600w digital pops GFCI outlets

ItsGrowTime · Feb 9, 2007

Piggybacking off my other thread about the new MDHydro 600w digital I got today. Well, I got it all hooked up and whenever I plug it in the GFCI outlet on the circuit pops. The outlets Im plugging into are not the GFCI outlets. I tried it in the growroom and another room and it happens in both rooms! Ive been running a 400w magnetic ballast off these same circuits without problem for months. Any thoughts on the reason?

EDIT: Adding a couple more points. I was told by the seller that it doesnt matter which screw on the socket you put white and black. I grounded the green wire to the extra hole on the cooltube bracket that the socket attaches to. AFAIK I have it hooked up correctly?!?

Don Chocolate · Feb 9, 2007

I believe the GFCI's are 15 amp. And I took a small electrical class and they stated that whatever the rating is (15 amp, 20 amp, ect) it will trip when the amps are 75% the actual rating. So your amps must be close to your rating.

Just to know, I look at amps as a measurement of how much electricity is going through the wire. I'm sure that's not the correct terminalogy but fuck it! :biglaugh:

ItsGrowTime · Feb 9, 2007

Thanks for your reply. A 600w digital would take 11 to 12amps just to start? Seems way high. The thing that baffles me is Ive been running all manner of things on this same circuit (400w magnetic ballast, 4 CFLs, 2 air pumps, space heater, etc) and never had this problem. Its popping even with all the other stuff unplugged.

Don Chocolate · Feb 9, 2007

Are you adding the 600 to that circuit? Does it work in a regular outlet?

ItsGrowTime · Feb 9, 2007

I dont know, I got everything hung and set up and this is what happens. I guess I could move it around and see what happens in other parts of the house? I wont blow anything up will I??
I can reset the GFCIs everytime they pop, btw. Here's a side note, the ballast has a dimmer switch and if I plug it in with the dimmer turned all the way down it doesnt pop. Its just when I turn it up that the GFCI pops like clockwork.

Don Chocolate · Feb 9, 2007

Sounds like the amps are doing it. I'm sure the dimmer reduces the amps. Most standard outlets in your home are on 20 amp breakers. Kitchen and baths are usually on 15 amp breakers.

ItsGrowTime · Feb 9, 2007

Ya know, the more I read about these GFCIs Im wondering if I didnt hook the socket up wrong or something like that. The GFCI info I have read says it does NOT deal with amps but rather ground-faults. Im going to post a picture of how its wired in case I messed something up.
Besides, I see tons of people running 600w lights on 15amp circuits, why would mine suck so bad? Pic shortly.

ItsGrowTime · Feb 9, 2007

Heres some pics of the E39 socket in the Cool Tube. Sorry, my camera blows. The ballast portion is plug and play...120v power cord integrated and the cord to the light with the black white and green wires on the ends. Did I ground it in the right spot or should I do it some other way?

ItsGrowTime · Feb 9, 2007

After all that, its a bad ballast after all. I moved it to a non-GFCI circuit, plugged it in and it lit for a second or two then the ballast popped, flashed and stopped. Smells smokey now.
I guess the GFCI was detecting the internal fault before it could pop. Grrrreat.

I just have the worst fucking luck with online hydroshop purchases.

Guest · Feb 9, 2007

its alittle late now, but on the socket there is a silver screw and a brass screw (talking about the screws you attached the wires to) the silver screw is for the white wire and the brass screw is for the black wire.
look on the bright side, your gfci was doing its job!

ItsGrowTime · Feb 9, 2007

thorodee said:
its alittle late now, but on the socket there is a silver screw and a brass screw (talking about the screws you attached the wires to) the silver screw is for the white wire and the brass screw is for the black wire.
look on the bright side, your gfci was doing its job!

Hmm, the seller (MDHydro) told me it didnt matter which screwed into which after I emailed when my earlier thread got no responses. Now that I look at it, I did have them reversed. Well I sure hope they dont try to pin that shit on me if thats the problem!

Guest · Feb 9, 2007

yeah, that whole "doesnt matter what goes where" is a crock of shit! the higher voltage off the ballast has to feed to the bottom of the bulb via the tab in the socket. the common wire is for the base of the bulb. it goes to the metal casing that screws in to the socket.
now i personally have never wired one backwards, so im only 99.9% sure that was your problem.
can't give the full vote of confidence w/out doing it myself, but .1% is a very slim chance.

ItsGrowTime · Feb 9, 2007

Thanks for your thoughts. Where the hell were you earlier? lol
I went ahead and switched the leads as you suggested so at least it wont be a problem once I get my replacement. Does kinda irk me that I didn't get the right info from the seller in the first place, possibly causing this problem. This is going to hold up my plans for another week

Mr.Jiggyfly · Feb 9, 2007

I wired mine backwards once and nothing happened. When i switched the wires is lit up fine. I dont think that incorrect wiring caused your problem, just a shotty ballast. Better luck next time. BTW can you post a pic of the mdhydro ballast? I wanna see what it looks like. I never even heard of a ballast with a dimmer switch before.

Guest · Feb 9, 2007

Unless you're standing in water I would delete those GFI's and use regular receptacles,you may find them to ba a pain in the ass even whgen you get your new ballast.I would never use a GFI on my HID circuits.

ItsGrowTime · Feb 9, 2007

Mr.Jiggyfly said:
I wired mine backwards once and nothing happened. When i switched the wires is lit up fine. I dont think that incorrect wiring caused your problem, just a shotty ballast. Better luck next time. BTW can you post a pic of the mdhydro ballast? I wanna see what it looks like. I never even heard of a ballast with a dimmer switch before.

Sorry, the ballast is already on it's way back to them. Its just a silver aluminum case with a twist knob on the end with the power cord. It's pretty small. Nothing special to look at though. On a positive note, MDHydro says this is the first ballast to blow out out of 1400 sold (my luck just sucks I guess) so they are expediting a replacement to me, hopefully Ill get it tomorrow. They want the lab to examine why it blew out. Good customer service though so Im not complaining.

EDIT: just found out the replacement will be here Monday. Ill post some pics if yall want to see it.

Don Chocolate · Feb 10, 2007

Sorry to hear about your ballast.

clowntown · Feb 10, 2007

Just to confirm what thorodee said:

http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=45042

ItsGrowTime · Feb 13, 2007

I got the replacement mdhydro ballast today. Here's a pic of it....with my dog checking it out too.

Ill hook it up in a bit and see if it works. Ill make sure to wire it correctly. Oh and they included a box of 50 lighters for my trouble. Ill never need to buy a lighter again!

clowntown · Feb 13, 2007

What's the dog think of the new ballast?

600w digital pops GFCI outlets

gets some

Member

gets some

Member

gets some

Member

gets some

gets some

gets some

Guest

gets some

Guest

gets some

New member

Guest

gets some

Member

Active member

gets some

Active member