250 watt hps noise and heat question

I have a new brand name 250 watt hps ballast and bulb. The ballast is digital and is too hot to hold for over a few seconds. I don't think that is correct. The bulb iself not the ballast make a high pitch noise which is not terrible loud but can be heared ten or more feet away. The ballast is going to be returned and the light I was just wondering if that was normal. I like the 250 watt hps idea but would like to get the proper equipment. Any ideas or suggestion appreciated.

Thanks

Digital ballasts dont hum, or at least they arent suppossed to... U better quit messin around with that piece of crap and go get u a new one... I could see a magnetic core and coil kit humming, because they do, but its not THAT loud, and Ive heard more troublesome shit like this about digi ballasts than Ive ever heard or experienced with magnetics... Im a 20 year electrician, and have always only ever used the magnetic ballasts, and never have a problem, but if I do, it's easy to diagnose-its either the lamp, the capacitor, the ignitor(if its a HPS kit), or the ballast is burnt up... Id never buy a digi ballast... Get u a magnetic kit and stop wasting time and money and risking injury with the digis... Thatz an old wireman's opinion on the matter, anyways....

Now, I wouldnt recommend holding ANY ballast, for heat and electrical hazards, no matter what... So, also, quit holding hot ballasts...lol...

Itz likely that u dont have the proper lamp for the digi ballast tho... Too much confusion with these things... Mags will fire anything up... And they don't make the lamps scream, either...lol...

I'm never getting another digital. Fucks up my radio reception. My older mag works great and can be worked on.

thats why i dont touch digital ballasts heard more bad then good if i was u i would return that shit and get a magnetic ballasts i never had a problem with them

i read somewhere, i think high times, that digital ballasts weren't compatible with most HID light bulbs. they said their bulbs were burning out faster. something about the frequency being too high in the digital ballast?

Yeah, those digi's r more trouble than they r worth. They put out way different and more constant frequencies than magnetic ballasts, and the constant reverberation causes lamps to die out well before they would've in a magnetic core and coil kit...

Interesting. What do you look for in a good mag ballast? Whats a good brand. There are so many china made models that they sell ridiculously cheap it terrifys the hell out of me to run that in my house. I was looking for a 250W.

fucked said:

Interesting. What do you look for in a good mag ballast? Whats a good brand. There are so many china made models that they sell ridiculously cheap it terrifys the hell out of me to run that in my house. I was looking for a 250W.

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I think you should get that ballast replaced and try the new one with a bulb you know is correct. Digital ballasts have their old school critics, but they are fine. Don't buy a cheap Chinese ballast unless your grow area has a good sprinkler system.

Illegal Smile said:

I think you should get that ballast replaced and try the new one with a bulb you know is correct. Digital ballasts have their old school critics, but they are fine. Don't buy a cheap Chinese ballast unless your grow area has a good sprinkler system.

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Haha, well I sure don't have a in house sprinkler. Fortunately, I don't even have the china ballast. I'm just getting back into growing and picked up a 400W digital Revolt ballast to see how it pans out, but I haven't even gotten it hooked up yet. I used to own a 250W mag that I bought locally, shit... probably close to 6-8 years ago and I don't have a clue what it was or where it went.

Anyway, I was thinking about picking up a 250 for a light duty room, or for a friend. I try to avoid any "too good to be true" deals online. I've been let down way too much.

Mine are all Phillips Advance brand... They do great...

fucked said:

Interesting. What do you look for in a good mag ballast? Whats a good brand. There are so many china made models that they sell ridiculously cheap it terrifys the hell out of me to run that in my house. I was looking for a 250W.

Click to expand...