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Rik
Biohacker


Registered: 01/09/11
Posts: 183
Loc: Caribe
Last seen: 1 year, 11 months
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HID Ballast Troubleshoot
#25924799 - 04/09/19 10:56 AM (4 years, 9 months ago) |
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Hello. I have a 600 watt HID ballast HPS/ MH and it says it can run on 110v or 220v. The power cord that I had for it was for a normal 110v plug and I wanted to run it on 220v so what I did was install a 110v plug in the socket but attached a 110v line to both sides (1 where the live wire goes and another one where the neutral wire goes) I understant this should be 220v, right? Problem is that when I plug it in the ballast wont start. If I plug it in a 110v socket it starts normally. I would much prefer to have it running cooler in a 220v. Any ideas what might be wrong? Could it be that it needs a neutral or a ground?
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koraks
Registered: 06/02/03
Posts: 26,670
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Re: HID Ballast Troubleshoot [Re: Rik]
#25926196 - 04/10/19 05:18 AM (4 years, 9 months ago) |
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So you have both 220 and 110 supply in the place where you install it? What do you mean with it running cooler on 220?
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PrimeMulch
Extreme Sheep Herder



Registered: 03/21/19
Posts: 52
Loc: Lithuania
Last seen: 1 year, 26 days
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Re: HID Ballast Troubleshoot [Re: Rik] 1
#25933494 - 04/14/19 01:28 AM (4 years, 9 months ago) |
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Stop by an automotive supply store or a store with electrical supply and pick up a "multimeter". It will be analog (having a moving needle for the display) or digital (having an LCD display).
Set it to test ACV 250, (Alternating Current Voltage 250 volts). [url=Example Picture Of Multimeter with Analog Display]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/db/YX360TRF(Sanwa).JPG[/url] On this image you can see ACV 250 (this is the setting you will use). Some multimeters are auto-ranging and may have less places to select on the dial, make sure you are confident that you have the right selection before inserting it into a wall outlet.
Warning: Fatal shock may occur if you touch the metal leads of the multimeter probes as you insert them in to the outlet.
Set the multimeter to do your voltage test AC 10V. Test a small 1.5v AAA or AA battery. What is your reading after 10 seconds? If it is about 1.5 volts, you have selected a DC measurement on your multimeter, it could have blown up the multimeter if you made that mistake testing AC! Watch a youtube video on how to use a multimeter.
(If you set it to DC Direct Current, you can test batteries!)
If it is about 0volts, you are are on the right track! Set the multimeter to test ACvoltage 250volts or greater (you can damage the multimeter by selecting a too low voltage to start).
Test the outlet working at 110v, Do this by setting the meter to ACv250 or greater, and placing one probe in the hot and one in the neutral. Don't place the probe in ground.
See the meter (or digital display) read 110v (voltage may vary a bit)? If Yes, great you know how to do this test! If No, Plug in a lamp, Did the lamp light up? If yes you didn't test the outlet correctly or your multimeter isn't functioning correctly. If no, your outlet or your lamp is broken (did you turn the lamp on?).
Now test the outlet working at 220v, do you see the meter read ~220volts? If yes, the problem is with the wiring leading to the ballast or the ballast itself. If no, the problem is with the socket or somewhere up to the supply.
Good luck!
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the astronaut



Registered: 06/09/11
Posts: 447
Loc: usa
Last seen: 18 hours, 38 minutes
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Re: HID Ballast Troubleshoot [Re: PrimeMulch]
#25936602 - 04/15/19 05:06 PM (4 years, 9 months ago) |
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It won't work quite that way but your smarter than most for trying. Any given circuit in a house is 110_120 volts. Trying two plugs on the same 110v circuit will only provide 110v. You need to use both legs off you breaker box to get 220v. Unless you install a double pole breaker you have to use two different circuits from both legs. Figure out two rooms that are on the two different legs and your idea should work. Only prob being an extension cord running from one room to the other looks tacky.
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Doc9151
Mycologist



