Ceramic Metal Halide (CMH)

[simba]

bonsi.. no mater who you buy from.. if you want 100 watt cmh you want this one..
MHC100/U/MP/4K/ALTO
http://advancedtechlighting.com/mhced17.htm
Make sure it has the MP in the part number its Protected version.. its not worth risking a Exploding Bulb.. and yes these 20-150watt DO BLOW IE them offering Protected Version..>> the non protected need to go in encloses destined to retain HOT glass etc.. Most hoods are not.. typicly a non protected will go into a encloser that is completely bolted shut.. and then if it does blow your buying everything new.. ie reflector etc.. if protected blows just new bulb..
also compare bulbman price is $42 for non protected, adv tech price for non protected is 32.00 and there protected version is $46.00
also make sure the ballast you buy is a Metal halide Pulse start.. not probe start.

 

[BonsaiBud]

Thanks simba. I've studied up on all your CMH threads. I'll get my hydro dealer working on it ASAP. I am not sure if a Sun System Mini Micro from 8 years ago would have the pulse start. I could just get a kit, but I wanted to avoid DIY on this one. Can I add a pulse start module to a traditional magnetic MH ballast?

 

[Skunkman_Vienna]

is there any source for 400w cmh in continental europe ?

tia !

 

[simba]

Bonsai, ya i dont know what they sold for MH back then....can you ask him the ansi code.. your looking for m142 or m102
bus lights has them as a kit. i can post link,, just in case..

skunk,
http://advancedtechlighting.com/cdmed18.htm
ships world-wide

 

[greenisgold]

greenisgold- so you are saying it was the bulb? and the sun systems switchable built-in ballast was not to blame? If so, I'm putting my bulb in the mail tomrrow.


n dubbya

I don't have the same switchable ballast as you, but for me it was the bulb and my cord length is 15 ft. Email them with the prob. and they will send you a RMA and off you go. Hopefully it will fix your prob.

 

[PurplePotion]

Where's the cheapest place to purchase a 'DIY' 400W ballast for use with a CMH bulb? HTG is out of the 400W kits, and the only other place I can find them is 1000bulbs.com. They carry the SOLA brand ballast, which I read on the first page were just 'ok'.. so I'm not too sure about ordering one.

Any ideas? Thanks.

EDIT: Found my answer.. http://www.businesslights.com/400w-hps-ballast-kits-c-190_241.html

Any others?

 

[simba]

purp thats what i was just about to post

 

[vindiesel]

hey guys, u use glass lense on your reflectors or leave open w/ nothing...?

 

[hurricane]

hey guys, u use glass lense on your reflectors or leave open w/ nothing...?

I leave my hood open, makes it so the carbon filter has to be on the blowing end of the fan though, which is supposed to be not optimal. What does seem optimal about this is 2 things: the glass cuts back on a small ammount of light(i'm running sub 40W/SF so every little bit helps), also the way the air comes straight up off the top of the plants into the hood and out the window seems good for getting that humidity out of the room.

Hurricane

 

[speedracer-x]

replaced ballast and still have issues

replaced ballast and still have issues

Hey guys, I replaced my 250 ballast with a venture brand assembly. The CMH still would not light and now when I put a regular HPS in, it is really bright white and hot, as if it is not igniting. The assembly had three parts already wired (ballast, capacitor, and ignitor) so it was not a MH version. Any input on what could be going wrong here?

 

[vindiesel]

no...but maybe try starting a new thread on it or use the search button....HIJACKER...damn




anyone else w/ CMH, lense or no...?

 

[00420]

id LOVE to know how a 10K 150w MH does..

would a 175w mh 10k be ok or do u have to have the buck50

i happen to have a 175w 10k ushio bulb that i was gonna use on my reeftank but the compacts are doing just fine so no need..... any ways heres my ? to u can my pfo AQI-175mh run a cmh bulb? the conversion for mh to hps is 175 to 150 and my ballest is a pulse start.

 

[Ganja Guerilla]

1000 posts and coming up on 43,000 views since 10-27-2007... getting close to sticky time isn't it?

Great thread everyone!

 

[simba]

00420 im going to say only use ANSI approved ballasts.. or conversion Marked bulbs..

 

[BonsaiBud]

simba, that link takes me into a part of the site with lots of the low wattage CMH bulbs for sale. But, if I try to go in through the front end of the site, the only stuff I can buy is the 250 and 400 retro whites.

I've given up on my hydro dealer. He neither knows what "pulse start" is or what a CMH bulb is. lumens, lumens, lumens is all he knows.

I've pretty much decided that 250 watts is the magic number for me. I have a wardrobe that is 4' wide, 6' tall and 19" deep. Prices are pretty much the same regardless of wattage. Space and heat are my limiting factors.

So, what I want is a 4K bulb that will give off as much UV as possible. I see the "blast shield" on the 100 watt CMH. Is the blast shield built into 250 and 400s as in that picuture of the one with the "ceramic looking" tube wound with a wire?

