If My Bulb Is On, Is My Ballast Fine?

I have an old MH ballast that I haven't used in probably 2yrs. I used it for about a year and had bought it used from an electrical shop. It was an old parking lot light in a giant enclosure to put on a tall post.

I gutted the enclosure and mounted the ballast on a piece of metal, and like I said I used it for about a year with out any problems. I was thinking of using this MH light in my veg cab instead of my CFLs.

If the bulb is lit, that means that the ballast is in working condition correct? I am not wasting a bunch of lumens with it am I?

I am going to buy a new bulb no matter what, but I'd rather not have to buy a new ballast if I don't have to.

Any help is appreciated.

Bob

i was given a light hood a ballast bout 10 years ago that my builder mate knocked up and or stole from a site, he grow for bout a year or two with it then got mega para and gave it to me. I put it in my shed for 8 or 9 years and forgot bout it, last year i fired it up and grew for at least a year with it till i upgraded to a new ballast. I gave this old ballast to my mate and hes growing with it now fine. I wouold say to u "suck it and see how it goes man"

even if the bulb is lit, the ballast may, I say may, not be giving you all the lumens you could potentially get from your bulb.
only a light meter could tell you more. if you don't have one, can't get one, or don't want to...then what 'mr west' says
is right on the money...
"just suck it up and see how it goes"

good luck