Hps Drama's

[S0DA]

Im wonderin if anyone knows whats up with my 400w hps(runnin son t). I was just cleaning up in my growspace thinkin that for a newbie im goin alright and the babys look really robust, and then the light went out! And then started flickering like a flouro tube thats shat itself. Needless to say that i was shattered as i dont have any spare tubes and i was sure that this tube had just died. I quickly turned off the jb(magnetic)ballast that seems to run very hot sometimes, and left it and the lamp to cool. Feeling pretty deflated at the prospect of my babies havin no rays till payday except a puny 48w cfl, i grabbed my other ballast with the hope that maybe the jb ballast is dodgy, as i have never had a hps tube go on me as yet, bein a newbie and all. Anyway after the son t had cooled i fired up the spare ballast(macro power). And i was quite surprised to see the tube ignite and start up as usual? So i let it run 20min, let lamp cool again, and then i gave the initial jb ballast another crack and it worked as normal again? Whats goin on? Is this what hps tubes do when they start to die? Are there any other signs that tell me the lamp is past it? Or could this be the ballast? Its worth mentioning that this tubes age and amount of use is unknown as i got it s/hand. I am weary of that ballast though till i solve it, and i am just gonna use the macropower ballast which is much smaller for some reason? I just hope this tube lasts until payday! So if anyone can chop me out with this i would really be grateful, this is unknown territory for me. Thanks alot. soda---pfk---

[Chronmasta]

Hi mate, sorry to here ya having dramas

 

Does the JB ballast get much air flow around it? it could be turning off to cool down...(maybe)...If possible, try n hang it to get max air flow around it

 

Anyway hope ya get it sorted,

 

 

chron

[MongyMan]

Any chance you bumped a power lead when you were in the room. If you turn the light of then on again before it has cooled down they will flicker like you describe.

 

Peace MongyMan

[S0DA]

HI chronmasta and mongyman and thanks for your response. The jb ballast was in a cool dark place with no active ventilation but plenty of holes to vent fresh air in, someone told me not to run air over a ballast to cool it? If the ballast was turning itself of to cool down, why would it immediatly turn itself back on? I didnt know ballasts were able to do that. Im pretty sure i didnt knock the power leads mm. Good to know that a hps tube flickers when re-started hot though. What does a hps tube do when its past it? Does it flicker or just die? Thanks heaps for your input CM and MM. Its been 14 hours since the "incident" and no worries with the macropower ballast or the tube as yet. I am just gonna see how it goes. But definitely buying a spanking new son t tomorrow just to be on the safe side. Thanks again. soda.

[Gazza2001au]

when HPS globes are past there life they will turn on go really bright than turn off cool down and repeat the process make sure the bulb is screwed in tightly and if u can pull the cover off the JB control box and make sure all wires are screwed in and not loose if i was you i'd be pissing that Macro Power control box off i'd chuck the peice of shit as far as i could throw it its cheap chinese rubbish i brought one here in sydney about 9 years ago used it once and got rid of it

[S0DA]

Thanks gazza your a gun mate. Always quick to reply with a knowlegable answer. I am taking your advice, gonna pull the cover off jb and check it out. Then i will piss that macropower ballast off. Thanks for tellin me they are shit. The lamp hasnt done that flicker thing again. But still gettin a brand new son t tomorrow. I just hope my jb is sweet now that i know macropower are dodgy. soda

[Gazza2001au]

you can open up the macro control box as it only has screws once open u can see how cheap its made the ballast when i brought mine had paint peeling off it

[S0DA]

How come these macropower ballasts are so small? I just checked it, its runnin even hotter than the jb! Plus it hums. Cheap shit. Now i cant wait to turn it off.

[Gazza2001au]

they run hotter because there cheaper and the ballast,ignigtor,capacitor are all in a smaller box mine use to hum and rattle

[S0DA]

I pulled the cover off that ballast, all sweet. Gonna change em back over and get rid of the macrodog. Now that i know the signs, im sure the lamp is about to shit itself. Like you said gazza ive noticed it is really bright like a big spotlight or houselight and it seems to have also lost its orange/yellow spectrum like it used too, and like a hps should. Its probably a miracle it hasnt died yet. Its all i have till thursday now, and it cuts into me havin to wait till then. It could go any second. Theres probably not much nutrition in that lamps rays anymore. True?