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- #81
KJ's T5/CFL 1st Time Grow
- Thread starter KarlJay
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- #82
I plugged the ballast into the power strip again and this time I got some smoke and it popped the ballast's breaker again.
It's hard to imagine they would send out two for two bad ballasts, but that's the only thing I can think of.
It worked when I 1st plugged it in, then when I hooked up the bulb/hood it blew.
Now, without the bulb/hood connected, it blows...
This sucks!
Edit: now ballast just pops the breaker without the bulb connected, so it seemed to be working until I unplugged it, attached the bulb, then plugged it back in.
Can anyone think of anything that I'm doing wrong?
I did notice the cool tube says 400W, but I really can't see how that would make a difference.
I wonder if the 600W bulb screws into the 400W socket, but connects different somehow. It looks pretty simple.
It's hard to imagine they would send out two for two bad ballasts, but that's the only thing I can think of.
It worked when I 1st plugged it in, then when I hooked up the bulb/hood it blew.
Now, without the bulb/hood connected, it blows...
This sucks!
Edit: now ballast just pops the breaker without the bulb connected, so it seemed to be working until I unplugged it, attached the bulb, then plugged it back in.
Can anyone think of anything that I'm doing wrong?
I did notice the cool tube says 400W, but I really can't see how that would make a difference.
I wonder if the 600W bulb screws into the 400W socket, but connects different somehow. It looks pretty simple.
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- #83
Confederation
New Member
hey karljay, I'm new here checkin around and I like your grow! i'd tie them plants to bend them sideways so you don't get them 8 foot tall ones! Anyways, sounds like your ballast is wired at 220 to me.. Im not familiar with them new "amplifier" style ballasts or how they work. If I were you I'd take off that cover and make sure the 120v wire is hooked up to the capacitor and from there running to where your plug in is to be hooked up. double check all the wireing in there, make sure none are touching or exposed. I feel your pain..you probably were jumping up and down like a giddy school child when that arrived at your doorstep. Its the wiring tho I guarantee you that..also make sure you test it on a breaker that ain't maxed out. try in a separate room before plugging into your grow area..with all that ya got going there ya don't wana overload any breakers...And make sure when you get that light going that the fan to cool it is on same breaker. that light guna be like a toasty campfire!
Confederation
New Member
And yes, start the flower cycle! by the time you get that h.i.d. set up your plants prob wont be showing signs yet. Them plants woulda been in flowering weeks ago if it were my grow.
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- #86
The ballast doesn't have an external switch for 110/220, but it does ship with two cords. I only have 110 in that room, so that's the cord I went with. The instructions say just to use the correct power cord, so it has to be auto-detecting. I don't want to open the case, it says that'll void the warranty.
The Amazon seller has a high rating, so I find this strange that I'd have such a high failure rate. I just hope he covers everything and gets me setup. I wish there was a local shop that came close to matching the prices, I understand it's hard to match online prices at a retail store, but they need to be more in line.
Yea, I wanted to be in flower about a week before, but I was late in getting the lighting and timers together, then I built the clone closet and had to insure it was light tight because it's on the 18/6 light cycle.
I hope they don't reach 8' Although the house is in remodel, so I could have it poke up thru the ceiling if I had to
but that'd be a pain.
Do you think I should bend the tall ones at this point? They already have strong stems. I was told they would probably double during flowering, so that would make them about 60" (I hope).
The Amazon seller has a high rating, so I find this strange that I'd have such a high failure rate. I just hope he covers everything and gets me setup. I wish there was a local shop that came close to matching the prices, I understand it's hard to match online prices at a retail store, but they need to be more in line.
Yea, I wanted to be in flower about a week before, but I was late in getting the lighting and timers together, then I built the clone closet and had to insure it was light tight because it's on the 18/6 light cycle.
I hope they don't reach 8' Although the house is in remodel, so I could have it poke up thru the ceiling if I had to
but that'd be a pain.Do you think I should bend the tall ones at this point? They already have strong stems. I was told they would probably double during flowering, so that would make them about 60" (I hope).
Confederation
New Member
Well I never heard of an auto switch. I suppose there could be a relay in there that can sense the amount of voltage from your power cord..just seems wierd. maybe you can look online, or take it to an electric store for a diagnostic.. You can bend the plants some, ya the stalks being firm limit how far, or you could literally lay the whole plant down, being a bag holding the soil you could slice the side for watering...
