# Ballast buzzing and won't ignite the bulb



## akize (Sep 3, 2012)

Hello!

Have a problem with my 70w magnetic ballast running a 70w cmh.

If I turn it off and on again it doesn't ignite the bulb but just buzzes very loud.After it cools down(about 5-10 mins) it works normal. 

Is that normal for magnetic ballasts or is it the bulb that can't start up because it's hot?


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## mr2shim (Sep 3, 2012)

MH bulbs have to cool down before they can re strike. Same thing would happen if you had an electric ballast. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_halide_lamp

Do some reading about what you're using.



> If power is interrupted, even briefly, the lamp's arc will extinguish, and the high pressure that exists in the hot arc tube will prevent restriking the arc; with a normal ignitor a cool-down period of 5&#8211;10 minutes will be required before the lamp can be re-started, but with special ignitors with specially designed lamps, the arc can be immediately re-established. On fixtures without instant restrike capability, a momentary loss of power can mean no light for several minutes. For safety reasons, many metal-halide fixtures have a backup tungsten-halogen incandescent lamp that operates during cool-down and restrike. Once the metal halide restrikes and warms up, the incandescent safety light is switched off. A warm lamp also tends to take more time to reach its full brightness than a lamp that is started completely cold.


Why are you turning it off and turning it back on anyways?


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## akize (Sep 3, 2012)

I have a CMH = ceramic metal halide... but I guess it's the same anwser so thank you!!

So if I just let it buzz it will ignite the bulb eventually,yea?
Would an electric ballast buzz too?


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## mr2shim (Sep 3, 2012)

akize said:


> I have a CMH = ceramic metal halide... but I guess it's the same anwser so thank you!!
> 
> So if I just let it buzz it will ignite the bulb eventually,yea?
> Would an electric ballast buzz too?


No, they don't buzz because they're electronic. It just won't arc. Just stop turning it on and off unless you want it off for more than a few minutes. You are reducing the life of the bulb by doing so.


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## hotrodharley (Sep 3, 2012)

akize said:


> Hello!
> 
> Have a problem with my 70w magnetic ballast running a 70w cmh.
> 
> ...


Normal for any HID. mr2shim gave you all the advice and info needed on this subject.


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## akize (Sep 3, 2012)

mr2shim said:


> No, they don't buzz because they're electronic. It just won't arc. Just stop turning it on and off unless you want it off for more than a few minutes. You are reducing the life of the bulb by doing so.


Found out when the electricity went out for a few seconds 

Thanks again!


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## mr2shim (Sep 3, 2012)

Be careful with HID lights, people seem to think they are safe as shit, they are extremely dangerous especially if mishandled. The arc tubes get extremely hot, like almost 1000C hot. Would burn your entire house down. They aren't toys, treat them as such. The only major differences between CMH and MH is that the arch tube is ceramic and it requires a magnetic ballast. Other than that and the color spectrum they are about the same and like hotrodharley said, HID lights really function the same. Even in car HID bulbs won't instantly arc it'll take a few seconds to a minute for it to re strike.


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## akize (Sep 3, 2012)

I know you can never be too safe with these things mr2shim. Gonna go with an electronic ballast for CMH as they don't get crazy hot and run silent.


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## mr2shim (Sep 3, 2012)

akize said:


> I know you can never be too safe with these things mr2shim. Gonna go with an electronic ballast for CMH as they don't get crazy hot and run silent.


You didn't read my post did you. CMH can only run on magnetic ballasts. Metal Halide and High Pressure Sodium lamps run on electric ballasts.


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## akize (Sep 3, 2012)

Nope,you are wrong. There are electronic CDM ballasts made that run CMH bulbs.


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## mr2shim (Sep 3, 2012)

akize said:


> Nope,you are wrong. There are electronic CDM ballasts made that run CMH bulbs.


I was going off the assumption you meant something that would actually grow bud. 70w is a bit of a joke really.


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## akize (Sep 3, 2012)

Hehe... the whole thread was kinda around 70w but ok  

Every cmh/mh/hps can grow bud you know?It all depends on how much you need.

Anyways...thank you for your help!


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## mr2shim (Sep 3, 2012)

akize said:


> Hehe... the whole thread was kinda around 70w but ok
> 
> Every cmh/mh/hps can grow bud you know?It all depends on how much you need.
> 
> Anyways...thank you for your help!


Thanks, I had no idea.


