Ballast Box question!

[guanito]

Hi All,

Just bought a 250hps ballast assembly from AT, and a "one size fits all"
ballst box friom BGH that's way too large. (looks like it was used also)

I need a small ballast box to fit my cab. Can I use a lunchbox, or any small metal box with ventilation holes in it? doesn't have to be a particular guage metal? And how crammed together can the capacitor , ignitor, and transformer be?

For my 150hps I just used a Radio Shack project box, but that's too small for the 250.

Thanks in advance for your kind attention!

 

[pontiac]

Go to the electrical section of HomeDepot or Lowes and look for a "Junction Box" or "Pull Box" enclosure. They come in all different sizes and the holes on the sides can be punched out for ventilation.

Here I am using a Junction Box that's perfect for a 400w HPS ballast.

Powering a 400mh Conversion Bulb:

 

[guanito]

That's perfect Pontiac!
Thanks a bunch.

 

[joluvs2gro]

I'm kind of going through the same thing and I have a question for you guys, is it normal for the ballast of a 175 watt M.H. to stay fairly hot to the touch? Mine is in a metal box and I opened it up to run it remotely and noticed the ballast itself gets pretty darn hot, I can touch it but it's pretty close to being hot enough that I can not.

 

[FreezerBoy]

Are you talking about the box or the actual coil? The coils get darn hot. That's why they put them in oversized louvered boxes. Sometimes with fans.

 

[guanito]

Box worked out great (8" x 8")! No pics yet cause I was in a hurry to fire it up.
Looks like yours Pontiac but i mounted vertically. No heat really.
Only the 250bulb heats up my cab about 4-5 deg more than 150hps did.
Need another louvre, that's all. Pics to follow. Thanks again!