Ballast/Bulb help

R

Roman Hunter

Active Member
Firstly I'm fairly new to this. Just on my 2nd attempt so be gentle with me.
I am currently running an Ultravivid 600w dimmable ballast and a 600w Sunmaster bulb in a 80cmx80cmx200cm tent with 2 plants.
The issue I'm having is the bulb keeps going off then cools and comes back on, however if I switch the ballast to 400w it stays on?
1. Is it safe to run on the 400w temporarily?
2. Could it be an overheat issue?
3. Or is the Ballst/bulb dead.
Thank you for reading
 
Boatguy

Boatguy

Well-Known Member
Roman Hunter said:
Firstly I'm fairly new to this. Just on my 2nd attempt so be gentle with me.
I am currently running an Ultravivid 600w dimmable ballast and a 600w Sunmaster bulb in a 80cmx80cmx200cm tent with 2 plants.
The issue I'm having is the bulb keeps going off then cools and comes back on, however if I switch the ballast to 400w it stays on?
1. Is it safe to run on the 400w temporarily?
2. Could it be an overheat issue?
3. Or is the Ballst/bulb dead.
Thank you for reading
Click to expand...
Sounds like your ballast is going out on its thermal safety switch. Could be a bad switch, or could actually be overheating.
I wouldnt use it at all till replaced or repaired
 
BenGman

BenGman

Well-Known Member
Are you sure the ballast and globe is a 600w?! Cuz that's abit odd have you tried plugging it in a different socket?... you COULD run it at 400w but it won't be very sufficient FROM lumens to spectrum...but trust me it's not worth risking your life over acouple hundred bucks...get a new light setup ..ive had the pleasure of having one light up on fire once was a very memorable experience let me tell YA.

If and when you get a new one you can test the new bulb and what not with your current ballast, see if perhaps the bulb was fucked or whatever.
 
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R

Roman Hunter

Active Member
Boatguy said:
Sounds like your ballast is going out on its thermal safety switch. Could be a bad switch, or could actually be overheating.
I wouldnt use it at all till replaced or repaired
Click to expand...
I have ano
Boatguy said:
Sounds like your ballast is going out on its thermal safety switch. Could be a bad switch, or could actually be overheating.
I wouldnt use it at all till replaced or repaired
Click to expand...
Thanks guys. I think I will go buy a new set up.
 
R

Roman Hunter

Active Member
Just an update. I went to the shop and explained my dilema. They have reassured me that the new tent 80cmx80cmx200cm is causing the problem and the heat build up is causing the thermo cut out to kick in so now dropped down to a 400w bulb. Thank you for your advice/concerns.
 
curious2garden

curious2garden

Well-Known Mod
Staff member
Roman Hunter said:
Just an update. I went to the shop and explained my dilema. They have reassured me that the new tent 80cmx80cmx200cm is causing the problem and the heat build up is causing the thermo cut out to kick in so now dropped down to a 400w bulb. Thank you for your advice/concerns.
Click to expand...
It's your place that will burn down if they are wrong. Pull the bulb and ballast out of the tent and run them in a room to test that hypothesis. Test your temps outside the tent. Is there any chance you are trying to run a 400W Bulb at 600W?

What's the reflector look like? If you're in a sealed reflector you should be pulling air through that to cool it.

Also if it's getting so hot in your tent it's triggering a thermal switch how do your plants look? Be careful with that and welcome to RIU.
 
R

Roman Hunter

Active Member
rkymtnman said:
can you put your ballast outside the tent? or have a small fan blowing on it?
Click to expand...
The ballast is out the tent. I have a 7'' fan set on the same time activation. I have the tent partially unzipped too. These are the girls. They are 35 days old. They seem to be doing well but its only my 2nd time.
 

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R

Roman Hunter

Active Member
curious2garden said:
It's your place that will burn down if they are wrong. Pull the bulb and ballast out of the tent and run them in a room to test that hypothesis. Test your temps outside the tent. Is there any chance you are trying to run a 400W Bulb at 600W?

