Hortilux High Pitch Ringing

[FlowerFarmer]

Hello,

I recently decided to change my bulbs after a long time running. I've ran hortilux long long time ago, but stopped when Lumatek ballasts 1st came out and there were some issues with EYEs playing nice with electronic ballasts.

I've ran Argrosun Reds, Ushios, and cheaper lamps such as Plantmax and Optilume the last several years.


This time I decided to give Hortilux a try again. There boxes now say for use with electronic ballasts and the problems don't seem to be posted here anymore so I thought all was well.

I've got 8 new lamps in various ballasts such as Phantoms, Lumateks, and Electronic Xtrasuns. Today I noticed that one of my lamps is ringing very loudly. This on one of the very 1st Phantoms to ever hit the market (with the larger proprietary power cord input). This isn't on startup but rather after having been running for a good 5-6 hours.


I've got the lamps cooling now to try switching ballasts, but what gives. Is this something to be concerned about? Should I carry on? I thought all of these electronic ballast & EYE hortilux issues had been resolved.

 

[DrFever]

i am guessing its time for a new digital ballast is it a switchable ballast MH . HPS

 

[FlowerFarmer]

It is an electronic ballast so capable of running both.

I went in today and it didn't seem to be doing it.

 

[theother]

I've heard funny noises with all bulbs but always when they are warming up. Might be too much environmental noise to hear clearly though. My vote is for a new ballast if at all possible. Life is short.

 

[DrFever]

tighten all the screws on your outer casing that might help with possible grounding issues and vibrations , The ballast uses a transformer to boost the voltage up high enough to light the lamp. That transformer has alternating current in it. That current vibrating creates a vibrating magnetic field and everything in the part vibrates at the same frequency. Vibration equals sound. so i would unplug it an check for lose screws least thats a start i had a magnetic ballast that made sounds all i did was tighten outer box and the humming went away

 

[mowood3479]

I've heard that noise with some of my new hortilux bulbs, it went away quickly..

 

[EclipseFour20]

Are your cords "looped" or "coiled"? A simple 240 volt power cord can generate a magnetic field of sorts if it is coiled or looped upon itself--or wound around a metal device. Cords should be the shortest lengths possible (so...no extensions right?) with any excess should be "cabled" in a "z fashion"...not coiled/looped in a "o fashion".

 

[the gnome]

ive run all mag and all digi ballast or mix in my grows and get the occasional squeal.
i also get the occasional squeal with....
new bulbs, old bulbs or combo there of.\
mh ONLY and ONLY hps
or a mix of both... i've had it...
2000w or 6-8000Ws of lamps... it's there for 6 days... and gone the next day


or next week.
at times it's pretty loud,
other times it's buried in the everyday *back ground noise* of everyday grow room life....

the 1 reason i'm thinking on it now's because
it's been nice-n-quiet for the last few months

 

[FlowerFarmer]

Are your cords "looped" or "coiled"? A simple 240 volt power cord can generate a magnetic field of sorts if it is coiled or looped upon itself--or wound around a metal device. Cords should be the shortest lengths possible (so...no extensions right?) with any excess should be "cabled" in a "z fashion"...not coiled/looped in a "o fashion".

This ballast is actually on a 15' extension. No looping or coiled that I can recall, but I did require an extension as it is the farthest mogul in the room.

I thought that electronics were able to push the bulbs at a farther distance as opposed to magnetics which would require an updated ignitor.

I'm going to play around with the configuration of things. Thanks everyone!

 

[growshopfrank]

Some lamps just seem to have some sort of a harmonic when using a digital ballast
I have had the same experience with 1k hortis with a digital ballast as well
They sing but I haven't seen any lamp failures from this or any loss of crop yield with a 6 month lamp turnaround
The lamps singing isn't a concern to me anymore FWIW

 

[jocat]

a few of mine like to ring & sing at various times, i agree with frank, no bulb failure same yields, no worries.

 

[EclipseFour20]

In investigating CMH lamps (thinking of changing my setup) it is recommended the cord length between ballast and lamp to be 6' or less; evidently power loss and "radio frequency interference" seem to be the issue with longer cords.