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Dimlux 630w CMH Expert series issues, anybody any ideas how to fix?

bigbadbiddy

Well-known member
Howdy folks,

I own both a 630 and 315 w version of the Dimlux CMH Expert series (the spaceship looking one, well known afaik).

Anyway, I used both for about half a decade, had to change the bulbs eventually.

When I first mounted the 630w CMH in the growroom I fucked up and used yoyos with simple plastic hooks (that were intended to go in the other room and hold the lightweight MH in the veg room). Anyway, overnight it fell down a couple feet.

Fixed it with the right yoyos and aside from a tiny bend in the reflector I never noticed anything, it ran fine for 5+ years.

During my last grow (couple years back) it however failed to start sometimes. I tried with a different timer switch, same result (although I realized even the high end timer switches need replacement after a few years to work reliably).
It sometimes does start but not always and I had the red error light indicator on the ballast when it failed.

Its not very easy for me to send it into Dimlux to check, besides they probably will ask the equivalent of a new balast or whole fixture to fix it.

The 315w version still works fine after all these years, they were purchased together and used exactly the same amount of time.

I wanted to hand it to an electrician friend of mine, open up the balast and see if there are any bad soldering spots or the like or something bent from the impact all those years ago after all and gave in over time.

Anyone else have any experiences with something remotely similar and suggestions of how to fix it?

I am setting up a new tent grow with living soil since its legal here now and wanted to keep using the 630w one if possible. Otherwise I likely switch to LED and use the 315w CMH for the smaller tent.

Bless y'all and thx for any feedback
 

Creeperpark

Well-known member
Mentor
Veteran
Howdy folks,

I own both a 630 and 315 w version of the Dimlux CMH Expert series (the spaceship looking one, well known afaik).

Anyway, I used both for about half a decade, had to change the bulbs eventually.

When I first mounted the 630w CMH in the growroom I fucked up and used yoyos with simple plastic hooks (that were intended to go in the other room and hold the lightweight MH in the veg room). Anyway, overnight it fell down a couple feet.

Fixed it with the right yoyos and aside from a tiny bend in the reflector I never noticed anything, it ran fine for 5+ years.

During my last grow (couple years back) it however failed to start sometimes. I tried with a different timer switch, same result (although I realized even the high end timer switches need replacement after a few years to work reliably).
It sometimes does start but not always and I had the red error light indicator on the ballast when it failed.

Its not very easy for me to send it into Dimlux to check, besides they probably will ask the equivalent of a new balast or whole fixture to fix it.

The 315w version still works fine after all these years, they were purchased together and used exactly the same amount of time.

I wanted to hand it to an electrician friend of mine, open up the balast and see if there are any bad soldering spots or the like or something bent from the impact all those years ago after all and gave in over time.

Anyone else have any experiences with something remotely similar and suggestions of how to fix it?

I am setting up a new tent grow with living soil since its legal here now and wanted to keep using the 630w one if possible. Otherwise I likely switch to LED and use the 315w CMH for the smaller tent.

Bless y'all and thx for any feedback
It's time for a new light friend. You can't trust a light that doesn't come on every time. I had a ballast do that right before it went out completely.
 
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