Odd Problem with 600 watt mh / hps ballast

Midwest Weedist

Midwest Weedist

Well-Known Member
I just upgraded to a new 600 watt dimmable mh / hps setup and something interesting happened the first 3 times I started the ballast up (with the hps, I've yet to try the mh). I didn't realize it at first but when I first fired it up, it was set to 50%, I don't know if this matters or not though. Anyways, first start up everything is going fine for a half of a minute, the bulb is gradually getting brighter, then it goes out. No click or anything, just completely out except for the small glow you see briefly from the core of the bulb when it goes out. So I turned everything off, inspected everything to see if fitment was right, I turned the dimmer setting on the ballast to full power and it repeated this process twice more. It hasn't done it since then either. It has been on for hours now, at varying levels of power with no issues.
So, do I worry or is this something that happens occasionally with brand new ballasts and bulbs?
 
NorthernHize

NorthernHize

Well-Known Member
Midwest Weedist said:
I just upgraded to a new 600 watt dimmable mh / hps setup and something interesting happened the first 3 times I started the ballast up (with the hps, I've yet to try the mh). I didn't realize it at first but when I first fired it up, it was set to 50%, I don't know if this matters or not though. Anyways, first start up everything is going fine for a half of a minute, the bulb is gradually getting brighter, then it goes out. No click or anything, just completely out except for the small glow you see briefly from the core of the bulb when it goes out. So I turned everything off, inspected everything to see if fitment was right, I turned the dimmer setting on the ballast to full power and it repeated this process twice more. It hasn't done it since then either. It has been on for hours now, at varying levels of power with no issues.
So, do I worry or is this something that happens occasionally with brand new ballasts and bulbs?
Click to expand...
Since it has been on for a few hours at varying levels of power have you taken it back down to 50%/ I have heard of dimmable setups doing this by not supplying enough power to start the bulb efficiently. I wouldn't really drive it at 50% anyway. to much power and not enough power take away from the life of the bulb.
 
Midwest Weedist

Midwest Weedist

Well-Known Member
NorthernHize said:
Since it has been on for a few hours at varying levels of power have you taken it back down to 50%/ I have heard of dimmable setups doing this by not supplying enough power to start the bulb efficiently. I wouldn't really drive it at 50% anyway. to much power and not enough power take away from the life of the bulb.
Click to expand...
Yeah it's been sitting on 50% since my last post, no issues. Even turned it on and off at 50% and it fired up fine.
Does running it at less than 100% affect the bulb / ballast negatively? I assume it's not necessarily "good" for them, but idk if it causes damage.
 
Figgy

Figgy

Well-Known Member
Running less/more than recommended wattage will hurt the bulb when done for extended periods. Running at 50% (300w for a 600w bulb) cannot be good at all. I hope it's a cheap bulb.
 
ounevinsmoke

ounevinsmoke

Well-Known Member
your supposed to wait a set amount of time before you go flicking your ballast on and off as well. I think at least 5 minutes. check your manufacturer web site for more info.
 
Midwest Weedist

Midwest Weedist

Well-Known Member
ounevinsmoke said:
your supposed to wait a set amount of time before you go flicking your ballast on and off as well. I think at least 5 minutes. check your manufacturer web site for more info.
Click to expand...
I made sure to wait at least ten before turning it off after turning it on, and vice versa.
 
Midwest Weedist

Midwest Weedist

Well-Known Member
Also, the reason I have it dimmed is because of temperatures. I have a 600 watt cool tube crammed in a 2x4x5 tent with a 190cfm fan pulling air through a cool tube. Even with a 100cfm fan pulling air out of the tent through a cf and my other fan blowing through my cool tube (the cool tube air never sees the inside of the tent) I still can't get below ~ 75 - 78 °f with 70° ambient temperatures, if it's at 100%. Trust me I'd much rather run it at the full 600 watts.
 
Midwest Weedist

Midwest Weedist

Well-Known Member
WeedFreak78 said:
upgrade your cooling then
Click to expand...
My 190cfm fan is already loud enough. If I upgrade anymore I'm afraid my neighbors (I'm an apartment dweller, top floor at that) will be able to hear it. My girl and I can faintly hear someones TV in the building in the dead of night, so noises scare the shit out of me.
I kind of want to get rid of all of my canna equipment temporarily etc, and somehow show my landlord a tent full of vegetables, herbs, and spices so to avoid any future suspicion, but that seems like a huge risk incase there's ever any doubt on their part.
 
WeedFreak78

WeedFreak78

Well-Known Member
Midwest Weedist said:
My 190cfm fan is already loud enough. If I upgrade anymore I'm afraid my neighbors (I'm an apartment dweller, top floor at that) will be able to hear it. My girl and I can faintly hear someones TV in the building in the dead of night, so noises scare the shit out of me.
I kind of want to get rid of all of my canna equipment temporarily etc, and somehow show my landlord a tent full of vegetables, herbs, and spices so to avoid any future suspicion, but that seems like a huge risk incase there's ever any doubt on their part.
Click to expand...
What type of fans are you running? inline duct fan, can fan, squirrel cage? You could get an Inline Centrifugal 8" fan and a speed controller and run it at 30%-50%, probably be around 250-300cfm draw @50% and it should be fairly quiet.my 6" is rated at 440cfm at 100%, i have a controller that idles it at appx 30%, and when temps go up it kicks in full speed until temps come down, which in my case is never..it just idles. Pretty damn quiet..i can stand in the room above my grow room and all you get is a slight hum, but I don't have neighbors to deal with so i don't know your personal acceptable limits. Get a small fish tank in your apt, the air pumps and filters can drown out any residual sounds in your apt and be a cover for any noises neighbors ask about ( water running, air pumps,etc)
 
Midwest Weedist

Midwest Weedist

Well-Known Member
WeedFreak78 said:
What type of fans are you running? inline duct fan, can fan, squirrel cage? You could get an Inline Centrifugal 8" fan and a speed controller and run it at 30%-50%, probably be around 250-300cfm draw @50% and it should be fairly quiet.my 6" is rated at 440cfm at 100%, i have a controller that idles it at appx 30%, and when temps go up it kicks in full speed until temps come down, which in my case is never..it just idles. Pretty damn quiet..i can stand in the room above my grow room and all you get is a slight hum, but I don't have neighbors to deal with so i don't know your personal acceptable limits. Get a small fish tank in your apt, the air pumps and filters can drown out any residual sounds in your apt and be a cover for any noises neighbors ask about ( water running, air pumps,etc)
Click to expand...
Already ahead of you on the aquarium, made sure my neighbors saw me carrying it in too. For fans I have a 4in (this just dawned on me that my noise issue is because it's this small...) centrifugal 190cfm and a standard 4in 100cfm inline fan pulling air out of the top through a cf.
I think you just helped me hopefully solve my issue. If I get a 6in centrifugal fan rated above mine I should have less noise if I drop the power with my fan controller, all while remaining a higher air movement speed.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top