400w MH Ballast Wire Extension

olonmv · Sep 8, 2022

JCOLE said:
I am using the 400w Radiums. They spec the M135 ballast for this bulb for proper operation. What electronic ballast will meet proper spec for the 400w? I love the color and really don't want it any bluer. If anything, it could be whiter.

Just match the wattage and lamp type ie MH(metal halide) HPS(high pressure sodium) etc etc etc to the ballast.

oreo54 · Sep 8, 2022

olonmv said:
I couldn’t see why 12’ would be an issue. Problems occur in long runs of 100’+ realm and usually it’s a voltage drop issue which upsizing wire gauge fixes.

12' isn't the issue. It is extending it beyond 12'.
Maybe extending it 3 more feet isn't an issue. Pretty sure extending it 100' would be...or 50..
For non-igniter ballasts yep wire size determines distance..
There seem to be plenty of gotcha here

For most of
these ballast/ignitor combinations, the maximum
ballast-to-lamp distance is listed as 2 feet. For
ballast-to-lamp distances greater than the capability
of the standard ignitor, a long-range ignitor
is required.
Use the tables on the following pages to find the
proper long range ignitor for various metal halide
and high pressure sodium ballasts. Not all ballasts
listed in the Atlas have long-range ignitor options.
It may be necessary to use a ballast employing a
different circuit to achieve the needed ballast-to-
lamp distance.
Whichever ignitor is used, it must be installed
with and adjacent to the core & coil, as the two
components work together to deliver the proper pulse
to the lamp. When remote mounting the ballast away
from the lamp, the ignitor must be located next to
the ballast and not next to the remote lamp in order
to utilize the full ballast to lamp distance range. If the
ignitor is located next to the remote lamp, the usable
ballast to lamp remote mounting distance will be
cut in half.

PaulErik · Sep 8, 2022

The voltage drop after starting the lamp isn’t the problem but the problem is the starting ignition pulse with pulse start ballasts. Cable capacitance (wire length and type) greatly influences the peak starting voltage and pulse timing.

With a magnetic pulse start ballast you can use a higher peak voltage ignitor with the appropriate ballast or use a remote ignitor (superimposed type) that is housed near the light fixture to allow longer distances.

Electronic ballasts vary but some can go longer distances up to 50’.

mtraylor · Sep 8, 2022

The lumatek will fire the 400w radium all day no issues. I used that combo for years

olonmv · Sep 8, 2022

oreo5457 said:
12' isn't the issue. It is extending it beyond 12'.
Maybe extending it 3 more feet isn't an issue. Pretty sure extending it 100' would be...or 50..
For non-igniter ballasts yep wire size determines distance..
There seem to be plenty of gotcha here

I’ve installed remote located ballasts and have repaired remote located ballasts in excess of 25’. It’s no biggie unless you’re remote locating vast distances. It’s the resistance a wire has that limits the distance. As long as you correct for the resistance, upsizing wire, you’ll be ok. Or you can always go the electronic route. I thought op already had lamps and ballasts.

Hydro Crunch 400-Watt Digital Dimmable Ballast 120/240-Volt for Grow Lights C02A011050 - The Home Depot

Hydro Crunch 400-Watt Dimmable Digital Ballast features high power factor, high luminous efficiency, adjustable wattage output, and convertibility between HPS and MH light bulbs for vegetative growth to flowering stages. Run your hydroponic grow lights brighter with this ballast as it supports...

www.homedepot.com

The Farmer · Sep 8, 2022

With the technology today the ballast can handle longer distances. https://www.bghydro.com/reflector-to-ballast-extension-cords-10-to-25-long.html

Enderg60 · Sep 8, 2022

I used a 75 foot 12g extension cord to connect the halides over my display to the ballasts in the basement. Wife hates noise and I use old magnetic ballasts and its working just fine. I forget where but I found a wire size to length chart for halides.

Im using the M135 ballasts and Radium 20k 400w BTW.

Extend away, just make sure you use thick enough wire. The longer you go the thicker it needs to be, and most stock extensions will only be 14-16 ga and I think over 40' it needs to be 12ga.

alton · Sep 8, 2022

M135 is for pulse start lamps, M59 probe start. Electronic ballast are for pulse start lamps. Hopefully you know some one who has a amp probe that can check how many amps your ballast are drawing, the older a mag ballast gets, the more energy they use. Also would not hurt to check with a PAR meter to see if your 400w lamps are putting out enough PAR as they were when new?

oreo54 · Sep 8, 2022

olonmv said:
I’ve installed remote located ballasts and have repaired remote located ballasts in excess of 25’. It’s no biggie unless you’re remote locating vast distances. It’s the resistance a wire has that limits the distance. As long as you correct for the resistance, upsizing wire, you’ll be ok. Or you can always go the electronic route. I thought op already had lamps and ballasts.

Hydro Crunch 400-Watt Digital Dimmable Ballast 120/240-Volt for Grow Lights C02A011050 - The Home Depot

Hydro Crunch 400-Watt Dimmable Digital Ballast features high power factor, high luminous efficiency, adjustable wattage output, and convertibility between HPS and MH light bulbs for vegetative growth to flowering stages. Run your hydroponic grow lights brighter with this ballast as it supports...

www.homedepot.com

There are plenty of "things" that can be done contrary to manufactures specifications, and can be successful so I certainly don't doubt your experience. Thing is... "I'm" not going to go out of those boundaries.

Every ballast type has it's own specs as well. Electronic and non-igniter analog ballasts have different outputs.
Thus different characteristics at the bulb.

Also I do admit that most of the time electric and wiring "limitations" are very conservative so going beyond that boundary could be "OK".

I stand by it should be Hamilton or the maker of the ballast (not the assembler) should have a say.
Granted it will be a conservative answer so as to not incur liability from the advice. Note.. liability (financial or otherwise).

Personally considering the noise and the "hassle" of the decision, switching ballast types (without the real or imagined) limitations is what I'd do.. Or switch to LED.. LOL just kidding let it lie.
If bluer go w/ a different bulb. None are miracle cures just mostly looks.

Pulse start ballasts just seem to be a pia and no wonder they are going extinct. Not to mention costs. Copper over Silicon.

M59 ballasts are/were recommended for Radium bulbs. No long distance worries but wire guage.

Can't vouch for the color...
I assume with the new electronic variable output ballasts one can change the look a bit..

Spectral Analysis of MH Lamps:

See spectrograph of Radium.. One thing, old test, no guarantee the current bulb will behave the same way.
nor current ballasts.

Color comparison?

400 watt Radium 20K and ballast

What is the best ballast to run a 400 watt Radium 20K? IceCap electronic ballast, PFO Magnetic Pulse Start or PFO Magnetic HQI? On Marine Depot it says the Radium burns more white on the HQI than it does on the Pulse Start. Also how often do the Radium bulbs need to be replaced?

www.reef2reef.com

Electronic ballasts run them bluer. The HQI ballasts will run them whiter. They overdrive the bulb. That's why you get more par a whiter color and more heat. If you run them on electronics you can change them out every 10-12 months. If you run HQI every 6 months.

Trust jda

Ballast recommendation for 400w Mh radium?

Like the title says, recommendations for 400w ballast to run radium lamps. I had 3 lumatek electronic ballasts.. but none of the three will fire my lamps, so now I’m in the market for new ballasts. Thanks!

www.reef2reef.com