How long do hps ballasts last

What causes a ballast to go bad? Every ballast has an ambient operating temperature range and UL location rating. Heat combined with prolonged condensation inside an electronic ballast can cause corrosion and ballast failure.

A ballast is what powers your HPS bulbs. As a matter of fact, you do need a lock out tag out device in place for changing a ballast. The electrician uses the light switch on the wall to de-energize the florescent light. HPS bulbs enhanced with the blue spectrum will usually degrade in the blue spectrum output first, due to the specific compounds used.

If you use HPS bulbs, plan to replace them after months of use. LEDs are much the same. The reflector hood also decreases the stated efficiency of an HPS fixture. The most common problem with a high pressure sodium light is the bulb. The first course of action is to simply change the bulb. Observe the interior gas tube for any signs of discoloration. If the tube is black, the bulb is definitely burned out. In response to the general question, can you use an HPS bulb for veg, the answer is yes.

Basically you can use just about any light out there for any stage of growth, the real question is how well do each bulb work for veg. MH grow lights metal halide are suited best for vegetative growth and HPS grow lights are superior for flowering. A Metal Halide bulb must be used with MH ballasts or convertible ballasts of the same wattage. That is the big advantage of a dimmable ballast: it allows you to power bulbs of multiple wattages.

Digital ballasts are waaaaay more efficient. As a matter of fact, you do need a lock out tag out device in place for changing a ballast. The electrician uses the light switch on the wall to de-energize the florescent light. HPS bulbs enhanced with the blue spectrum will usually degrade in the blue spectrum output first, due to the specific compounds used. If you use HPS bulbs, plan to replace them after months of use.

To balance economy and performance, these lamps can be replaced every months. Note: the above suggestions re grow lamp replacements assume an average of 12 ON hours per 24 hour period, so running them to 24 hours a day further decreases suggested time between replacement.

It tends to be only the cheap ones with magnetic ballasts that do not. At watts, things start getting productive. And very hot too. Magnetic ballasts are easily the cheaper option when first buying. However digital ballasts, although pricey to begin with, will run more efficiently, use less energy and in effect help to lower your electricity bills over time.

In addition to not flickering and being quieter than magnetic ballasts, electronic ballasts are preferred because it has many other advantages. They are smaller in size and weigh less. Also, if you want to replace your magnetic ballast with an electronic ballast, this is cheap and relatively easy to do. A magnetic ballast uses coiled wire and creates magnetic fields to transform voltage.

An electronic ballast uses solid state components to transform voltage. Thread: How long should ballast's last? Thread Tools Show Printable Version. Total Awards : 1. How long should ballast's last? Hi, just wondering how long or how many grows you guys have been getting out of your ballast's. Been thinking about this as my current ballast is on it's 3rd grow now and this is a record for me, except for my very first one, a w HID which looked like it had been swiped from the outside of a building or something lol..

Went through 4 ballasts over around 7 full grows before but not sure if they were just shit quality or whether something else was to blame. So how long should they last and how long do they last for you?

Master Poet Guest. I dont know what you're doing wrong but I have been growing for 8 years or there abouts and have only ever had 2 ballasts. One used for 7 years, Maxibright, still works and the digital one I am using atm.

Never had a problem with a ballast. Total Awards : 8. Step 5 - Check the Ballast. Step 6 - Check the Short-circuit Current. Step 7 - Reassemble. So, for example, a w HPS distance from plants for bloom would start at 36 inches and gradually move closer. Using rubbing alcohol is the best to make sure all grease is off the lamp.. Do NOT touch the bulb. The oils on the glass heat up, cause the glass to bubble and then the lamp goes.

In the case of Metal Halide , most manufacturers rate these HID light bulbs with a life of approximately 20, hours. At this point, all lamps should be replaced. There's no filament to look for like a regular incadecent bulb is there?

If the bulb doesn't even try to start it may be the ballast. How long do HPS ballasts last? Category: home and garden home appliances. The life of your lamps depends on a few variables such as the quality of the bulb, amount of use, how often they are turned on and off, and the quality of the ballast. A watt Metal Halide lamp will last about 12, hours. Do you need an electrician to change a ballast?