home depot trust me it is actually cheap then buying off a bulk spool by the foot
if u need help with wiring let me know
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Your message box is full.
 
Spanishfly

Spanishfly

Well-Known Member
patlpp said:
What century were you born? WTF does grid bias have to do with an HPS Ballast? WTF do valves (old brit term for diode) and filament heaters have to do with this? I think you are trying to dassle us with your BS OLD MAN!! LOL :razz: I know : windings Xc,Xl and all. It's just I haven't seen "valve" used in AGES
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20th. It was a replica . copy of a 1923 Marconi.

Jeez, why do people on here just have to be so damned rude for no good reason.
 
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