Philips 315w CDM Elite (CMH)

[Hammerhead]

The main purpose for me swapping to mostly LED was to reduce power usage and lower the temps a bit. LED lowers the temps a lot. If adding heat back in is required might as well go back to HID lol. I can deal with the heat. Reducing my power bill is more important. I use 1900 w of LED + 1kw CMH. My temps dropped a lot more than I wanted.

 

[Home-Grown]

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[ReprobateMind]

I'm using the Model# 906200 315w LEC ballast/reflector from Sun System with the Philips 3100k bulb pictured below. Besides an Intermatic T101, what is a mechanical timer that I can use to safely run this ballast?

 

[Airloom]

I'm using the Model# 906200 315w LEC ballast/reflector from Sun System with the Philips 3100k bulb pictured below. Besides an Intermatic T101, what is a mechanical timer that I can use to safely run this ballast?
View attachment 19108794

I cannot help with specific timers but will say my experience with a CMH ballast WITHOUT slow start up circuitry caused me a great deal of anxiety. I did not do my homework initially and jumped right in.

If you’ve got a solid electrical system (not a 40 year old system upgraded from fuses to breakers) then you should be fine. Personally, I’d look for the lowest total load breaker to run the ballast off if possible.

Once I installed a GFI outlet with a weather proof cover AND bought a ballast with slow start circuitry, I never had a burned out bulb or failed ballast again.

There are genuine safety concerns but just follow the manufacturers instructions. I know you don’t wanna be warm starting a CMH bulb. They are too expensive IMHO to risk premature burnout. I also had issues with Amazon shipping bulbs in terribly shoddy packaging with NO warnings on the exterior for the delivery folks like FRAGILE GLASS EXPLOSIVE GASES wtf nada…..

Had one replacement bulb arrive DOA that looked fine UNTIL you looked real close and saw the hairline fractures.

I’ve delivered a few packages in my lifetime and I’ve seen how the parcels get sorted and handled by some careless employees. The potential for vibration damage was so bad I started buying bulbs from a smaller distributor who understood the need for careful handling of CMH bulbs. You will want to stock a spare of every bulb you run IMHO due to the slower supply chain of smaller retailers.

I believe @Hammerhead had commented in this thread some very wise advice that I would highly recommend to you. It helped me a lot.

Unless you’re running 220 volts I’m pretty sure you just gotta be mindful of the draw your ballast will do to whatever breaker it’s hooked up to. In spite of having an old electrical panel, my only problem ever was the breaker popping and not remembering to wait long enough before re-starting the lamp (I had the ballast running on the only convenient circuit which was already pretty full up AND it was not a GFI outlet) Once I replaced the outlet, I could easily see the light wasn’t green and would wait for the bulb to cool before re-setting the outlet. I wasn’t looking for a long term use of this outlet for the CMH light so no desire to hire an electrician to wire a separate breaker or new circuit.

Good luck and hope this saves you some trouble….

 

[ReprobateMind]

Thanks. I ended up using an Intermatic P1121 heavy duty timer for the light and ballast I posted above. I've also had the mispleasure of receiving poorly packaged and damaged bulbs. I've even been sent used bulbs that were advertised as new.


When is everyone changing out their Philips 315w 3100K lamps? After 15 months of use? I'm only using it for 12/12 light cycles.