Registered: 02/23/17
Posts: 13,753
Loc: Gulf Coast USA
Last seen: 1 year, 6 months
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Re: HID Ballast Troubleshoot [Re: Rik] 1
#26442079 - 01/19/20 05:55 PM (4 years, 9 days ago) |
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This sounds like a fire waiting to happen, just leave it alone, HID lights are hot no matter if it's 110v 220v
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TIS87
Stranger

Registered: 11/22/19
Posts: 123
Last seen: 10 months, 1 day
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Re: HID Ballast Troubleshoot [Re: Doc9151]
#26446693 - 01/22/20 04:20 PM (4 years, 7 days ago) |
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You have to make sure the outlets are on separate phases of the split phase coming into the house.
The pole outside has a transformer that is center tapped grounded. So each side of it is referenced to ground, but if you join the two opposing phases you have double the voltage.
I would leave well enough alone though... if it has universal input it should run fine on 120v as is.
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Sempeur
Tourist

Registered: 01/12/20
Posts: 59
Loc: Canada
Last seen: 3 years, 1 month
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Re: HID Ballast Troubleshoot [Re: TIS87]
#26467374 - 02/03/20 06:53 PM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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It's a decent idea, since it's running at a higher voltage it should pull less amperage and run cooler. If you ever get it working at 220v you should report back any heat differences you notice. It seems like a lot of work if it's only going to drop by a few degrees.
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Be strange, but don't be a stranger.
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koraks
Registered: 06/02/03
Posts: 26,670
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Re: HID Ballast Troubleshoot [Re: Sempeur]
#26467832 - 02/04/20 02:10 AM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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Quote:
Sempeur said: It's a decent idea, since it's running at a higher voltage it should pull less amperage and run cooler.
600W is 600W, whether it's 110v @ 5.5A or 220V @ 2.7A, or 600V @ 1A or 20V @30A etc. etc. The dissipation will be exactly the same.
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Sofaking420



Registered: 02/09/18
Posts: 1,126
Loc: Myco mountain
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Re: HID Ballast Troubleshoot [Re: koraks]
#26467890 - 02/04/20 04:55 AM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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Ive ran both 110 and 220. Your electric bill WILL be less when running 220, thats the real advantage.
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Sempeur
Tourist

Registered: 01/12/20
Posts: 59
Loc: Canada
Last seen: 3 years, 1 month
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Re: HID Ballast Troubleshoot [Re: koraks]
#26468878 - 02/04/20 05:04 PM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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Quote:
koraks said:
Quote:
Sempeur said: It's a decent idea, since it's running at a higher voltage it should pull less amperage and run cooler.
600W is 600W, whether it's 110v @ 5.5A or 220V @ 2.7A, or 600V @ 1A or 20V @30A etc. etc. The dissipation will be exactly the same.
True enough, I guess it would depend on if it's that much more efficient with the amount of amps it uses when running at a higher voltage (which doesn't look like a huge difference for a lot of lights). I haven't used a 220v setup myself so I've never looked into it too much.
The more you know
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Be strange, but don't be a stranger.
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koraks
Registered: 06/02/03
Posts: 26,670
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Re: HID Ballast Troubleshoot [Re: Sempeur]
#26469542 - 02/05/20 12:59 AM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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It shouldn't make more than a few % difference, which are accounted for by a likely marginal difference in power correction factor (depending on how the ballast is designed) and losses in cabling which will also be marginal. Likewise it shouldn't matter either in terms of metering/costs unless there's a major design flaw in how houses are metered in the US. So it really doesn't matter if you run these on 220 or 115 if you have the choice; the end result will be the same in every respect.
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Heruuka
member


Registered: 10/15/99
Posts: 333
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Re: HID Ballast Troubleshoot [Re: koraks] 1
#26495778 - 02/20/20 06:14 PM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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Can we see a picture of the ballast? is it a "bare bones" kit with all the parts everywhere or is it a digital ballast?
The voltage likely needs to be "selected" by either shorting something (look for a switch like on the back of a PC power supply) or by having a separate tap in the transformer for 220v operation. Sealed digital ballasts should auto-detect the voltage coming in and manage it without issue.
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