1k Halide Pulses Different Color 'Temperature'?

[barletta]

I have a 1k Halide on a switchable mag ballast that seems to cycle color temperature in ~7second cycles where it slowly goes yellowish then quick-drops back to bluish. It's not extreme, but it is noticeable. The bulb is a universal burn 4100k cheapie from amazon hung vertically with only ~1 month of burn, a week of veg & 3 weeks of bloom. The ballast is a ~5-6 year old sunlight supply harvest pro elite switchable. I've run halides on this ballast in a horizontal burn over the last 2 years & ran both vert & horizontal hps's off of it for the 3-4yrs prior. Never saw this before.

Could it just be a cheap bulb? Is it indicative of a bulb about to explode (have yet to experience that & I'd like to never know about it, lol). Does it just happen with certain bulbs or with vertical burn positions?

 

[Mikell]

I'd bust out the multimeter and start going over the ballast myself.

 

[Fly by Night]

Sylvania metalarc about $20. Grab a fresh bulb homie whew

 

[barletta]

Got a sylvania metal arc bt37 3800k universal burn for 20 + 5 shipping on the way. The old bulb is a PLT brand from 1000bulbs.com that I just put a call in about warranty on it. Hey if I get a free replacement bulb that's cool For what it's worth an identical plt bulb is burning horizontally perfectly fine on a new hardcore switchable mag ballast at another location. Too far to just swap bulbs to see whats what, though.

Mikel, I have a multimeter, but have never gone over a ballast except to open it up & see a fukked up capacitor or a burnt wire. What should I be testing? I've never opened this ballast, seems well built & I haven;t abused it. I have much older grimier ballasts that work perfectly fine, but I don;t have another halide ballast here with me to do switcheroo

 

[Mikell]

Truth be told I haven't done it enough to give a good run down off the top of my head.

I'll find the PDF on the PC. It's handy to have even if it's just a faulty bulb.