I purchased an "economy" light a few years ago ( 400 watt hps). Just finished setting up to use it, and when I run it, it gets HOT. I was just wondering if this is normal, or a sign of something failing, or just inferior parts. The "box" looks like something from a hardware store, with no vents. There was some kind of plate screwed over a hole, so I removed that thinking that was better than nothing. It fires right up, just runs really hot. Should I retire it? Replace the "box" with something designed to cool (and if so, where to get it)?
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HOT Ballast What to do?
- Thread starter Bluestar
- Start date
How big is the box? My 150 has a box thats 4-5 times larger than the coil with TonsO'Vents. It's still quite warm to the touch. The area where the coil actually touches the box, it borders on too hot to hold.
Open her up. Are there any scorch marks or melted plastic? How much airspace is there? If it looks OK, I'd start by drilling the box full of holes.
Open her up. Are there any scorch marks or melted plastic? How much airspace is there? If it looks OK, I'd start by drilling the box full of holes.
it's almost 15" cubed, but not a perfect square. Sorry for description, not very descriptive, I know. I can't get pics until later today, but will post. From what I remember of looking in the hole after I took the plate off, there was room all around the components. I was thinking of drilling holes, or using a dremel and cutting vents into the sides. The box is almost 1" thick, so either way is going to be a pain. I was just concerned how hot it got, didn't need to start a fire.
I'm using a 250 for my main grow so I have to imagine how big a 400 is. That sounds like plenty of interior space. 1" THICK? Is someone expecting a nuclear bomb? I don't know about my walls but, my side plate is 1/16" and my base plate 1/32" or thinner. This may be the problem. That thick with no vents sounds like the heater for a pizza oven.
I wish I could remember who I'm ripping off but, someone here had a cool DIY that he made from two teflon bread pans. Turned one upside down and stacked it on top of the other. Chock full of holes. Maybe $15. I doubt Martha Stewart would've approved but, Scotty and MacGuyver would've given it two BIG thumbs up!
...... EDIT ......
B'Wah HAH! messn'ngommin' to the rescue
http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=92435&highlight=bread+pan
A little fancier than I remembered. Still ...
I wish I could remember who I'm ripping off but, someone here had a cool DIY that he made from two teflon bread pans. Turned one upside down and stacked it on top of the other. Chock full of holes. Maybe $15. I doubt Martha Stewart would've approved but, Scotty and MacGuyver would've given it two BIG thumbs up!
...... EDIT ......
B'Wah HAH! messn'ngommin' to the rescue
http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=92435&highlight=bread+pan
A little fancier than I remembered. Still ...
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that might just do the trick. I just don't trust the original enclosure anymore. I know that the ballast gets hot, but it's too hot in my opinion. Thanks so much for your time in answering Freezerboy, I really appreciate it. I was looking at a lumatek to replace it, but would rather hold off if possible ( at least for now).
cheap ballast = cheap parts = hot temps and short life with low electrical effeciancy...etc...
Almost Easy
New member
I have two 1000w ballasts sitting next to each other on a desk in my vegging room. One is Hydrofarm and the other is CAP. The CAP is CRAP IMO. It actually gets hot enough to almost burn you when you touch the heatsinks on the outer casing. The Hydrofarm ballast just barely gets warm. It goes to prove DIGITALHIPPY's point that cheap ballast = cheap parts = bad efficiency (causing hot temps!!)
...CAP's lifetime warranty on their hot running magnetic ballasts is a big plus though.
...CAP's lifetime warranty on their hot running magnetic ballasts is a big plus though.
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yeah I know, get what you pay for -- Noob mistake
In your opinion, should I even bother trying to vent this thing? I did find a lumatek 400 for $145, but I did read that people were having problems with them. Are they sorted now? And finally, if I go with a higher quality ballast, will it affect the temps of the actual bulb/cooltube?
Sorry for so many questions, just trying to make the best choice.
In your opinion, should I even bother trying to vent this thing? I did find a lumatek 400 for $145, but I did read that people were having problems with them. Are they sorted now? And finally, if I go with a higher quality ballast, will it affect the temps of the actual bulb/cooltube?
Sorry for so many questions, just trying to make the best choice.
I say at least run it till it's dead. Get your money's worth. You really haven't determined the parts are bad just that the case is a bad design. Air flow could be all you need. How long will it take to drill a few holes? 10 minutes? Will 10 minutes on your job pay you $145 plus tax and shipping charges?
I don't know about lamp temps but, a quality ballast will last longer and work more efficiently.
I don't know about lamp temps but, a quality ballast will last longer and work more efficiently.
Blow a fan on it. It will increase it's lifespan.
