One type ballast hot, the other warm?

[TGT]

I have been buying from the same place for a while now. I use to buy the ballasts that were built by the hydro store I shop at. One time they didn't have any made up so I purchased another name brand one from them instead for like $30.00 more. When I got it home and used it I noticed it was way less hot when running. I could tell by touching the top surface. The old ballasts made by the hydro store I shop at get so hot I can't keep my hand on it for more then a couple seconds. The new name brand one's I have now started to buy instead are so cool I can keep my hand on them indefinitely.

My question is since they are both 1000 watt ballasts, why is one so much more cool than the other? Also, if it has something to do with efficiency, is the cooler ballast using less power? One last question, could the reason the one ballast ype is so hot is due to cheap inners while the name brand (can't remember the name) has much better parts?

I now buy only the name brand ballasts as I feel they are better made, also they come with a switch that can be changed from HPS to MH. And to add to the value, I can switch between 120 and 240 without opening the ballast and messing with wires.

Any inout on this would be greatly appreciated. I am just curious of the reasons and to here about different ballast quality in general. Anyone else have one of these super hot ballasts?

Thanks in advance!

TGT

 

[pimpjuice]

One of the specs to look at on core & coil ballasts is the UL bench top rise letter code, unfortunately that isn't a spec hydro gear companies usually show you, if you look at the transformer you'll see the number 1029 followed by a letter. A 1029C, runs cooler than a 1029D. A cooler running ballast will last a lot longer, they don't really use less power. Advance is a good brand of ballast to look at.

 

[Guest]

Pimpjuice----------on point. Advance, is, IMHO, are the shit to get. (We talkin Commercial Equipment)

Also, smooth surfaced ballast boxes, without cooling fins (radiators) to dissipate the internal heat will also run hot to the touch, even with louvered vents on the cabinet.

??????? thoughts??

TyStik

 

[TGT]

Pimpjuice, that is very interesting! That is exactly the info I was looking for. It is good to know which internal parts are the good ones from the bad as to me they all look the same. I don't know where you come up with this information, but it is much appreciated.

Ty-Stik, actually that brings up a good point. The one ballast that runs hot is made of plated silver metal, has no vents other than a couple small ones on the sides and is smooth on the outer surface. The cooler running one is white, probably painted aluminum and has cooling fins resembling a computer heatsink. I am sure this is part of the reason the ballast feels so much cooler, but I am fairly sure the old one still runs much hotter as it seems to radiate much more heat. I wonder if there is a way to test the actual heat output?

I was thinking of putting the ballast in a big oversized tubberware bin with the lid on and a thermometer inside and measuring the air temperature after an hour of running. Then doing the same with the other ballast and recording the temperature. I think this would be the only way to tell the difference in heat output from each without the distraction from the cooling fins and materials each are constructed from.

Any thoughts on this or do you think this would be a complete waste of time? (This could be one of my really stoned thoughts that tomorrow I am going to read and wonder what the hell I was thinking lol!)

TGT

 

[Old Yeller]

This is interesting to me because I just inhereted 2 older 400W HPS ballasts made by the Northern Lights Co. - Advance ballasts in a plain (non-vented) aluminum box. I always heard how hot they are supposed get, but mine are as cool as a cucumber. Left 'em right in my closet - one month at 12/12 with no heat or buzzing problems at all.
Go figure...

 

[Hawk]

....I was thinking of putting the ballast in a big oversized tubberware bin with the lid on and a thermometer inside and measuring the air temperature after an hour of running. Then doing the same with the other ballast and recording the temperature. I think this would be the only way to tell the difference in heat output from each without the distraction from the cooling fins and materials each are constructed from.

Any thoughts on this or do you think this would be a complete waste of time? (This could be one of my really stoned thoughts that tomorrow I am going to read and wonder what the hell I was thinking lol!)

TGT

I can't vouch for the soundness of that test method but I'd like to see you do it nonetheless. Sounds interesting to me.

 

[DIGITALHIPPY]

Pimpjuice----------on point. Advance, is, IMHO, are the shit to get. (We talkin Commercial Equipment)

Also, smooth surfaced ballast boxes, without cooling fins (radiators) to dissipate the internal heat will also run hot to the touch, even with louvered vents on the cabinet.

??????? thoughts??

TyStik

My advance 400W coil and core runs smooth, very cool and the hydro ppl i had rewire it to 240 they told me this thing is so well maid itll out last all of us that were standing around.
i believe it, 8 years old and its still running like new.


TGT i believe that the ones they made used inferior parts that run hotter and are cheaper to buy, leaving more profit for them. typical thats why i buy only hydrofarm and sun systems equip. my SS 1k mh bal runs fairly cool IMO... i can touch it for a good 10-15 sec.... hot but not burning.

 

[billy_big_bud!]

if it can switch from mh to hps wouldnt that be a digital ballast?

 

[pimpjuice]

It just switches the the HPS igniter out of the circuit, it's still a core & coil ballast.

 

[FreezerBoy]

In magnetics, HPS ballasts have core, cap and ignitor. MH has simply the core and cap. Switchables have the ignitor for HPS and a switch to remove it from the circuit for MH use. Don't know about digitals.

...edit ...
D'oh! Gotta learn to type faster...

 

[TGT]

I have a 400 HPS with the same box as my extremely hot 1000's and it runs so cool I can keep my hand in it forever if I wanted to. Then, my friend has one, looks the same but is so hot he keeps his coffee on it when watering his plants to keep it warm. Probably not a good idea, but it goes to show how hot the thing must get. There must be a way to tell if the parts inside a ballast are high quality or not. Pimpjuice had some good info, but I am sure there are many different components inside that are not those two. Any info on quality parts anyone knows of and how to identify them?

TGT

 

[Old Yeller]

I opened one of mine mine up - turns out I have a 400w Venture ballast with no-name parts - runnin' cool as ever.
I'd love to find a good source for replacement parts - especially the cap & igniter - where do you guys go to get high quality parts?

 

[DIGITALHIPPY]

www.1000bulbs.com

 

[Guest]

hydrofarm powerhouse are very cool and silent, next up are the hydrofarm extra sun.

 

[Old Yeller]

I'd love to know what parts are inside of the HF Powerhouse ballasts - they look like the best made mag ballasts out there.
Anybody know the difference between using oil filled vs dry film capacitors? I couldn't find any outside sources for purchasing the components individually. I've built a couple of high end cross-overs for stereo speaker systems in the past & it was nice to be able to pick & choose the individual parts.