ballast help plz reply !!!!

Hey guys ! Ok well I have two 1000 watt HPS/MH ballast the newer one has a switch to change it from MH or HPS that's not the problem I have an old school one that has no switch for MH/HPS when I plug my 1000 watt hps bulb into the old school one it fires up but not as bright as my newer ballast and also when I plug in the 1000 watt MH bulb it fires up but when it gets close to full strength it shuts off, what do you think the problem could be ? Its running my hps now fine but I got it to run my MH I am just going to switch it all to HPS but I like running 1/3 mh with my hps during flower plz help thx.

Its the old school ballast I'm having problems with it has no MH/HPS switch on it its currently powering my 1000 watt hps bulb but its seems still not be as bright as it should be ( my newer ballast ignites the same bulb about 20-30% brighter) what could the problem be ?

For real 109 views and no replys why is it so hard to get info on here.....

Ok I'll bite, it seems to me, the old ballast is meant to run one or the other and in this case it's meant to run the HPS. The lamps have totally different requirements and just because there is no switch that doesn't mean it can do both. New ballasts can automatically switch, at least my Lumatek can, but I'd bet dollars to donuts that old one of your can't. You could be risking ruining your MH lamp by trying.

maybe its not a 1000 did you buy it brand new

The old one I'm talking about is currently running my 1000 watt hps but it seems significantly less bright than when I screw it into my lumatek ballast, it will start up the MH but soon as it gets to full strength it cuts out, could the ballast not be 1000 watt and still power my 1000 watt hps ? I'm no electrician and I'm realy confused it is the same design of ballast as my newer one the only difference is there is no switch to change from HPS to MH, could it not be a 1000 watt ballast still able to light my 1000 watt bulb ? I'm realy confused.

I got it for free from a friend, and I use it everyday it currently powering my 1000 watt hps could a ballast that's not 1000 watt power a bulb that Has a higher output ? This the area my experties are not good I'm stumped on electrical stuff.

harley420 said:

I got it for free from a friend, and I use it everyday it currently powering my 1000 watt hps could a ballast that's not 1000 watt power a bulb that Has a higher output ? This the area my experties are not good I'm stumped on electrical stuff.

Click to expand...

NO. Unless you like fires, I wouldn't advice doing this.

No no I definately would never run a 1000 watt on a ballast that's has lower output I'm just wondering if the guy told me it was 1000 watt and its say 600 or something would it still light up and run the bulb ? I'm sure its 1000 watt bcz it does not over heat and I have been using it for months I'm sure its an old hps before they made the ones with conversion switch on the front, its just slightly less powerful output than my newer ballast. Thanks for your advice all

pop open the case. does it have one of these in it?

http://1000bulbs.com/product/4387/ELEC-IGN1000H.html

if it does not, than it probly is a MH ballast.

somewhere on that thing there is most likely sticker that says exactly what it is.

If it is old, the capacitor may need replacing.



idk, jus tossn ideas out there....

Dobby already solved this non-problem. Good grief.

How is that solved?

A HPS ballast can run a MH lamp, but NOT a MH ballast/HPS lamp, due to the internal igniter in the MH lamp. Correct?
The switch on the magnetic ballasts just incorporates the igniter into the circuit. Of course a newer E-Ballast can usually detect and switch as needed.

However, I do seem to remember my buddy accidentally having the switch to the MH position, and the HPS did light up, but was not as bright as it should have been. If there is a bad component inside the ballast. when it get to full power with the MH bulb it may shut off, but since the HPS bulb isnt allowing it to get there, it keeps running. All highly theoretical at this point. I am not an electrical engineer.

Im more hands on tho, and If it were in my possession I would of all ready had it torn apart and swapped components to find the actual problem. Because I need to know. This would then send me on a research hunt and I would learn everything I can about ballasts. iv been there with guitar tube amps and effects pedals...

electronic ballasts are shitty at running mh and mh bulb conversions. soon as the bulb gets old,they have trouble firing em up. place that mh in a mag ballast and i bet it will fire right up. also, electronic ballasts burn bulbs out so fast its rediculous. the reason your bulb isnt as bright is your capacitor in your mag ballasts needs replacing. should be changed often. i run mags whenever i can. so im not as bright as a super duper pooper scooper lumen setting. my ballast always turns on and i can fix it. ill also get bout 10 years out of it.

harley420 said:

The old one I'm talking about is currently running my 1000 watt hps but it seems significantly less bright than when I screw it into my lumatek ballast, it will start up the MH but soon as it gets to full strength it cuts out, could the ballast not be 1000 watt and still power my 1000 watt hps ? I'm no electrician and I'm realy confused it is the same design of ballast as my newer one the only difference is there is no switch to change from HPS to MH, could it not be a 1000 watt ballast still able to light my 1000 watt bulb ? I'm realy confused.

Click to expand...

change the capacitor in the old one and it is hps only I would bet

Can you tell me if the older ballast is running on a 240v cord or a 120v cord?