What's the reflector look like? If you're in a sealed reflector you should be pulling air through that to cool it.

Also if it's getting so hot in your tent it's triggering a thermal switch how do your plants look? Be careful with that and welcome to RIU.
Click to expand...
I'll try that now... They were adamant but like you say.. Its my home that will go up... The lamp is just a basic reflector lamp(Just the aluminum one and no fan) .
 

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R

Roman Hunter

Active Member
rkymtnman said:
if you can touch it, i'd say the thermo switch is faulty
Click to expand...
I will get the running temp later buddy. However I have just got this info on the ballast I use. It states low running temp.
The UltraVivid 600w Digital Dimmable Ballast is a premium, reliable ballast made from superior components for a great price.
  • Superior dimmable digital ballast
  • Four operating modes – 250w, 400w, 600w and 660w
  • 660w Ultra setting for an extra 10% push during the flowering phase
  • Soft Start
  • RF Shielding
  • Silent running
  • Low operating temperature
  • Fast lamp re-strike
  • Wall mountable
  • Runs both Metal Halide and High Pressure Sodium Lamps
 
R

Roman Hunter

Active Member
rkymtnman said:
you wouldn't happen to have a infrared temperature gun by chance?? i'd be curious to see how hot the case of your ballast is getting
Click to expand...
Just tested the ballast and its 38.8c. Also spoke to another local supplier re the issues. They said it will be the tent and the 600w is far two powerful for it. They said the ballast will run a 600w bulb on 400w or 250w however it will not perform like a 600w. They said when ready to flower drop to the lower wattage bulb.
 
Boatguy

Boatguy

Well-Known Member
Roman Hunter said:
Just tested the ballast and its 38.8c. Also spoke to another local supplier re the issues. They said it will be the tent and the 600w is far two powerful for it. They said the ballast will run a 600w bulb on 400w or 250w however it will not perform like a 600w. They said when ready to flower drop to the lower wattage bulb.
Click to expand...
Doesnt make much sense to me. Flowering should have more wattage than veg.
Those hps/mh setups are so cheap nowadays there is no real reason not to replace it with something that works properly.

You have a remote ballast outside your tent. The thermo switch is in the ballast, not the fixture. Your tent is not the problem
 
coreywebster

coreywebster

Well-Known Member
Roman Hunter said:
Just an update. I went to the shop and explained my dilema. They have reassured me that the new tent 80cmx80cmx200cm is causing the problem and the heat build up is causing the thermo cut out to kick in so now dropped down to a 400w bulb. Thank you for your advice/concerns.
Click to expand...
Wow.. grow shops will say anything..
Never heard so much bullshit!
Thats ridiculous.
 
coreywebster

coreywebster

Well-Known Member
Roman Hunter said:
The ballast is out the tent. I have a 7'' fan set on the same time activation. I have the tent partially unzipped too. These are the girls. They are 35 days old. They seem to be doing well but its only my 2nd time.
Click to expand...
You need that fan on 24/7
You need an extractor to remove the heat
You need to stop going tk that grow shop cuz they are liars. At the very least never ask for their advice again.
 
R

Roman Hunter

Active Member
Boatguy said:
Doesnt make much sense to me. Flowering should have more wattage than veg.
Those hps/mh setups are so cheap nowadays there is no real reason not to replace it with something that works properly.

You have a remote ballast outside your tent. The thermo switch is in the ballast, not the fixture. Your tent is not the problem
Click to expand...
I think your right. Im just going to get a new set up. Honestly my head is a shed right now :confused:
 
rkymtnman

rkymtnman

Well-Known Member
they are kinda right about 600w being too much i think. 80cm is about 2.5 feet which would be 6.25 square feet which would be 100 watts per sq foot which is ALOT.

a 400 watt bulb might be all you need in my opinion. see if they'll swap you out bulbs?
 
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