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## polyarcturus (Sep 3, 2012)

lol shim you funny. 

dude w/ the 70w, an electronic ballast is a digital ballast, ive seen some mag ballast called electronic but a digital ballast will not run a CMH.


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## akize (Sep 3, 2012)

There are digital ballasts that are designed to work with CMH lamps up to 150W and are pretty cheap like this 70w digital ballast .


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## mr2shim (Sep 3, 2012)

akize said:


> There are digital ballasts that are designed to work with CMH lamps up to 150W and are pretty cheap like this 70w digital ballast .


I think most people realize for little watt bulbs like that there are electronic ballasts for them. Try 250 or 400w I'd like to see this 150w digital ballast for CMH


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## akize (Sep 3, 2012)

Here you go sir link . Ballasts are available for 20W, 35W, 70W and
150W ceramic metal halide lamps and quartz
metal halide lamps.


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## mr2shim (Sep 3, 2012)

You didn't read my post did you?


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## akize (Sep 3, 2012)

'*Last edited by mr2shim; 09-03-2012 at 08:43 PM. '
*
lol Why edit ur post once you've been proven wrong,that's just low


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## mr2shim (Sep 3, 2012)

akize said:


> '*Last edited by mr2shim; 09-03-2012 at 08:43 PM. '
> *
> lol Why edit ur post once you've been proven wrong,that's just low


Perhaps I added the last bit, I see you like to argue and or must have the last word. You can have it, just to make yourself fell better.


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## akize (Sep 3, 2012)

To anwser your edited post:



mr2shim said:


> I think most people realize for little watt bulbs like that there are electronic ballasts for them. Try 250 or 400w


I guess you didn't until now...Too bad you can't edit posts you made 2 hours ago,eh?



mr2shim said:


> . CMH can only run on magnetic ballasts. Metal Halide and High Pressure Sodium lamps run on electric ballasts.



Bye


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## polyarcturus (Sep 3, 2012)

you do realize the link you posted is to a magnetic ballast some people are so dense.


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## polyarcturus (Sep 3, 2012)

please oder one so you can open it and show us the guts i guarantee, that is not a digital ballast once again you are proven wrong. CMH can not run on digital ballast(well they could but that would require bulb redesign)


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## akize (Sep 3, 2012)

Yes..some people are dense...

Here on page 3-4 you have the description and guts of this ballast.Still sure that it's magnetic?


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## polyarcturus (Sep 3, 2012)

yep thats a magnetic attached to a pcb. thats what the block at the top left is, copper coil. all that other shit is just for better operation.


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## akize (Sep 4, 2012)

Not sure if your trolling or you really meant what you wrote... Take some time to research cmh's and you will soon find out there are digital ballasts for cmh's because you clearly don't know much.


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## mr2shim (Sep 4, 2012)

akize said:


> Not sure if your trolling or you really meant what you wrote... Take some time to research cmh's and you will soon find out there are digital ballasts for cmh's because you clearly don't know much.


Please, oh please give us a link to some real CMH digital ballasts. No, I'm not taking about nail salon light bulbs like the bullshit you're growing with. 400w+


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## tip top toker (Sep 4, 2012)

You're being a twat shim. He is not talking about 400w+ lights, he is talking about the lights he uses. Why are you trying to make this about something irrelevant to prove your point? You are the one wanting proof of a 400w+ digital cmh ballast, and i don't know why, this thread has absolutely nothing to do with 400w+ lights. The second line of this thread, he clearly states 70w, he is using 70w, maybe he has a reason for using a low power light. Grow up and get over yoruself. This thread is utterly pathetic. Conogratulations.


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## mr2shim (Sep 4, 2012)

tip top toker said:


> You're being a twat shim. He is not talking about 400w+ lights, he is talking about the lights he uses. Why are you trying to make this about something irrelevant to prove your point? You are the one wanting proof of a 400w+ digital cmh ballast, and i don't know why, this thread has absolutely nothing to do with 400w+ lights.


I know, I agreed with him in some post that the 70w ballast is electrical. News to me to be honest. I read through that entire pdf actually.


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## tip top toker (Sep 4, 2012)

mr2shim said:


> I know, I agreed with him in some post that the 70w ballast is electrical. News to me to be honest. I read through that entire pdf actually.


