Problem Firing 400w Lumatek w/ Timer, Help Required.

[ZEROorDIE]

Been a while since ive posted here, hope everyone is well.

The Issue:
Im running a 400w lumatek ballast w/ EYE horti MH bulb. for the most part it seems that i am not able to draw enough juice on start up as i have to plug in th ballast, wait a few seconds, unplug it and then plug it back in, in order to get it to fire. Now i need to switch my clones over to flowering next week and so far have not been able to get this to work. I have both a GE digital timer and a Hydrofarm Mechanical timer. Also, it wont fire with a standard Phillips 250w MH either.

Question:
has anyone encountered problems like this before? do you have any thoughts or solutions? Do MH bulbs need more juice on start up than HPS(havent tried the HPS yet)?

Thanks in advance, hope this section gets enough traffic to solicit some responses.
ZERO

EDIT: I have access to various multimeters and other electronics testing equipment, but i figured id ask here before i go poking around.

 

[Green_science]

The DIGI Lumateks will not usually start, after being turned from on>off, for about 15 minutes.

Unplug your ballast AND bulb from power source and leave everything off for half an hour, now set up the contactor/timer, for testing purposes, i.e. OFF->ON. (whilst you are watching)

Plug timer in to power source whilst contact is OFF, now plug ballast into timer and wait for timer to to turn on, if this fails then;

Test timer on another piece of electrical equipment to ensure timer is functional, if yes, then;

What is the rating of bulbs you are using here and is the lumatek ballast adjustable?
If ballast is non adjustable then I am not surprised it's not firing up your 250w MH bulb, and you should stop trying to do so immediately, depending on spec of equipment this is a disaster waiting to happen, and exploding a mercury vapour bulb is never good, unless of coarse you are trying to hurt someone.

Now, starting a 400w MH bulb with a 400w Lumatek digital ballast, will, does, and should work, as does, starting a 250w MH bulb with a 400w Lumatek dimmable ballast set to 250w.

The fact that you are saying you have started said bulbs makes me think, you just made the mistake of playing around with ballast/bulb and truing to do "hot" starts, i.e. not having equipment off for long enough before you tested it.

As for you're timer, provided it is functional, it has nothing to do with the problem.
Regular timers, will just trip and blow, only high end contactors with other electronic systems on board are capable of anything else.

 

[ZEROorDIE]

appreciate the response, ill try and respond in order

my attempts were not"hot strikes"

both timers are funtional

bulbs: 400w eye horti MH, Phillips 250w MH, 400w Phillips HPS

Ballast: Lumatek digital adjustable 400w, (250w, 250w super, 400w, 400w super)
-this isnt my first grow, just my first in a new spot

after trying to do a few cold strikes im pretty sure the electrical here is shit and i am having difficulty drawing enough voltage. so im either going to either scrap the project or manually turn the lights on and off daily.


EDIT: has anyone used a large capacitor to help fire lamps in their grow? is this possible? would it have any negative effect on the ballast/bulb?

 

[Green_science]

Hey bro I didn't presume you wan an amateur I was just making sure you eliminated any possibilities before replying, you mention turning on/off manually, I fail too see how this will solve you're apparent problem of "shit electrical"? unless of coarse you mean you will just keep turning them on until you get a strike? A suggestion would be to see if a step up transformer solves you're problems, a 110-120v 50-60hz to 230-240v COULD solve you're problem, maybe you can hire one for test purposes?

 

[watts]

Its the timers most likely. You do not suppose to use those kinds of timers with digital ballast, or any large ballast really. I bet when you plug it in manually, it works fine. If so, you are going to need an Intermatic T-101 Timer for 120v or a light controller.

 

[Green_science]

Its the timers most likely. You do not suppose to use those kinds of timers with digital ballast, or any large ballast really. I bet when you plug it in manually, it works fine. If so, you are going to need an Intermatic T-101 Timer for 120v or a light controller.

Watts, in his first post he says he has a GE digital and a Mechanical timer, he then said the timers STILL work, even after he tried them with said equipment, the chances of the cheap digital timer having some over current protection, and/or inedequate circuitry (that hasn't blown and is still working) and then the same thing for the mechanical timer pretty much rule out the timer issue.

 

[ZEROorDIE]

Hey bro I didn't presume you wan an amateur I was just making sure you eliminated any possibilities before replying, you mention turning on/off manually, I fail too see how this will solve you're apparent problem of "shit electrical"? unless of coarse you mean you will just keep turning them on until you get a strike? A suggestion would be to see if a step up transformer solves you're problems, a 110-120v 50-60hz to 230-240v COULD solve you're problem, maybe you can hire one for test purposes?

so i have been manually turning it on and off, unfortunately. sometimes it will strike first try, sometimes not. i will admit i am a bit concerned about the longevity of my ballast with this and, although i am running an $80 light bulb it has a ton of hours on it so there is less concern there. i have considered running a step transformer but When i said Voltage above, i really meant Watts(overall power, not just voltage alone.) My issue with that is the fact that i would only be trading Volts for Amps (P=IV). really have no idea if this would help or just make no difference at all. if the one i have at work can handle the current, ill borrow it for the weekend and see what happens. dont think its powerfull enough though.

Its the timers most likely. You do not suppose to use those kinds of timers with digital ballast, or any large ballast really. I bet when you plug it in manually, it works fine. If so, you are going to need an Intermatic T-101 Timer for 120v or a light controller.

timers work, that type of timer is way overkill for what i am running. and in case i didnt put it in the OP, ive used these same types of timers in previous cabs using my old HTG supply magnetic ballast at my old spot. I just decided to pitch out the cash for a nice digital ballast since heat is more of an issue this go round. so the only variables are the digital ballast and the electrical.

 

[rives]

I'd try a new lamp if that one has "a ton of hours on it". It's a pretty common characteristic of high-time lights to continue re-striking until the moons come into alignment and they finally fire. If it is also happening with the other lamps that you listed (and they are newer), you might want to check the inbound voltage to the ballast with a meter while it is trying to fire and see if the voltage is sagging below spec.

 

[kaneboy]

My lumatek wouldnt fire with a son agro 400 hps and swapped to a lucagrow hps and never had another problem and I spent a small fortune on different timers

 

[Redbuddz]

I have had the same troubles with a 400w Lumatek digi ballast. I would have to plug it in several times in order to get the bulb to fire up. I chalked it up as there being an issue with the ballast and I just went with an other ballast. To my knowledge digi ballasts are non repairable and that's why I always have spares/ backups.

 

[ZEROorDIE]

appreciate everyones input.

ive been too busy to tinker around here, but i will be switching over to a brand new HPS bulb in a week. see if that helps.

 

[Redbuddz]

Zero, Keep us posted on the new bulb

 

[ZEROorDIE]

Update, still havent check the source power, but its been 4 cycles(day/night) and teverything is working.

current setup
HydroFarm dual outlet mechanical timer, lumatek 250/400 digi ballast, phillips 400w HPS from Home DePot(didnt want to risk burning out any more expensive lamps)

still wont work with the EyeHorti, but that thing is old, will probably move it over to my mother cab until it dies for good, and it wont fire my 250MH. seems wierd to me, but i also dont understand too much of the technical info behind the lamps in terms of firing requirements and whatnot.

 

[budleydoright]

Older eye hortis don't like the digital world. New ones do.