Cord length on HQI ballasts
 

I bought a 250w PFO HQI ballast. I need to get a Socket and cord for the reflector, I read/was told that the maximum length of cord for HQI ballasts was around 5', but all the cords they sell are 8'. Will those work?

Walter

logic tells me yes..it's only electricity. I'm sure 3' of 12-14 guage wire doesn't have that much resistance..

If the PFO ballast comes with that then it must be OK. If it works, it works. If the light doesn't turn on then you know it doesn't :smile:

I know that the technical specs for the Advance ballast say "BTL of 5 feet" but what that translates into exactly I can't say.

I know that with other pulse-start ballasts, without long-range ignitors, you can only get about 2' of cord between ballast and socket, otherwise the lamp doesn't fire (I know this because I tried it). 10' cord using the long-range ignitor, lamp works fine, using standard (ie., short-range) ignitor, lamp wouldn't fire. (It'd hum a lot, but no light.) The pulse must be sensitive to resistance on the line; I guess you can compensate using a smaller gauge, but I don't know how far you can push the limit.

Well, the ballast came with nothing. The reflector came bare (No socket or cord), I wanted to buy the PFO quick connect cord/mogul socket. It is 8', I just wanted to make sure this would work for the HQI.

Walter

I bought the 8' PFO quick disconnect cords for the PFO HQI ballasts and all is good. :biggrin:

Thank you, that what I was waiting to hear :lol:

Walter