So then why are you demanding proof of a 400w+ ballast then? You're the one who brought that up, not him, you are asking him to prove something that has nothing to do with his questions or situation. He is talking about a 70w, he showed us a 70w, so where has this demand for 400w come from., it certainly wasn't him, don't think he ever mentioned anything above 150w. You suddenly just started being abusive towards him for absolutely no reason.


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## MajorCoco (Sep 4, 2012)

http://www.growlightexpress.com/pages/ceramic-metal-halide-pv-c0-2.html

So. The answer is more complicated than a simple yes and no..but the general advice is to use a magnetic ballast, since they all work, although certain electronic ones do if you know what to look for...


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## mr2shim (Sep 4, 2012)

MajorCoco said:


> http://www.growlightexpress.com/pages/ceramic-metal-halide-pv-c0-2.html
> 
> So. The answer is more complicated than a simple yes and no..but the general advice is to use a magnetic ballast, since they all work, although certain electronic ones do if you know what to look for...


Thanks for this, good read.


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## polyarcturus (Sep 4, 2012)

your right thats a solid state, although i am perplexed a little by it. i though it was designed on the same principle as a cathode disconnect ballast.


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## Jack London (Sep 4, 2012)

HID lamps, especially metal halide lamp, the cold is very easy to start, triggers long as 2.5KV.But immediately open, the lights go out the bulb internal thermal state, very difficult, unless the pulse up to 20Kv pulse.
The sound hum is the vibration of the magnetic field caused by the current shell ballast coil sound, the squeak is a high-voltage trigger pulse sound. The high-voltage pulse constantly bulb electrode electronic sputtering lamp is a fatal injury, affecting the real service life. Thus, it is recommended that the lamp to cool for a few minutes, and then start.
It was available with a hot start magnetic ballasts or electronic ballasts that can be very dangerous, trigger up to 20KV, general household electrical insulation to meet this requirement, it is best not used.


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## akize (Sep 4, 2012)

Thanks for backing me up guys and thank youJackLondon for an explanation.

Don't understand why it's so hard to accept that you were wrong or that there is still some things you don't know. Well..now you know that there are digital ballasts (like the ones in the link) for cmh's and I will pm you mr2shim when 400w+ ballasts come out as you really seem interested in them.


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## polyarcturus (Sep 4, 2012)

yes if they come out with a low frequencey digital cmh ballast for 400w let me know too that is a noteworth improvement on lighting.

reason i didnt believe is because i was unaware of the technology, but then again much like shim i never concerned my self with any tech below a 400w, so disbelief was just an impulse reaction. sorry to jump the gun, i can be wrong and i like/prefer to be proved wrong. good debate had to do a bit of side searching though to really come to that conclusion. i like details not just pics and things to be honest that pdf was subpar at best as far as real details go.

i found better ones if you want i can link them they where pretty good reads.


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## akize (Sep 4, 2012)

True...not many people have micro grows with lower wattage bulbs so it's no problem.

Please pm me the links or paste them here if anyone else wants to read them.

Thanks!


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## polyarcturus (Sep 4, 2012)

http://www.gelighting.com/LightingWeb/emea/images/CMH_Miniature_Ballast_Data_sheet_EN_tcm181-12797.pdf (just has better details about the product)

this one brought me to the realization really.

http://www.goodmart.com/pdfs/hatch/hatch_hid.pdf

http://www.digital-electronic-ballast.com/digital_electronic_ballast_info/lowfrequencysquare_mar2006.pdf this one put the nail in the coffin


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## mr2shim (Sep 4, 2012)

CMH is probably the best overall light you can use to grow cannabis other than the sun. Of course we would love to have a 400w+ CMH that runs on an digital ballast.


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## Chiekurs (Sep 6, 2012)

Relax man


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## polyarcturus (Sep 6, 2012)

mr2shim said:


> CMH is probably the best overall light you can use to grow cannabis other than the sun. Of course we would love to have a 400w+ CMH that runs on an digital ballast.


cmh is a good bulb i have a few opinions and other otions i would prefer, but yeah for single source lighting CMH is he shit.


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## Maredical magic 420 (Oct 26, 2020)

mr2shim said:


> MH bulbs have to cool down before they can re strike. Same thing would happen if you had an electric ballast.
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_halide_lamp
> 
> ...


I was not turning off and on I came home this morning after running around taking care of stuff and when I came home and thought I would take a quick look at the ladies and there was no light but ballast was humming and I've never had this problem before so I asked Google and it took me here .so any way thank you you've been a great help smoke loudly Duce's.


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