So I plan to put whatever bulb I get into a cool tube. I take it that the ones with a "blast shield" could go in a lightweight "hurricane candle glass" DIY fixture for if the arc does explode then the blast will be directed out the ends where it will get caught by the vent hose. Now as for an unprotected bulb: might let out more light and UV, but the cool tube would need to be one of those heavy "bake around" things (thick Pyrex I presume). Would the original "Cool Tube" contain the explosion of an unprotected bulb? What I am after is the simplicity of a one-bulb system. I can always add a pink T5 for UV.

Yeah, I was looking at the business lights pulse start magnetics, then I found another place where they give you a little metal mounting bracket to go with it.

One more question: what causes CMH bulbs to blow? Besides, stupid stuff like water splashing on an HQI. Power spikes? Hot restrike? I figure if I put it my computer's battery back up then I can protect it from everything but a 1% chance of hot-restrike. I figure: power outage lasts 10 minutes, 15 seconds. Back up power lasts only 10 minutes. That is the worst case scenario. The only way to avoid that would be with one of those $200 15-minute-cool-down devices. Cheaper to get new bulb, but not cheaper than picking broken glass from a cabinet full of flowers.

 

[simba]

bonsi
heres the 250 and 400s
http://advancedtechlighting.com/cdmed18.htm

ya shops really know very lil, unless your lucky and they grow.. or into eficiancy..

the "blast shield" on the 150 you see is not needed on the the 250 or 400 hps retros..
that Coil is the blast shield.. so no worries on the 250, 400 from ploding..

no cool tube or bake around will contain a non protected Exploding 20-150 watter
it would need to be quartz etc..
bakearounds have broken on me.. i dont like them..

as far as uv.. the CMH RETRO white in my sig.. cmh that runs on hps.. 250-400 do put out more UV than HPS.. so your covered.. no need to add more.. Short version

there are 250-400 CMH pulse starts but we dont worry bout them.. as we dont use them at all.. as its either hps retro versions or 20-150 watts..

if your getting 250,400 no worries on protection.. only on pulse start versions..

what causes cmh to blow..
the actual blowing can be caused by any thing but not typicly exactly when spikes or restrikes.. they just make the arc tube seals weaker and eventually it just cant hold it self together any more..

the 250,and 400 cmh retro can be used in a open hood while foiler spraying like hps ALthough its SO NOT RECOMMENDED> to foiler when lights are on..

i wouldn't get a cool tube. get a aircooled hood from HTG.. and that will Pull the heat out.. esp if ur only 250 in that size..

as far as if a Non protected Pulsed start CMH blowing.. if it does.. glass peices are the least of your concerns.. IE we only Push Protected or the hps retro as there all SAFE>>
the thing is the Ceracmic arc tube is not a quartz arc tube so its thicker having more mass and holds HEat so when it pops it has force against the outer jacket of the bulb unlike the quartz mh that are just Poof..
hps uses same arc tube as CMH kinda but hps doesnt have the same internal presure as CMH or mh..

 

[PurplePotion]

Anyone know if the GE 400W ballasts will work with the CMH bulbs?

Info(MODEL 87175 – S400MLTAC5M -5GEK ):
Application 1- 400w S-51
Category High Intensity Discharge
Ballast Type Magnetic - Core & Coil
Type Replacement kit
Line Voltage Regulation (+/-) 10 %
Ballast Factor Normal
Circuit Type CWA
Insulation Class 180C
Enclosure Type None
Type of Capacitor Dry film
Capacitance 17 µF
Voltage (MIN) 300
Capacitor Temperature Rating 90 °C (194 °F)

Anyone? Looking at buying one in the next few hours.. just want to make sure it will work with a CMH bulb. Thanks.

P.S. This 10post/24hrs thing is killin' me! How long does it last?

 

[simba]

purple..
the 400 will that you list will do it
however edit remove the 150 mentioning as it is not the same.. IE 20-150 cmh use MHP not hps ballast.. or electronic rated for cmh 20-150
but heres the spec sheet for the ballast us list .
http://www.gelighting.com/na/busine...st/downloads/specs/HID/Sodium/S400MLTAC5M.pdf
its made by universial ballast co...

the things your looking for in ballast for 400 cmh is
400 watt HPS ballast with ansi code s51 and CWA regulation (CWA auto tells you its Mag core)
and magentic core.. or called electro magnetic as the core creates a electro mag..

 

[FreezerBoy]

Hey guys, I replaced my 250 ballast with a venture brand assembly. The CMH still would not light and now when I put a regular HPS in, it is really bright white and hot, as if it is not igniting. The assembly had three parts already wired (ballast, capacitor, and ignitor) so it was not a MH version. Any input on what could be going wrong here?

If a new ballast lights the HPS but not the CMH, I'd suspect the CMH bulb is the problem. Have you tried shortening the cord between ballast and lamp?

no...but maybe try starting a new thread on it or use the search button....HIJACKER...damn
anyone else w/ CMH, lense or no...?

Vin, What the hell is this shit? SHAME ON YOU! How many times have you started a half dozen identical threads on multiple forums asking the most basic questions? Why can you derail the thread with questions of glass but, Speedracer isn't allowed to STICK TO THE TOPIC about CMH?

 

[vindiesel]

i'll be getting my HTG 250 ballast and supenova reflector tomorrow. phillips 250CMH bulbs came yesterday they're big bought an extra to have on hand