ballast wiring
 

this is a pfo 250w x2 hqi ballast, I might have oops'd on the rewiring different plugs onto it but I'm not sure..when I turn the ballast on the bulb lights up glows for about a minute, then shuts off before really firing up

what do you think is the problem? bad wiring or bad bulb? I thought maybe the cord was too long so I shortened it to 4'..didn't help any.

Thanks

Are they new bulbs? They may need some time burning in.

-Rich

I dunno how they can break in if they don't stay on for more than a minute at a time. it's not very bright, maybe the same as a 15w incandescent

One of my 175 bulbs was like that... it would turn on dimly for a minute, shut off for a few minutes, and flicker back on again.

-Rich

I may be wrong,but if you had wired it wrong,it shouldn't fire up at all?Anyway of testing the bulbs on another ballast or using another bulb to test that ballast?

I'm gonna bring it down to my buddy's hydroponics store, he should be able to figure it out..my guess is something's backwards and isn't getting the nice 6000v UNF to get it fired.

edit: my own lights showed up today and the same thing happens.. my buddy said the capacitor might be faulty

Godd possibility. The capacitor's function is to kick-start the bulb. If it is faulty it won't be able to do that. :eek:

actualy this could be the problem if the capacitor was wired up like a standard 250 watt ballast. In the HQI ballast the capacitor doesent kick start the bulb but rather provides regulation for a steady current duting operation. weird but I finaly understand it (only took me a year :mrgreen: )

Steve

I think it's the ignitor that kick starts it, then the capacitor gives it the few 100 volts needed to run...right now it warms up, starts to get bright, then the ballast buzzes like a fridge compressor that's about to die..then just shuts off. So I'm guessing it's the capacitor because it's getting to the brightness where it needs that extra current and just can't get it.

pfo tech support actually phoned me to double check the wiring and found the capacitor to be hooked up incorrectly, so I get a shiney new ballast. I would have figured it would be cheaper to ship me new capacitors and have me ship these 2 back...oh well.