Light Help Needed with this 400 w MH fixture!

[degenerative_disc]

Ok
I baught this light about 3 weeks ago.
I got it rigged up and plugged it in and it ran great for about one hour and then she went DEAD!

I was told that the bulbs was older and the guy who sold it to me said the balast should be good for at least another few years for sure.

So here is my question, I pulled the bulb and checked it out and it looked ok I couldnt see any burnt wires in it or film breaks and when it went dead the whole unit shut down, the balast stopped huming and the light went out.

What do you guys think it is just the bulb or do you think my balast is gone? Does the balast still hum when its just the bulb burning out?

Thanks to all who can give guidence with this issue.

Cheers!!!!!


Here is a pic of thge unit I baught.

 

[degenerative_disc]

Little help here folks!
Yes a little inpatiant today
I am up to my neck in this and need to move quicly with it.

Cheers!!!

 

[dman1234]

im not sure, someone will know.

Not to state the obvious but did you check to see if it blew the breaker?

 

[degenerative_disc]

Yes I had a little heater plugged into same socket.

Thanks

Cheers!!!

 

[DonJones]

degenerative_disc,

So did you solve the problem or do you still need help?

If you are handy building things, I have a thread on converting that over to a remote ballast so that it is easier to adjust height, reduces the height of the light assembly giving you more usable height in your room and it lets you get the heat from the ballast away from the plants. You can use the same reflector that you have or get a different reflector/hood. There is a DIY on building your own 6" AIR COOLED HOOD.

Great smoking.

 

[GNLG]

If its not humming when you power it up the ballast is dead

 

[leafminer]

Put a multimeter across the power wires set to the resistance range. Then short circuit the lamp contacts in the socket. You should get a reading. If it's open circuit the ballast has died. If not, you need to check further, there are about 5 or 6 different types. Some use an ignitor. Some don't. If it is the type with an ignitor, it could be the ignitor has failed. Ballasts are just a big coil of wire on an iron core, there isn't much that can go wrong. If you banged the old bulb at all, there is a high chance you cracked the ceramic tube; hard to see. If you crack the tube it's dead.

 

[degenerative_disc]

Thanks all!

It turns out it was the bulb! Went and got another and up and running we are again!

Cheers All!!!

 

[degenerative_disc]

Does anyone have any idea how much energy this light is going to burn?
How much more will i see added to my energy bill running this light?

Cheers!!!

 

[Growdude]

Does anyone have any idea how much energy this light is going to burn?
How much more will i see added to my energy bill running this light?

Cheers!!!

A 400watt uses about 450 watts, Dont know how much more energy that is compared to what you were using, dont know what you were using before.

 

[degenerative_disc]

I was running 2 150w hps bulbs and a hand full of flos as well. Just wondering if anyone had an idea as to how much we should see on the bill running this light. Someone told me running a 400 w mh bulb on 12/12 cycle we should see our electric bill go up about $18 a month. Does this sound right?

Cheers!!!

 

[nouvellechef]

Look on your bill. It will say killowatt hour cost. Add it up and divide. GL.

PS, not much at all. Wish I had only one 400, sigh....

PSS, I pay 10 cents a killowatt hour or $36 a month per bulb. So yes thats about right.

 

[Growdude]

I was running 2 150w hps bulbs and a hand full of flos as well. Just wondering if anyone had an idea as to how much we should see on the bill running this light. Someone told me running a 400 w mh bulb on 12/12 cycle we should see our electric bill go up about $18 a month. Does this sound right?

Cheers!!!

Yes it does.
If you know what your electric company charges per Killowatt hour Just take 450 times the hours on, divided by 1000, and multiplied by the cost per killowatt hour.

So for a month, 360 hours x 450 = 162000 \ 1000 = 162 162 x .07 (my cost) = $11.34

 

[degenerative_disc]

You guys are the greatest! I love this site!

Thanks all for the usefull information!

Cheers!!!!