Bulb Keeps Failing

[matt79]

Running a galaxy digital dimmable ballast.

Have 3 1000watters connected with cooling.

Have blown 2 bulbs in 1 week in the same reflector. First bulb lasted for 6 months and it failed, the internal components fell apart. 2nd bulb lasted 48 hours and the glass on the bulb was cracked and inside of bulb was in pieces and the glass of the bulb was cloudy.

Is this a ballast problem?

[Restorium2]

Running a galaxy digital dimmable ballast.

Have 3 1000watters connected with cooling.

Have blown 2 bulbs in 1 week in the same reflector. First bulb lasted for 6 months and it failed, the internal components fell apart. 2nd bulb lasted 48 hours and the glass on the bulb was cracked and inside of bulb was in pieces and the glass of the bulb was cloudy.

Is this a ballast problem?

That's what a digital ballast does in failure mode, destroys bulbs. 

[Willy]

yes thats why I prefer the old magnetics, easily fixed and dependable!!!

[matt79]

Ugh! At least its under warranty still. Its only a year old so wtf. Ive got some magnetics that i veg under, still running strong since 2008

[Kingdiamond]

Ive been running Digital greenhouse ballasts for close to 8 years now never blown any of the hortilux eye bulbs and only had one ballast go bad in that time period.

[Stallion1027]

I used to run the Galaxy digital select a watt ballasts. The only time i ever encounter a problem was if they all turned on at the same time rather than at different times. Not sure how your setup is, but might want to give that a try.

[budpuffer]

i had the same problem with the same unit,, after replacing the bulbs several times i gave up and went back to magnetic s,looking back at it now i think it may have been caused by the cold temps my room was at when firing up the lights...i've never had the problem before or after using a magnetic ballast..i knew it drove me crazy because i tried two replacement ballasts and like 4-5 bulbs../bp 

[Budz-4-U]

https://www.google.com/search?q=magnetic+ballast&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8#tbm=shop&q=magnetic+ballast+600+1000

 

Oldies but goodies.

[Restorium2]

The first time I lost a $100 bulb when the digital ballast failed I started thinking about a way to not have that happen again.

 

The second time made it clear that these digital ballasts are more bother than they are worth. 

 

I had a dozen digital ballasts of various different brands and they all eventually died taking out a nice bulb every time. 

 

I don't miss them at all. My bulbs die of old age now because I'm using all magnetic ballasts. 

[+Malamute]

My bulbs never die in magnetics,..... they just fade away. :-)

[Highlander]

The first time I lost a $100 bulb when the digital ballast failed I started thinking about a way to not have that happen again.

 

The second time made it clear that these digital ballasts are more bother than they are worth.

 

I had a dozen digital ballasts of various different brands and they all eventually died taking out a nice bulb every time.

 

I don't miss them at all. My bulbs die of old age now because I'm using all magnetic ballasts.

Do you replace bulbs before they die? I haven't found many growers who use a bulb until failure. A few years ago I bought some new bulbs and a light meter. The meter showed my older bulbs outputting about 90-95% of the intensity of the new ones. So I decided to run bulbs until they died. I still have $50 Maxllume bulbs that are nearly five years old, and I haven't noticed any reduced yield.

 

I also like the magnetic ballasts. When they fail, it is almost always a failed igniter or capacitor. Diagnosis is fairly easy, and repair is about $15-$20.

 

I recently retired a magnetic ballast I bought in 1999. The only reason I quit using it was that I switched over to 220v with a light timer/controller and the ballast wasn't 220v compatible. I'm pretty sure I can find a wiring diagram and figure out how to rewire it to 220. I think I paid $400 or so for that ballast back in the day. It was shipped from Australia.

 

A few years ago I got what I thought was a good deal on a used electronic ballast. After it failed, I opened the case in the hope I could fix it. The entire circuit board was encased in epoxy. It was completely not serviceable. Just a throwaway product.

 

A few years ago I bought a couple of magnetic ballasts. I don't recall the brand. They have the coil on the outside of the unit, rather than encased. They were about $120 each. That's a nice design because the coil (which gets hot) is not inside a case so it doesn't subject the wiring to excessive heat, which eventually makes the wire insulation brittle and fail.

 

As I see it, the only advantage to digital ballasts is less heat. 9 months out of the year, the heat from the ballast is a good thing.

[Restorium2]

Do you replace bulbs before they die? I haven't found many growers who use a bulb until failure. A few years ago I bought some new bulbs and a light meter. The meter showed my older bulbs outputting about 90-95% of the intensity of the new ones. So I decided to run bulbs until they died. I still have $50 Maxllume bulbs that are nearly five years old, and I haven't noticed any reduced yield.

 

I also like the magnetic ballasts. When they fail, it is almost always a failed igniter or capacitor. Diagnosis is fairly easy, and repair is about $15-$20.

 

I recently retired a magnetic ballast I bought in 1999. The only reason I quit using it was that I switched over to 220v with a light timer/controller and the ballast wasn't 220v compatible. I'm pretty sure I can find a wiring diagram and figure out how to rewire it to 220. I think I paid $400 or so for that ballast back in the day. It was shipped from Australia.

 

A few years ago I got what I thought was a good deal on a used electronic ballast. After it failed, I opened the case in the hope I could fix it. The entire circuit board was encased in epoxy. It was completely not serviceable. Just a throwaway product.

 

A few years ago I bought a couple of magnetic ballasts. I don't recall the brand. They have the coil on the outside of the unit, rather than encased. They were about $120 each. That's a nice design because the coil (which gets hot) is not inside a case so it doesn't subject the wiring to excessive heat, which eventually makes the wire insulation brittle and fail.

 

As I see it, the only advantage to digital ballasts is less heat. 9 months out of the year, the heat from the ballast is a good thing.

Yes, I use them until they burn out. Thanks for doing that light meter study, I remember you posting it.