Weird situation over here please help

Hey everyone. I was setting up my tent with everything getting it ready and had the 600w metal halide bulb on in the grow tent. I accidentally stepped on the ballast chord and heard a weird noise then the ballast went into stand-by mode and the light shut off. I have been trying to get the MH light to turn back on, but the ballast just stays in stand-by mode.
I plugged my Hps light in and it works right away.

What could have happened to the light itself?.....i noticed some black powder on my reflector glass when i changed to the hps.
Also, when i turn the ballast on and off the light flashes for a second and goes dark.

Thanks a lot, i could really use the knowledge

Sounds like you broke it.

How did just stepping on a chord break the light though?

banks dank said:

Sounds like you broke it.

Click to expand...

Anyone have this happen to them? I really dont want to buy another bulb.

Sounds like you are lucky it still works for hps. Grounded it out im guessing and fried the mh side

Black powder isn't usually a good sign... was the lamp itself burnt out? How does the arc tube look? Residue on the inside of the glass envelope? It doesn't seem to me like anything should go wrong from merely stepping on a cord, unless there were extenuating circumstances.

Take it back to the grow shop you got if from if you can, they can at least tell you if the bulb is good and possibly help you out with the ballast.

Thanks a lot guys! I called the shop and they said to bring it back in with my ballast to see if it works. So its possible that the ballast will only work for hps now? I was going to leave the stepping on the chord detail out. Seems weird that when i stepped on the chord that happened. The arc tube ends turned white/grey.

Nullis said:

Black powder isn't usually a good sign... was the lamp itself burnt out? How does the arc tube look? Residue on the inside of the glass envelope? It doesn't seem to me like anything should go wrong from merely stepping on a cord, unless there were extenuating circumstances.

Take it back to the grow shop you got if from if you can, they can at least tell you if the bulb is good and possibly help you out with the ballast.

Click to expand...

I think you would REALLY have to stomp on it, such that the wires to the ballast or the socket are tugged upon, in order to break any connections or compromise the wiring... otherwise the cord was a PoS.

Unplug the ballast then try it again. It may work then. If not take it back.

Well did unplugging the ballast work? or did you just take it all back?