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- #88
Well here's what I know: there are no switches on the outside except for the dimmer. The instructions say if you open it, the warranty is void. It doesn't have anything on it saying it is wired for either 110 or 220. In fact, the box says it comes with the 110 cord only.
I really don't know how the internals would work in terms of handling 110 vs 220, but IF they did ship it for 220 only they probably should have labeled it, esp if it would damage the ballast.
I was really concerned that I screwed it up because I personally rewired my whole house and I did have the feed/return switched on a few outlets and had to go back and fix those, but this outlet was correctly wired, so i really don't see where I could have screwed up.
They sell these things to people as a kit, so if they expect someone to do something special, it should be listed in the instructions.
I think I'm going to go to Home Depot and get some new CFLs. I don't know if it'll make a difference or not, but I just don't want to take any chances.
I'm kinda kicking myself for not ordering this two weeks ago.
I really don't know how the internals would work in terms of handling 110 vs 220, but IF they did ship it for 220 only they probably should have labeled it, esp if it would damage the ballast.
I was really concerned that I screwed it up because I personally rewired my whole house and I did have the feed/return switched on a few outlets and had to go back and fix those, but this outlet was correctly wired, so i really don't see where I could have screwed up.
They sell these things to people as a kit, so if they expect someone to do something special, it should be listed in the instructions.
I think I'm going to go to Home Depot and get some new CFLs. I don't know if it'll make a difference or not, but I just don't want to take any chances.
I'm kinda kicking myself for not ordering this two weeks ago.
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- #89
Update: As a stop-gap measure, I switched out 8 of the 100W CFLs for the 2700K light range ones. Now I have 14 100W and 2 300W in the flowering color range, so at least it's not nearly all veg color bulbs.
I really don't know if it'll make a difference or not, but it was only $20.
I hope Low Baller from Amazon will hurry up and send another ballast. I might take the ballast down and have someone else hook it up just to make sure I'm not doing something wrong, but the fact that they ship these things out as a set, and no special instructions, no switches, I just don't see how I can be screwing it up.
If someone can chime in on this subject... As far as I can tell, all these dimmable ballasts are pretty much the same, input cord, output cord, dimmer switch... not too much that could go wrong.
One last thought is that maybe in must be on it's own circuit, and this outlet box is shared with a few others, but I can't see how that would matter, either it's getting the amps or it's not.
Also, got the 18 oz red plastic cups for the clones. I'll have to build a shelf in the clone closet and setup a second light setup if I'm going to make a new batch of clones. At least the closet has enough space to work with. I tried to make the closet light tight, but the duct tape alone doesn't seem to completely do the job, so I'll need some alum tape.
I really don't know if it'll make a difference or not, but it was only $20.
I hope Low Baller from Amazon will hurry up and send another ballast. I might take the ballast down and have someone else hook it up just to make sure I'm not doing something wrong, but the fact that they ship these things out as a set, and no special instructions, no switches, I just don't see how I can be screwing it up.
If someone can chime in on this subject... As far as I can tell, all these dimmable ballasts are pretty much the same, input cord, output cord, dimmer switch... not too much that could go wrong.
One last thought is that maybe in must be on it's own circuit, and this outlet box is shared with a few others, but I can't see how that would matter, either it's getting the amps or it's not.
Also, got the 18 oz red plastic cups for the clones. I'll have to build a shelf in the clone closet and setup a second light setup if I'm going to make a new batch of clones. At least the closet has enough space to work with. I tried to make the closet light tight, but the duct tape alone doesn't seem to completely do the job, so I'll need some alum tape.
I gotta agree with ya Karl, everyone I know just plugs em in and goes, funny shit, I'm thinkin your new light aint gonna put out as much light as those bulbs you have running....LOLOLOL+ reps to you!
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- #91
That's one area that's still a bit confusing, right now I'm in the 100K lumens ballpark, but there issues like light penetration.
I haven't got a response back from Low Baller @ Amazon, but the business day hasn't started yet. It'll probably be Thursday before the next one comes in.
