why wont my hps work in a normal 3prong outlet?

Blze$17

Well-Known Member
400w mh/hps ballast with a 110v cord WONT work when plugged into my home 3 prong outlet.. I had it set up for like a few days last year at the same house using same outlets and it worked, now when i plug it in it blows the fuse and cuts electricity to everything connected to that circuit...what the FUCK! why cant i just plug my hps in the god damn wall and have everything kosher????
 

420God

Well-Known Member
400w mh/hps ballast with a 110v cord WONT work when plugged into my home 3 prong outlet.. I had it set up for like a few days last year at the same house using same outlets and it worked, now when i plug it in it blows the fuse and cuts electricity to everything connected to that circuit...what the FUCK! why cant i just plug my hps in the god damn wall and have everything kosher????
Sounds like a short in the ballast.
 

Spoc

Active Member
You have too much plugged into that circuit. If it didn't cut out like that, you'd have melted wires and a house fire. Unplug anything unessesary..
 

Mr Smith

Well-Known Member
Has the ballast been dropped on to a hard surface? I once knew the guy that did warrentee work at a local grow shop. He said an ubelievable number of ballasts came in with water inside. One in particular started leaking as he was loosening the screws and water ran all over the floor. A lot of people just set their ballast on the floor. Mine are mounted on the wall right next to the Relay.
 

Blze$17

Well-Known Member
how can i figure out whats all on that circuit that il have my (new ballast) plugged into? could i flip the fuse to off and just go around my house seeing what has power and what doesnt?
 

Blze$17

Well-Known Member
and before when i had it plugged in when it worked i did smell a bit of a burning smell while it was running so i unplugged it...is this what spoc is talking about?
 

420God

Well-Known Member
and before when i had it plugged in when it worked i did smell a bit of a burning smell while it was running so i unplugged it...is this what spoc is talking about?
Your ballast is burned out and no good. That's why when you plug it into your house it shorts out the breaker.

You need a new ballast.:-(
 

bird mcbride

Well-Known Member
If something is not polarized such as the outlet or the plugin, this could cause a problem. The quikest way to find out is to interupt the ground plug. If the ballast come on without the ground, it's wired wrong. If this is the case, don't touch the hid box because you'll get a shock. The wires coming from the transformer are usually marked, (common) to white, (120 or 110ac) is the black wire, and the ground wire the green one or a wire without insolation. Trace the common wire back to the outlet and it should trace back to the wider receptacle slot in the wall socket. Do not come in contact with the leads coming from the tin can thingy. The capacitor can stay energized even after the electricity is disconnected and you will get zapped. If the plugin wires are hooked to the transformer backwards it will produce a short when using a grounded receptacle. If the wiring is ok, You'll need to replace the transformer. The common can also be refered to as the neutral wire also.
 

RohanVD86

Member
how can i figure out whats all on that circuit that il have my (new ballast) plugged into? could i flip the fuse to off and just go around my house seeing what has power and what doesnt?
No, usually electricians try to put things that are close together on one circut. So nine times out of ten, The outlets ran to one circut are going to be in close proximity to one another. Like, your bedroom light at one end of the house and your garage door opener all the way at the other side of the house are going to be ran off of two seperate circuts. So look for appliances that are close together. Possibly on the wall opposite of where you have your HPS plugged in at or an outlet further down the wall.
 

tet1953

Well-Known Member
You could try your light on a totally different circuit, preferably one with light load currently (no pun lol). That could rule in or out the ballast as the issue.
 

Blze$17

Well-Known Member
also rohan, i was thinking thats the most logical way so im gonna do some investigating and find out..thanks guys this site really is thee shit! cant believe its still free hahah
 
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