175Watt Mh :(

[SmileyFace1995]

i bought a 175watt MH ; ballast,bulb for $70 from a LPS they were selling it because they're employee's didnt know how to deal with it, caught the floor on fire once, broke too many bulbs, broke a peice of it,,, etc... and they said it was working last time they used it, but no warantee, so we take it home and it just smokes up a little bit, im only 14 and kno nothing about wiring, and my lazy brother wont fix it for me im bumbed....

 

[Ed Hahn]

That ballast looks like a hamilton ballast to me.

Here are my questions.

Is the smoke coming from ballast or socket?

If it is coming from the socket it may have some material making contact on the inside of socket or mogul.

If it is coming from the bulb. I am thinking you may have touched the bulb with your hand and contaminated it.

Here is what I would do if it were me. Now that you have it unplugged. Remove bulb. Get a pair of clean cotton gloves, surgical gloves, or a dry clean cloth. Get some rubbing alcohol. Clean bulb with rubbing alcohol. I want you to put on gloves and clean bulb the best you can. After cleaning it, put it in a clean dry area. Remember always to use gloves when touching bulb. Oil from your skin will cause bulb to crack outer UV shield because of uneven temperatures. After cleaning bulb then inspect the socket or Mogul as we call them. You want to make sure the tangs or metal contact points are clean with no debree inside socket to interfere. You can clean with cloth and alcohol again. Also inspect the outer shell of socket for cracks, loose wires, wires touching each other, cuts or frays in wiring. If wiring is all intact, no frays or cuts, everything clean. Inspect the plug to your ballast. Make sure it is clean. Saltwater is highly conductive and can easily short out a three pronged plug. You can clean this with alcohol also. If all is clean with no frays or cuts. I would put bulb back into socket with gloves or dry clean cloth, again no bare hands on bulb and tighten. Make sure all connections are tight and convered. Then plug in again and Check for smoke again.

Those are the steps I would take. I wish it were here in front of me to do a more thorough inspection. Good luck! Ed

 

[SmileyFace1995]

it came from the socket. the top of it where it was wired... my brother said the wiring is bad... and might rewire it, the ballast works perfectly fine, its just rusted on the outside,

 

[SmileyFace1995]

Okay well i finally found the same fixture
http://www.marinedepot.com/lighting_metal_halide_hamilton_reefsun_bell_pendants-ap.html
i just really have nothing that i need to do with this, and would kind of like it gone, i paid $100 for it so im trying to get $100 for it comes with brand new bulb, needs repairs, the ballast worked when we first bought, havent touched since, only had for about 1 1/2 month now. all you have to do is require it, and maybe buy a reflecter & mogul = about $35 = $135 which isnt bad for a brand new light bulb and ballast i know isnt best peice of work, but still. just sand down the outside rust on ballast, and shud be good to go.

 

[SmileyFace1995]

please anyone?