HOT ballast

[DKBuddy]

I switched from MH -> HPS today; my ballast should run both..

I noticed the ballast does get much warmer with the HPS.. is this normal? Guess its like 10 degrees warmer.. Or is my ballast not suited to run both kind of bulbs ?

Thanks..

EDIT:

NO SWITCHABLE BALLAST, Vossloh & Schwabe 400 HPS.. worked fine with MH bulb 400

 

[Jnugg]

Why do you say that your ballast "should run both"?

Does it say it can run both;is it a switchable ballast?

Brand of ballast?

 

[DKBuddy]

Its not switchable..

2 reasons why I think it should handle both bulbs.. 1, I read in a thread that most ballasts can run MH and HPS upto 400w (something with ANSI xxxx standard) 2, the buddy I have the ballast from used to run both bulbs with this ballast..
Tried to phone him already, but he is at work for the next 6 hours it seems to..

brand .. let me check ( will update )

 

[DKBuddy]

Vossloh & Schwabe 400w

had a Philips MASTER HPI-T Plus 400 running last 4 wks..
switched to MASTER SON-T PIA Plus today..

im a bit confused man i should really have read a little about before running the equipment.. my buddy installed everything and told me everything will work fine..
not cool!
(everything works fine actually but im a little concerned because i was running a MH in the ballast)


and i cant find the thread/post about running both upto 400w ballasts is cool..

 

[Fu-Ion]

If it's not suited for both, HPS and MH bulbs, i wouldn't force it.. you allready noticed the ballast warming up in a different way when changing the bulbs, so..

If it's just a ballast for MH bulbs you can find MH bulbs that put out flowering Kelvins, around 2000- 2300 K ...these bulbs are called conversion bulbs if my memory serves me right.
There are HPS bulbs putting out MH Kelvins and HPS coloured MHs. ..these bulbs cost a little more ...naturally.

..Or do a google search with Metal halide + conversion bulb + warm white (warm white should be around 3000 K, and should work fine for flowering.


peace.

 

[DKBuddy]

the ballast is HPS.. its written on the ballast. sorry i forgot to mention that, have just checked again..

and its definately warmer when running the HPS!

im wondering now if i maybe fucked up the ballast or something.. i cant compare since its my first run ever.

 

[Fu-Ion]

the ballast is HPS.. its written on the ballast. sorry i forgot to mention that, have just checked again..

and its definately warmer when running the HPS!

im wondering now if i maybe fucked up the ballast or something.. i cant compare since its my first run ever.

well, many ballasts, not high end, do run fairly warm ..you can burn your fingers-hot.




E-mail the company and ask them if it's ok to run both HPS and MH bulbs with this ballast.

If you have to settle just for one type of a bulb, there are also hps bulbs that put out 30-40 % more blue spectrum than reg HPS. these bulbs are called something like "balanced spectrum HPS", so the same HPS can be used to veging and flowering the plants. Osram's plantstar is one brand.


Peace.

 

[!!!]

I'm not sure about your particular bulbs and ballast but my digital ballast does run both HPS and MH bulbs. On it it says "MH 400W" but I've ran HPS and a MH conversion bulb with no problems.

I actually didn't think a 400W HPS magnetic ballast (the old style ones) was able to fire up a MH bulb, and vice versa.

I wouldn't be surprised if one bulb runs a little hotter than the other (in a ballast that is suitable for both) though.

 

[DKBuddy]

I'm not sure about your particular bulbs and ballast but my digital ballast does run both HPS and MH bulbs. On it it says "MH 400W" but I've ran HPS and a MH conversion bulb with no problems.

I actually didn't think a 400W HPS magnetic ballast (the old style ones) was able to fire up a MH bulb, and vice versa.

I wouldn't be surprised if one bulb runs a little hotter than the other (in a ballast that is suitable for both) though.

The one I got is definitely magnetic.. And it did fire up the MH with no probs..

But Im not planning to do this again, was probably lucky enough that nothing happened...

 

[coconaut]

If you're worried about heat you could install a small computer fan in your ballast. This may require a 90mm hole saw, but even the 5-12v power transformer can be wired and secured within the ballast.

 

[milehighmedical]

If you're worried about heat you could install a small computer fan in your ballast. This may require a 90mm hole saw, but even the 5-12v power transformer can be wired and secured within the ballast.

I would say forget hitting your ballast with a hole saw and wiring a fan in. Just throw a regular room fan on it if you're trying to cool it. Magnetic ballasts get hot, the entire casing is a big heat sink to cool the thing down. Just make sure the plugs/wires aren't hot. I wouldn't be running any bulbs in there if you don't understand what the ballast is capable of. "Friends" don't count as a resource. They tell you what they heard, which means nothing.

That being said... it's obviously working. There's nothing you can ask us that the manufacturing shouldn't be telling you over their 1-800 numbers or e-mail right now to confirm that it's SAFE.

 

[exploziv]

I usually put my ballast in an old pc power source case and let the cooler in there, connected to a 9-12v dv adapter. never had a problem.

anyway ballasts do run hot, and it's not recommended to be cooled too much from what I know.

 

[coconaut]

I wouldn't worry about cooling a ballast 'too much'
Here in Canada, eh, those lights are used as street lights, harsh Canadian winters probably cool those suckers good.

 

[lepstadder]

I read that you should not worry unless it lights a match by just touching the surface.

 

[DKBuddy]

I read that you should not worry unless it lights a match by just touching the surface.

wow thats sick!
anybody tried that??

 

[milehighmedical]

If it's hot enough to hurt the girls... everything has already been shut down. At least around here. No where near hot enough to light a match. Next thing you know you'll be cookin' scrambled eggs and bacon on top of your hoods?