Almost Easy
New member
Is the Lumatek that you found Blue or Silver? The Silver ones suck ass and that's why they are so cheap. They are the ones that people were having lots of problems with. The newer ones are blue and have had all their issues resolved. They also do not require any kind of hardwiring and the silver ones do. That's another way you can tell them apart.
Why do you want to get a digital ballast anyway? A magnetic switchable ballast will most likely be cheaper, and if anything ever breaks on it, it's a simple electrical component. If something goes wrong with digital ballasts, it's not a "repair" question. It's replaceable under warranty... If not under warranty anymore, it can't be fixed... So if anything were to ever happen to it then you wouldn't be able to do anything about it!
Why do you want to get a digital ballast anyway? A magnetic switchable ballast will most likely be cheaper, and if anything ever breaks on it, it's a simple electrical component. If something goes wrong with digital ballasts, it's not a "repair" question. It's replaceable under warranty... If not under warranty anymore, it can't be fixed... So if anything were to ever happen to it then you wouldn't be able to do anything about it!
BonsaiBud
Member
Freezerboy, you have inspired me to take my 2.5 and .75 inch hole cutters to my amo box. Ear plugs, brb. I'll put in a little 3.5 inch 120v ac fan and two exit holes. The fan will blow right onto one end of the ballast's iron core.
Bluestar: can you tell if the windings of the core are aluminum? My Howard HPS 250 is rated at 295 watts consumption so assume 45 watts are lost to heat in the ballast. Losses in magnetic ballasts depend on type, wattage, and presence of a capacitor.
Bluestar: can you tell if the windings of the core are aluminum? My Howard HPS 250 is rated at 295 watts consumption so assume 45 watts are lost to heat in the ballast. Losses in magnetic ballasts depend on type, wattage, and presence of a capacitor.
First, Thanks to all that replied. Like I said, there was a plate on the top that I took off (served no purpose) and the resulting hole was perfect for an 80mm pc fan. So I wired that up to a wall wort and mounted to top of ballast for exhaust. Then ran the dremel around all sides, cutting vents.
All that took 1 1/2 hours, but I can actually touch the ballast without getting burnt.
I'm going to run it until it dies, but keeping my eye on the lumatek ballast.
The ballast is the blue one (looks purple in some sellers pics). Brand new, with the lamp cord. With shipping total was $175, which was the best price I could find.
All that took 1 1/2 hours, but I can actually touch the ballast without getting burnt.
I'm going to run it until it dies, but keeping my eye on the lumatek ballast.
The ballast is the blue one (looks purple in some sellers pics). Brand new, with the lamp cord. With shipping total was $175, which was the best price I could find.
I never knew that the cores could have allumium windings. Probably much cheaper considering the price of copper lately, but not as good - I would assume.
I was purchasing ballasts from my local hydro store and I think they were a generic brand that they made up in the store. I went to the store to buy another and they didnt have any in stock, so I purchased a name brand one they had for 20 bucks more. When I got it to the grow and started it up I couldnt believe how cool it was compared to the mini stoves I was purchasing prior. The name brand I can leave my hand on indefinetely and the no name brand one will burn my hand in a matter of seconds. The difference was suprising to say the least. So for now on I buy the name brand ones and nothing else.
I am not sure what the brand name is, but for an extra 20 bucks I get a much cooler ballast, probably more efficient and it has two switches. One for switching betweed 220 and 110 and the other for changing between MH or HPS.
TGT
I was purchasing ballasts from my local hydro store and I think they were a generic brand that they made up in the store. I went to the store to buy another and they didnt have any in stock, so I purchased a name brand one they had for 20 bucks more. When I got it to the grow and started it up I couldnt believe how cool it was compared to the mini stoves I was purchasing prior. The name brand I can leave my hand on indefinetely and the no name brand one will burn my hand in a matter of seconds. The difference was suprising to say the least. So for now on I buy the name brand ones and nothing else.
I am not sure what the brand name is, but for an extra 20 bucks I get a much cooler ballast, probably more efficient and it has two switches. One for switching betweed 220 and 110 and the other for changing between MH or HPS.
TGT
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BonsaiBud
Member
Aluminum would certainly run hotter and be cheaper as the conductivity is lower as well as the price. A lighter weight transformer would be a dead giveaway as aluminum has a much lower density than copper.
Some transformer types are just cheaper because they use less material in a smaller design.
My Howard HPS 250 is a very massive constant wattage autotransformer type with a dry cap and consumes 45 watts to heat. I plan to put a fan on it after I drill the ammo box.
Some transformer types are just cheaper because they use less material in a smaller design.
My Howard HPS 250 is a very massive constant wattage autotransformer type with a dry cap and consumes 45 watts to heat. I plan to put a fan on it after I drill the ammo box.
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