Problem with light?

[Cheeba-Cheeba]

So I encountered a problem this morning - went to switch on my light

(son t agro 600w HPS) and it didn't turn on.

The powerbox thing that it's connected to, is like making a constant ticking sound, in time with this ticking sound the bulb looks as though it's trying to light, as in, I can see a very small light at the end of it start to ignite in time with the sound.

 

I've had it since early feb, but haven't used it until recently - it was stored carefully, and since hasn't had any knocks or even movement from where everything is now located.

I was thinking it might be the fuse in the box, and though I'm not really sure what the indicators of a broken/blown fuse are I had a look at it and it looks intact?

This thing was on it's 10th day of use.

 

Any ideas?

[Wayfarin' Stranger]

How long did you let you go on ticking and flashing? It can take some time 'warming up'. I always freak a little everytime I have to switch mine on cos it behaves bizarre. But after like 10 - 20 secs tops the light comes on.

[SukonmiSkunk]

sounds likethe ignighter in the ballast has gone.. you can replace it if youre savvy with electrical stuffs.. or just get a new ballast... how old is the ballast that youre using?

[Cheeba-Cheeba]

Update:

I've since turned it off for about 5 minutes, then attempted to leave it on for about 5 minutes...still nothing but ticking from the ballast. I have checked the fuse which appears intact. I have unscrewed and rescrewed the bulb which appears intact.

Nothing but ticking.

[420 HELI]

Sodium lamps sometimes "cycle" when they have aged greatly. The arc tube's discolorations absorb light from the arc, causing the arc tube to overheat, the sodium vapor pressure becomes excessive, and the arc cannot be maintained. If a sodium lamp "cycles", the first suspect is an aging bulb which should be replaced. Sodium lamp "cycling" used to be very common, but in recent years the lamp manufacturers have been making sodium lamps that are less prone to cycling.

 

If you have more than one fixture which uses **identical** bulbs, swapping the bulbs should be the first test. If the problem remains with the fixture, then its ballast or other circuitry is probably bad. Don't be tempted to swap bulbs between non-identical fixtures even if they fit unless the bulb types are the same.

 

Source

 

:peace:

[Cheeba-Cheeba]

Don't have any alternative bulbs to check...

I've emailed the manufacturer after finding out they do have warranty, getting the receipt and all that together.

Explained the issue, and hopefully it'll be able to be resolved inside of warranty.

I don't really expect a replacement unit as much as I'd like one, but at very least I expect a service, and hope there will be some kind of warranty upon that.

 

But yeah, I've since been warned off using this brand (grow lush) both on here, and from a hydroponic supply store...so yeah maybe the best selection wasn't made, but it was a gift, and I appreciate it all the same...will keep the "brand to avoid" in mind for future reference though, that is, when I can actually afford to do anything about it.

 

- B

[Al B. Fuct]

Could be the igniter in the ballast unit or a bad HPS lamp. I'd replace the lamp first.

[bufo marinus]

Could be the igniter in the ballast unit or a bad HPS lamp. I'd replace the lamp first.

 

Good advice

[Al B. Fuct]

Ta, bufe.

 

Failing to start the arc is a very typical failure mode for HPS bottles. However, before they totally fail to start, they'll cycle on & off. They'll ignite then extinguish and repeat every 5 mins or so. A quick way to tell how worn an HPS bottle may be is to look at the quartz tube. The ends darken as the hours and most particularly, number of starts, add up. If there's more than about 1/2" of darkening, replace the bottle.

 

Lamps in veg areas, particularly when they're run 24/0, last a very long time, perhaps 18 mos. Lamps in flowering areas, which are started and stopped daily, have less life. Most mfrs recommend replacement at 12 mos in horticultural applications.

 

I do find that lamps from larger, name brand lighting makers like Sylvania, GE, etc. are generally of better quality and fail prematurely less often. These days, they might be just as Chinese made as the very cheapest lamps, but the quality standards of the internationally known makers are much better.

[Al B. Fuct]

One more thing- hot-starting HPS bottles is very bad rice. Hot-starts dramatically reduce the life of HPS tubes.

 

If you have a power failure or must shut off the lamp, wait until it's cool to the touch before attempting reigniting, on the order of 5-10 mins.

 

I've seen anti-hot start timer devices in the past which hold AC power off for at least 5 mins in the event of a power failure. Damned if I can tell you where to get one at the moment, but if you locate one, they're a good investment.