Six 1000w Lumatek Ballasts, tripping breakers on powerup.

[blockhead411]

I recently bought 4 Lumatek 1000W 240V ballasts from Ebay, and 2 Lumatek 1000W 240V ballasts from a local supplier. It's strange, about half the time, half of the lights will fire up, and the other ballasts breakers trip. So I reset the breakers, and they all work great the rest of the time. Im using a Sunlight Supply 50 Amp Fuse panel and it says it can run up to 8 1000w ballasts. I think each Lumatek ballast is rated at 4.5 amps, and each breaker is 20 amps. Before this I was using magnetic ballasts, and never had this problem. One thing about these Lumateks, they are ALOT brighter than normal mag ballasts. I used a light meter and they are about 15%-20% brighter. So I do want to figure this out. I've tried plugging each individual ballast in, to see if it would blow the breaker with no luck. Also, the breaker only breaks the first time. Every other time I try to experiment it wont blow the breaker.

I talked to Lumatek, and they said if I had some type of meter, or if I could bring them all in, (yeah right) they could pinpoint it no problem. Today Im going to try to disconnect the neutral, as they told me any power source cant use a neutral and have the Lumateks run properly. So Ill let you know how that works.

 

[cocktail frank]

there is no neutral on a 240v circuit.

 

[clowntown]

I'm assuming these are all the latest purple versions? I'm unaware of any older 1k models of Lumatek's, but then again I wouldn't know.

I recall a while back fuzygrowth had a similar issue with his silver (one of the earlier models) 600w/240v's, but I believe that problem was resolved by moving to the later revisions (blue/purple).

Do these digital ballasts have capacitors, or is a similar/equivalent functionality built into the IC?

No way to stagger the startup by using multiple timers?

 

[cobain420]

I would say stagger the startups by a few minutes or so if possible like downtown mentioned, I believe when a ballast initially turns on, it draws more power than when it is just running, that would be why they trip the breaker during startup, but not while they are all powered on and running.

I would buy an additional timer, and setup half of the lights on that one, to start 5 minutes later, see if that fixes the problem. I am not too famaliar with digital ballasts and electrical, just my two cents from experience and these boards.

Good luck, let us know how you make out.

 

[PharmaCan]

What is your Sunlight panel plugged into? Are you sure you have enough power going into the panel? What is the wire size from your house panel to your Sunlight panel?

there is no neutral on a 240v circuit.

You're terse today, Frank. lol While this is true, timers etc are probably running off 120v and those do need a neutral. I don't think screwing with the factory wiring is a wise thing to do, which may be Frank's point.

PC

 

[1stimer]

What is your Sunlight panel plugged into? Are you sure you have enough power going into the panel? What is the wire size from your house panel to your Sunlight panel?



You're terse today, Frank. lol While this is true, timers etc are probably running off 120v and those do need a neutral. I don't think screwing with the factory wiring is a wise thing to do, which may be Frank's point.

PC

If you have 240V ballasts you are going to be running 240V timers to power the ballasts. The only thing 110 would be needed for would be fans and those would run on a different circut

 

[PharmaCan]

If you have 240V ballasts you are going to be running 240V timers to power the ballasts. The only thing 110 would be needed for would be fans and those would run on a different circut

Not necessarily true. Applications vary, depending upon any number of factors.

PC

 

[ItsGrowTime]

If you have 240V ballasts you are going to be running 240V timers to power the ballasts. The only thing 110 would be needed for would be fans and those would run on a different circut

If his box (50A) is similar to mine (30A), there is a 110/120v timer that controls the 240v outlets on the box. Just no light current runs through it. There are also 120v outlets on the box even though the power feed is 240v.

 

[1stimer]

If his box (50A) is similar to mine (30A), there is a 110/120v timer that controls the 240v outlets on the box. Just no light current runs through it. There are also 120v outlets on the box even though the power feed is 240v.

Sorry I didn't even think of that. I was thinking more along the lines of an intermatic t104 timer. I should have read the 1st post better.

 

[blockhead411]

Tried disconnecting the neutral like Lumatek mentioned, no difference. I am using a 50 amp breaker, whats odd is when I was using six magnetic ballasts, I never had a problem. I guess Ill just have to pinpoint the one ballast (I hope) that is causing this problem. Lumatek hasnt been much help, and these ballasts are quite a bit brighter than the magnetic ballasts. So I do want to make them work. Good suggestion using different timers, but then I would have to buy another power panel and I want to make this one work. Like I said, after the first powerup, I flip the breaker back on, and they are fine. Oh yeah, half of the breakers usually get tripped, so at least that helps a little.

Im thinking that its one of these four used ballasts that I got off of ebay. I bet the guy I bought them from had the same problem, and couldnt figure it out. BTW, they are all the newer purple ballasts.

 

[growshopfrank]

GFI breaker?

 

[rjson]

having the exact same problem but with 4kw, the select a watt galaxies, cap mlc4-x and a 30 amp.any body ever figure this out?

 

[swordfish]

THE PROBLEM IS YOUR PULLING TOO MUCH POWER AT ONCE, LIKE SOMEONE ELSE SAID YOU NEED TO STAGGER THE POWER UPS. I HAD THE SAME PROBLE, SO I CHANGED TO A DUAL TRIGGER BOX SO THAT EACH LIGHT STARTS AT LEAST 30 SEC- 3 MIN APART AND NO PROBLEMS AFTER THAT.