Quote:
Originally Posted by lastlight
good example is the true hqi ballasts i spent a lot of time and money buying to properly run 250w radiums. the m80 ballast is no longer made. aquamedic had their own version they were selling but not sure they still make those either.
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Ah, but you are in luck sir. The M80 is a good old core & coil magnetic ballast with 3 components that should be available with a little searching. Transformer, capacitor & ignitor. Provided the ballast is not encapsulated (covered in black goo to make it water proof), the average schmoe should be able to replace any of these components diy. It's usually the capacitor that goes bad & they're dead simple to change out. You just need to be aware that it's a pretty big capacitor & when fully charged can give you a good buzz. If in doubt, a big screwdriver with an insulated handle may be used to short the two terminals & discharge the capacitor. Ignitor & transformer may be a bit more difficult to find, but just because a ballast manufacturer no longer makes the complete ballast, doesn't mean the parts to repair it can't be found. If you search HID Pocket Guide or HID Troubleshooting (Advance/Phillips), you should be able to find a pdf with all the info. Part numbers should be stamped somewhere on the capacitor & ignitor, transformer, not sure. This old school technology is actually pretty bullet proof & will go a long time.
http://www.candelacorp.com/products/...1A5880500D.pdf
I reckon even these options will go away eventually, but the fact that M80 is an ANSI specification bodes well that it will be around for a while yet.
Personally though, I'm on the LED boat & won't be changing back.