I wonder if I should take it to a local shop and have them test if before I hook it up. Hard to believe my luck would be this bad.
Take a look at par ratings, important shit with lights.
i would have it tested-- just for peace of mind, it really should be plug-n-play... even if we don't spend $ on quality branding,
&... @ least Lowballer looks to 2B working with ya on the ish...
BIGBADBAZ
New Member
Hey all the best with your grow matey iv,e just read upto here and will stick around for
the finish! As alwayz nuff respect......
the finish! As alwayz nuff respect......
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- #95
i would have it tested-- just for peace of mind, it really should be plug-n-play... even if we don't spend $ on quality branding,
Yea, he's been good so far, I just hope it'll hold up till I get a working system. If I had to pay for shipping on 2 defective units, it would pretty much kill off any 'deal' on the price.
I've seen Lumatek on Amazon for about $40 more, and shipping these things a few times would probably cover that.
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- #96
Yea, that's one of the reasons I went with the HPS/MH... I feel that at this point I'm running more on dumb luck than anything else. I'm happy that things are growing as well as they are, but I don't want to press my luck
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- #97
Hey all the best with your grow matey iv,e just read upto here and will stick around for
the finish! As alwayz nuff respect......
Welcome Aboard! Let's hope for the best for me the NOOB
Hope that I can fumble my way to the goal line.
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- #98
Update: got the clones into soil, looks like it might be just in time, I noticed 1 leaf dead. One had to be killed because it was damaged by the light falling on it when I was moving the closet.
The roots look awesome, the mix is about 50/50 Mr NiceGuy / OG Rascal.
They fit on the tray and will fit back into the closet, so once I build a shelf, I'll be able to start new clones and maintain these clones for a while.
I can see now that having two different light cycles in one room is going to be a hassle.
Update on the HPS light ballast. 2 emails sent to Low Baller @ Amazon, and no response yet. I was hoping one would be sent out today, so we'll see.
The cups are 18oz with FFOF soil. I hope the FFOF isn't too strong for these, the 1st rounds of clones did fine in this so I hope these'll be fine.
Sorry for the blurry pics, it's my other camera and I guess it doesn't focus well. I'll post up some good pics of the other plants soon, but that are looking good.
This is the other plants and they are crowded in there, that's why I really need the hanging HPS light, so I can get the CFLs out of there and off to the side.
The roots look awesome, the mix is about 50/50 Mr NiceGuy / OG Rascal.
They fit on the tray and will fit back into the closet, so once I build a shelf, I'll be able to start new clones and maintain these clones for a while.
I can see now that having two different light cycles in one room is going to be a hassle.
Update on the HPS light ballast. 2 emails sent to Low Baller @ Amazon, and no response yet. I was hoping one would be sent out today, so we'll see.
The cups are 18oz with FFOF soil. I hope the FFOF isn't too strong for these, the 1st rounds of clones did fine in this so I hope these'll be fine.
Sorry for the blurry pics, it's my other camera and I guess it doesn't focus well. I'll post up some good pics of the other plants soon, but that are looking good.
This is the other plants and they are crowded in there, that's why I really need the hanging HPS light, so I can get the CFLs out of there and off to the side.
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- #99
Ok, I had the macro setting wrong ... here's a few more pics...
Here's the 24 clones:
I'd like to cut more from the flowering plants, but until I get a shelf built, it just can't happen.
It's going to be a bit tight to get a shelf in there and have good access to both new clones and 'teen' clones. Maybe I'll get some 2' fluros for both the top and bottom areas.
If the teen clones are ready to leave the closet after I harvest the current flowering plants, I should be fine. Otherwise, I could made the shelves adjustable or rework the closet to make it taller. Maybe even a second closet just for teens.
... here's a few more pics...Here's the 24 clones:
I'd like to cut more from the flowering plants, but until I get a shelf built, it just can't happen.
It's going to be a bit tight to get a shelf in there and have good access to both new clones and 'teen' clones. Maybe I'll get some 2' fluros for both the top and bottom areas.
If the teen clones are ready to leave the closet after I harvest the current flowering plants, I should be fine. Otherwise, I could made the shelves adjustable or rework the closet to make it taller. Maybe even a second closet just for teens.
Things are lookin good kj, how long were your cuts in the cloner?