HPS Light Problem

I have a 400w HPS system, and when I turn it on sometimes it will not turn on and just sit there and create electricity bolts inside the bulb (sorry not a electrician). And I then have to turn it off again, wait for it to cool down or something, then turn it on..and sometimes it comes on, sometimes not.

This could be a problem since I bought a timer, I won't be there everytime the light comes on. Can anyone explain what I can do? I've waited as long as 20 minutes (when first turning it on) and it still hasn't come on.

Poss. Ballast Prob.....all Is New.....dbb.

Anything more definitive?

Hps Lights Have An Ignitor....mh Dont,,,,if The Light Is Not Coming On When Asked,,intermitently....then We Must Start Looking At Age Of Unit.....light.....bulb Repl. I Cheaper Than Ballast. Repl....
Have U Noticed Any Noises Comeing From Unit,,,that Are New To U.....dbb.

If I were in your shoes I would get the timer and set everything up. Only then would I check to see if I had a problem. Your ballast may be a slow starter. Give it some timer-regulated work and I predict it will sort itself out.

Once installed, you will be able to observe the timer-controlled lighting periods.

The system is like 3 weeks old. I have a timer but I haven't started planting yet since my seeds have not came in yet but I'm worried this will screw with my plants. I hear like electricity when it's trying to turn on..lol. Sorry that I'm not more descriptive.

Just My Thoughts......when System Is Cold,,,anytime After Being Off For Hours.......plug It In......give 15min....light Should Be On By Then....if Not I Would Call Grow Shop Were Purchased.....hope Not Off Line...if So Call Or Surf Mann. On Line And Contact......present Them With Prob. See What Mann. Says.....,,,,if Light Does Come On......let It Run For And Hour Or Soo....then Unplug.....let Sys. Cool For Hours Atleast 4-5 Do Test Again....if Its Not Working Like New And System Is Only 3wk Olds Then Replace It.......now Better Than When Plants Under......!!!
Your Plnts Can Go With Out Light For Atleat 24+ With No Major Dam.....i Have Let My Monsters Go, When I Moved For Days With Just Window Light Thru Curtain....they Wern't Happy But Not Dieing By Any Means.....there A Pretty Tuff Weed..... Run This Test A Couple Times Poss. Results Every Time Or Take Action....if Prob. Is Intermitent That Does Make This Harder...but Specifie That To Mann....or Grw. Shop......dbb.

DIAGNOSTICS TEST POSSABLE INTERMITTENT PROB. WITH SYSTEM.

B. THC R+D said:

Just My Thoughts......when System Is Cold,,,anytime After Being Off For Hours.......plug It In......give 15min....light Should Be On By Then....if Not I Would Call Grow Shop Were Purchased.....hope Not Off Line...if So Call Or Surf Mann. On Line And Contact......present Them With Prob. See What Mann. Says.....,,,,if Light Does Come On......let It Run For And Hour Or Soo....then Unplug.....let Sys. Cool For Hours Atleast 4-5 Do Test Again....if Its Not Working Like New And System Is Only 3wk Olds Then Replace It.......now Better Than When Plants Under......!!!
Your Plnts Can Go With Out Light For Atleat 24+ With No Major Dam.....i Have Let My Monsters Go, When I Moved For Days With Just Window Light Thru Curtain....they Wern't Happy But Not Dieing By Any Means.....there A Pretty Tuff Weed..... Run This Test A Couple Times Poss. Results Every Time Or Take Action....if Prob. Is Intermitent That Does Make This Harder...but Specifie That To Mann....or Grw. Shop......dbb.

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It seems its becoming less frequent. I probably just needed to break the system in like someone said earlier

B. THC R+D , it took my about 5 miuntes to read ur last post and ill be honest i still dont have a notion what u were tryin to say. my friend got this problem before, his whole grow kit got replaced for it

Crunchy Calpol said:

B. THC R+D , it took my about 5 miuntes to read ur last post and ill be honest i still dont have a notion what u were tryin to say. my friend got this problem before, his whole grow kit got replaced for it

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HE'S HAVING PROB'S WITH HIS LIGHT SYSTEM......HE CANT TELL IF ITS BULB OR BALLAST.....WERE TRYING TO PIN IT DOWN......I KNOW ABIT WINDED...BUT WE CANT TALK ON PHONE TO TRY AND GET POINT ACROSS.....BUT IM UP FOR A BILLION POSTS. NEVER HURTS THE #'S ANY....DBB.
TS,, KEEP AND EYE ON IT,,,AS NOT TO F,,U WHEN NEEDED.....POST U LATER... ALL.
TS YOU GOT THE POST....FOR RUNNING DIAGNOSTICS' TEST ON NEW SYSTEM....YES....??

Truthfully, I have no clue what your saying either.

Your Light Is New,,,,break In????? It Sould Work When Pluged In...."now".....
Hps, Mine Takes Maybe 3min To Be At Full Light...its 1000w Thats Alot Of Light,,,,yours Being Smaller,,,leads Me To Fell It Should Take Less Time To Reach, Full Light.....if Its Not Coming On When Cold Every Time.....take Action!!! Replace!!! The Winded Confusing Post "my Deepest Apg's" Its A Diagnostics Test, To Aid You,,,,in Figuring Out If Its A Bad Ballast Or Bulb That Is Not Working Properly.....
The System Does Have To Cool (about 15min-half Hour) B4 A Restart,,,,but
Should Then Come Back On With No Prob's.......if The System Is Cold, Has Not Ben On For Hours,, Then It Should Be Coming On When Its Pluged In To Full Light Within Three Min.'s Every Time...or There Is A Prob.....and Either The Ballast Or Bulb Are Defective And Should Be Returned,,,,b4 Plants Go Under The Lights,,,and It Completly Stops Working And Your Stuck In Sitch Then...
Does This Help Any ?????? If Not Hit My Pm If U Would Like....dbb.