Lighting ? - Lumatek Ballast

[JMacIII]

I recently obtained 2 250-400 watt Lumatek Dimmable Ballast. I am replacing a PFO Dual 400 watt Ballast. I am using 10k XM bulbs.

I tested a ballast with an extra socket and a Artemis 250 watt 20k bulb, the ballast worked.

I hooked up the ballast to my system, and the bulb glowed dimmly for about 5 seconds then nothing. The reset pop outs did not pop out on the ballast.

Can I not use XM bulbs with Lumatek ballasts? Are sockets not universal for metal halides? Did I now ruin my ballasts?

Thanks for any help.

 

[07FocusST]

need to know the specs on what type of bulb (wattage)... a picture of the setup will help too. I used 2x Lumatek dimmable/switchable 250w/400w ballasts 2 XM 250w 14k bulbs no problem. Might want to check the wiring from the ballast to the fixture. I kow there is a lead(+) and return (-) and a ground (usually green).. make sure that your ground is connected to a metal part of the fixture somehow. Also make sure your electrical socket is not the cause of the problem. You should test the ballast and light in another electrical socket in your area to confirm... might need to test in a couple spots for verification. Good Luck!

 

[user 26995]

There shouldnt be any reason why you couldnt use a specific bulb. As long as its the correct wattage. And yeah, I had to rewire my unit with the new wiring. Like 07FocusST said, make sure its wired up right. That bulb could have been bad too.
I had a lumitek ballast do that about a month after I wired it up and they replaced it for free. No questions asked. I just had another one go out on me last week. I have had it for two years though. Dont think they will replace that one. The resets didnt work on it either. I would think they should last longer than that though.

 

[senji]

sounds like u have ballast for sodium bulbs?

 

[user 26995]

It should work for either MH or SL bulbs. Was it set on the correct setting for the bulb type? I would think that it would do that if you had a 400w bulb and only set it on 250w I dont have this particular ballast. Or vice versa. Not sure how they actually work.

 

[senji]

depends on the ballast lumatech makes all kinds. mh only hps only and swichable. guess we need more info on the ballast. digital or magnetic, 110-240, or you could give model number. i run lumatech on my gardens great top of the line ballast imo the best on the market. ive had 6 400w for 5 years and 10 1000w for 3 years no problems. i run all hortilux bulbs. and no a hps ballast wont fire a mh bulb. different frequencies. but if the ballast is switchable it will auto detect typ of bulb.

 

[JMacIII]

The ballasts are LK400s, they are both MH & HPS and both 120volt or 240volt. I am having one hell of time figuring this out. My setup works and has been working fine with my PFO 400 watt dual ballast. I just wanted to upgrade to better quality ballasts. In does not make sense when I switched bulbs and turned the setting to 400watt it did not work. And now will not work at all. The wiring is fine because the PFO works fine.

On the ballast that quick working due to being hooked up to my setup, I got it to flicker a little bit on the 250 bulb and setting then nothing. It's simple electricity, it doesn't make sense it is so finicky.