help troubleshooting, MH ballast not lighting the bulb

beaniebeagle · 09/26/2008, 03:43 PM

i have a 400watt hydrofarm MH ballast

the light no longer comes on, it was a new bulb

i sent the ballast back, took a few weeks to come back to me...they stated it was ok

tried another bulb...no light

before i go another few weeks without light, because it takes that long to get everything back, i tried several things

i took the cord/socket for the bulb set apart, there is power from both the white and black wires......is this the way these ballasts work???(i called the tech department and they weren't sure)

and when i used a voltmeter between the white and black wires...nothing
but when you use either the black or white and touch the ground, I get the 110volts

do you think the above is ok?? if it is, then i could just get a new socket for the bulb instead of waiting a few weeks for things to return in the mail

PaulErik · 09/26/2008, 09:32 PM

Something is not right. You should be getting a voltage reading between the 2 output wires. What model or ANSI ballast is it?

beaniebeagle · 09/27/2008, 01:05 PM

the ansi code on the bulb is m59/e

hydrofarm radiant ballast

PaulErik · 09/27/2008, 01:20 PM

If the ballast is an ANSI M59 (standard metal halide magnetic 400-watt) ballast the True RMS voltage should be 250-360 Volts AC. If the reading is lower or you get no reading between the ballast output wires this would indicate something is not wired properly or a component has failed.

09/26/2008, 03:43 PM	#1
beaniebeagle Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: baltimore md Posts: 387	help troubleshooting, MH ballast not lighting the bulb i have a 400watt hydrofarm MH ballast the light no longer comes on, it was a new bulb i sent the ballast back, took a few weeks to come back to me...they stated it was ok tried another bulb...no light before i go another few weeks without light, because it takes that long to get everything back, i tried several things i took the cord/socket for the bulb set apart, there is power from both the white and black wires......is this the way these ballasts work???(i called the tech department and they weren't sure) and when i used a voltmeter between the white and black wires...nothing but when you use either the black or white and touch the ground, I get the 110volts do you think the above is ok?? if it is, then i could just get a new socket for the bulb instead of waiting a few weeks for things to return in the mail __________________ stupid questions do not exist, just too many stupid people Current Tank Info: 120g,1260 eheim,reef octo skimmer,vortechs x2,tek 8X54w, 2 false percs,1 bartlett anthia, 1 baby mandarin, 2 purple firefish, 2 green gobies, 1 citron goby, 1 bengai cardinal

09/27/2008, 01:05 PM	#3
beaniebeagle Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: baltimore md Posts: 387	the ansi code on the bulb is m59/e hydrofarm radiant ballast __________________ stupid questions do not exist, just too many stupid people Current Tank Info: 120g,1260 eheim,reef octo skimmer,vortechs x2,tek 8X54w, 2 false percs,1 bartlett anthia, 1 baby mandarin, 2 purple firefish, 2 green gobies, 1 citron goby, 1 bengai cardinal

09/26/2008, 09:32 PM	#2
PaulErik Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: North Charleston, SC Posts: 1,703	Something is not right. You should be getting a voltage reading between the 2 output wires. What model or ANSI ballast is it?

09/27/2008, 01:20 PM	#4
PaulErik Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: North Charleston, SC Posts: 1,703	If the ballast is an ANSI M59 (standard metal halide magnetic 400-watt) ballast the True RMS voltage should be 250-360 Volts AC. If the reading is lower or you get no reading between the ballast output wires this would indicate something is not wired properly or a component has failed.