Ballast expert advice needed! Please!!

[trumie04]

I have a 400w Hydrofarm XtraSun switchable ballast. I brought it out of summer storage to use this fall. For some reason, it is making a VERY loud buzzing noise. I know it is comming from the area circled in the pic. It gave off a slight noise before, but now it is so loud that I cannot possibly use it. Does anyone know what is causing this? Any advice would be great! Peace!!!

http://www.icmag.com/gallery/data/500/9817ballast-thumb.JPG (http://www.icmag.com/gallery/data/500/9817ballast.JPG)

[Gangabiss]

That has happened to me before. My ballast suddenly started making a loud humming noise like it was going to explode or something lol
It ended up going back to normal on it's own though...I have no idea what caused it.
It might not be the same as your problem though...

I bought a brand new 600w ballast a while ago which just spontaniously burst into flames and would have started a fire if it wasn't surrounded in loft insulation (flame resistant)...I came home and found my light out and a black, scorched ballast and all the insulation was black and burnt around it.
I then got a letter a couple of days later from the hydro shop saying that there was a batch of faulty ballasts sent out and they would replace them for free...

Be careful dude...

[trumie04]

That sounds like what's happening to mine. Does anyone else have some helpful info to contribute??

[MTF-Sandman]

I had one do the same thing after being stored for a couple of years...plus it had a little bit of a burnt dust smell when it was running. It all went away after a few days though.

Just make sure your ballast is not mounted near anything flammable and check it for a couple of days and you should be fine.

[trumie04]

Should I run it until it stops making the buzzig noise? Unfortunatly, I don't think I can run it too long before it attracts some unwanted attention. This thing sounds like the buzzer on a clothes dryer! I am no electrician, but what types of things can make a ballast buzz like that? It doesn't make any loud noise when it starts up, but by the time the light is fully illuminated, she is buzzing away. Very odd.

[Gangabiss]

Go old school on its ass. Give it a couple of light whacks and see if that stops it?

[trumie04]

Nope, still not working, and now it doesn't want to light up all the way. It's very dim now. This is not looking too good right now.

[Gangabiss]

If it's that bad I'd suggest just buying a new ballast man. Better safe than sorry.

[trumie04]

I'd love one of those digital ballasts if they are really silent like they advertise. Know of any cheap(er) ones available online?

[bounty29]

http://www.hidhut.com/category1.php

Those look like pretty good prices to me. $100 for a MH or an HPS digital ballast, or $130 for a switchable MH/HPS digital ballast.

(Those prices are for the 400w, which I assume you plan on using still?)

[WiltedRoots]

my only suggestion is to open it up and clean it out completely(dust and bugs n stuff). It could be the transformer vibrating against another surface, but if it is the transformer itself.... i cant help there

[Maj.PotHead]

Go old school on its ass. Give it a couple of light whacks and see if that stops it?
no no no lmaoh in my sig you'll find a link for ballast trouble shooting very usefull

[trumie04]

bounty, i looked at those and it looks like it will only work with their style of socket/hood. it says that it plugs directly into their hoods. could i modify it and use it with my current mogle socket from my magnetic ballast?

[bounty29]

I don't know if they have a custom made socket for their products, but yeah you should be able to modify it, all it would be is a positive, negative, and ground wire. Shouldn't be any harder than making a remote ballast.

[trumie04]

Has anyone else done this with success?

[bounty29]

Our ballasts can work with any reflector

Where did you see they can only work with their products?

[trumie04]

I just saw the plug from the ballast fits their units. I assumed that by reflector they meant the hood, not the plugs and such. But if I can just chop off the plug and wire it into my existing mogle socket, then I guess it is universal. Looks like I'll be getting one of those! Thanks!