PLEASE HELP!?!

  • Thread starter tuttie2012
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tuttie2012

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OK..... I am a new grower & I have an issue with my light system. I have a 400w, 600w & 1000w combo digital ballast with a 400w mh bulb. Brand new!!! I plug everything in, the light comes on for 10 seconds or so then turns off. The ballast NEVER SHUTS OFF. I returned it to the store I got it from. They said the ballast was bad & gave me a new ballast. Got home, hooked everything up & it did the same thing. Took everything back to the store & they said it was a bad bulb & gave me a new bulb. Got home & hooked it up today & its doing the same thing. I am lost.
 
justanotherbozo

justanotherbozo

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...don't quote me on this bro but if i remember right there were ballast's that were switchable, over different wattages and then there were those that were switchable from MH to HPS and i don't remember that they were together.

...can you post a picture of the label? it should be relatively easy to decipher the label and see if it is supposed to work with both, hell, maybe your problem is the ballast is only for HPS.

peace, bozo
 
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tuttie2012

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Its the switchable wattage digital ballast. When I first bought everything I bought the hps bulb. It did the same thing & that's when the dude at the grow shop said it was the ballast, exchanged the ballast. Got home hooked it up, did the same thing. Took everything back & the gave me a mh bulb. Still does the same thing. Ive had the electrical in my house checked & its good. I am completely lost on what the problem could be.
 
justanotherbozo

justanotherbozo

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...take it back again and make the guy at the store fire it up right there in front of you.

...i personally use nothing but magnetics so i don't get any of those switchable features, what i get instead is cheap reliablilty.

peace, bozo
 
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tuttie2012

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They hooked it up at the store both times I took it back. Would I be better off using a magnetic ballast? And do they make the electric bill super high?
 
justanotherbozo

justanotherbozo

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...yeah man, i don't know enough about your situation or your objectives so i can't say whether or not you'd be 'better off' or not.

you mind me asking why you need a 400, a 600 and a 1000? ...how big is your bloom chamber? what style of grow will you employ? what medium and nutrient regimen?

i personally grow in coco hempy buckets barebulb vertical style inside a 4 x 4 tent and i use a single 600HPS, i have no need for either a 400 or a 1000 so having a switchable ballast is a useless feature for me, so all i use is a 600watt magnetic that cost me $139.00 a couple of years ago and it has been nothing but plug and play from day one.

...there is also a remote possibility that a digital ballast will cause RF interference in your neighborhood and that can bring heat to your door, with a magnetic ballast that just isn't possible and for me, that peace of mind is priceless, lol.

peace, bozo
 
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tuttie2012

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I haven't even been able to start anything because my lights haven't worked right since I got them Feb. 15th. I think I'm going to take the digital ballast back & get a magnetic. Thanks for your info.
 
FiveAM

FiveAM

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Ok, so you do realize you can't take a 400 watt and set it to 1000 watt on that ballast, right?

Those ballasts are designed to kick a 1k bulb down to lower watts.

I think that is where you might be having your issues.

A digital ballast, there is no need to switch anything when you go from mh and hps, it's digitally done.

Just a quick question, why did you go expensive on that ballast and cheap on a bulb?

Also, what brand ballast and bulbs are we talking here?
 
ZONER

ZONER

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FiveAM said:
Ok, so you do realize you can't take a 400 watt and set it to 1000 watt on that ballast, right?

Those ballasts are designed to kick a 1k bulb down to lower watts.

I think that is where you might be having your issues.

A digital ballast, there is no need to switch anything when you go from mh and hps, it's digitally done.

Just a quick question, why did you go expensive on that ballast and cheap on a bulb?

Also, what brand ballast and bulbs are we talking here?
Click to expand...
FiveAm is on the money and you also have to fire it up at full power then you can dial it down
 
Tnelz

Tnelz

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Bro 1000watt bulb. Ur lucky there was no explosion. U cut the power down. U should punch ur hydro dude in the face!
 
Tnelz

Tnelz

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tuttie2012 said:
I haven't even been able to start anything because my lights haven't worked right since I got them Feb. 15th. I think I'm going to take the digital ballast back & get a magnetic. Thanks for your info.
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Probably nothing wrong with u ballast. I've run both and way happier with the digital. No hum no nothing. Unless ur not worried about that. Five am already said the right stuff though. Sorry didn't read it all. Wish u the best in any case.
 
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tuttie2012

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Im sorry if these questions sound dumb, but this is my first time. So with the multi-wattage digital ballast I can only use a 1000w bulb? The guy at the grow shop said I can use a 400w, 600w or a 1000w bulb.
 
ZONER

ZONER

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Now the wattage the digital ballast comes in is either for 1000 watts or 600 watts or 400 watts you can not run different wattage bulbs in the unit
( after looking at your post below this will not apply to your ballast)

So you need to know which one you purchased also the digital ballast allows you to go from a MH BULB FOR VEGETATION THEN WHEN YOUR READY TO START YOUR FLOWER CYCLE YOU UNSCREW THE MH AND SCREW IN THE HPS ( oh sorry for the caps to lazy to go back and do lowere case)

So no you can not screw in a 1000 watt bulb into a digital ballast set up for a 400 watt bulb and visa versa.

You must always start the digital ballast at 100% power, you can then turn it down to either 75%. Or 50% after it warms up. So if its a 1000 watt digital ballast your at 1000 watts at full power 750 watts at 75 % power and 500 watts at 50% power.
( after looking at your post below this will not apply to your ballast)

And lastly what size circuit breaker is on the line you have the digital ballast plugged into? Do you have anything else on the same circuit? A 70 inch TV with Xbox, a heater etc...etc.. Your lamp and maybe a fan is all you should have on that circuit.
 
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ZONER

ZONER

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tuttie2012 said:
This is the ballast that I have.....
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If you use a 400 watt bulb you can only set the switch at 400 watts no other settings. Also if you start the light up it takes a little time to warm up and if you shut it off and turn it right back on it probably won't fire back up you might have to wait 10 minutes, well at least my magnetic ballasts do.
 
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Tnelz

Tnelz

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tuttie2012 said:
Im sorry if these questions sound dumb, but this is my first time. So with the multi-wattage digital ballast I can only use a 1000w bulb? The guy at the grow shop said I can use a 400w, 600w or a 1000w bulb.
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No questions are dumb bro. That's what this forum is for. People imo are more than willing to help. If the ballast is rated for 1k watts u need a 1k bulb. Like bros above said full power and turn down to desired setting. If I understand correctly u bought a 1k digital dimmable ballast. Maybe a 400 would work @ 400 but it isn't advisable or the right way to use ballast. Could blow. Also if u turn off it shouldn't start back up again for ten minutes at least that's how mine works. I have an Apollo but I'd imagine they r the same. Again I'd jump up and down on the person who sold it to u for not giving u the proper bulb. Good luck and ask all the questions u want. People r here to help u.
 
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