transformer (M135 ballast) questions

[Gary Majchrzak]

fried transformer inside an M135 (pulse start 400w halide) ballast shown

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y270/gary334/ballast.jpg

this ballast should be repairable. Where are these transformers available for purchase? What would cause a transformer to fry like this?

TIA :)

[PaulErik]

It appears as the ballast was shorted. All connections and wiring should be checked. The lamp ignitor may have failed and allowed a short circuit in the secondary coil. The light fixture and socket should be checked as well. Shorting the ballast output for an extended period of time allows the ballast to operate in a high current mode and will over heat the core and coil. Shorting the output will not trip a breaker or blow a fuse until the primary coil shorts. The ballast limits current even when the output is shorted. This is a pretty rare event.

You can purchase a bare ballast kit. Bare ballast kits includes the capacitor, lamp ignitor and ballast core and coil. A bare ballast (just the core and coil) are not available. The ballast itself rarely fails. Replacing all 3 parts assures everything works together properly.

[Gary Majchrzak]

excellent info- thanks for your post, Paul.

Thinking about it.... this ballast/light would remain stuck on for a few minutes after my controller supposedly shut down it's power outlet. I'm starting to wonder if there's a connection........