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DIY 70w MH with WPI ballast problems


bp_968

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I have a WPI ballast with a regent 70w MH setup and a Ushio 70w 10k bulb. Looks great but I can't get it to run without a fan blowing on the setup. Before I moved I had a large desk fan pointed at it (the ballast) but now I can't mount it anywhere so I mounted a 80mm case fan next to the ballast but no luck. After an hour or two it starts to flicker, then goes out. Is this the bulb overheating or the ballast? if its the ballast what options do I have? What would be a good but cheap replacement ballast?

 

Ben

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ya, i searched ebay first thing, no luck. then searched google and yahoo. found the company just fine, just no one that sells them.. Ill watch ebay.

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well mine works great now. Just an FYI make sure your socket is not dimmer controlled. All of my equipment on the tank was going haywire so I tried another outlet across the room and it works flawlessly now. I think the problem is "dirty" power. Probably the dimmer circuit causing it.

 

bp

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BP,

 

When you were having this problem did you notice the ballast started humming at a different pitch and then start getting really hot........this is what mine has started doing all of the sudden after working flawlessly for 2 weeks. I am going to shorten the wires from ballast to bulb and see if that does anything.

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No, it would just run fine for a while, running warm but not hot. Then after a while it would start to flicker. What tipped me off is i put my old hood back on (with the 19w curlys) and each one of them has its own ballast, but they ALL flickered. Sure fire wiring/power problem.

 

Bp

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