Help me identify my magnetic ballasts!

[Craig Manoukian]

I have Hamilton Dual 175 Watt Metal Halide Ballasts.

I have no idea what kind because there is no labeling on the metal ballast housing. I believe they are magnetic because the housing is fairly big and really heavy.

The Hamilton tech I called seemed to think they are magnetic but said I needed to take the housing cover off and read the ballast label to determine whether it is a pulse or probe start, not that I know what those terms mean.

The challenge is I had two Ushio 175w 10,000k bulbs I bought in July of 2003 burn out recently. The hellolights guy said that if they weren't compatible with the magnetic ballasts and the starter, probe or pulse, they could burn out prematurely.

I need to order the right bulbs. Is there any way to tell from the sound when they start to differentiate beween probe or pulse start? TIA for your help!

[Craig Manoukian]

Bump. Help with any information would be much appreciated!

[NUGIO]

Hope this helps Craig
Probe Start
A traditional or probe start metal halide lamp has an internal starting electrode or probe. A high open circuit voltage from the ballast initiates an arc between the two starting electrodes at one end of the arc tube. *Once the lamp reaches full output, a bi-metal switch closes to short out the probe and discontinues the staring arc.
*
Pulse Start
A pulse start lamp has an improved arc tube design and an increased fill pressure. An ignitor in the pulse start system delivers a high voltage pulse directly across the lamp’s operating electrodes to start the lamp, eliminating the probe and bi-metal switch needed in probe start lamps.

[Craig Manoukian]

When the ballast starts it sounds more like the description, thank you, of the pulse start. My question would be is there a discernable difference in sound between the two?

[Iceman30]

If you open your ballast and there is a coil, the large black thing with lots of wires coming from it, and 1 repeat 1 round usually grey capactor, then it is a probe start ballast

If you open it and it has the coil and 2 repeat 2 grey, round objects with wires coming from them it is a pulse start.

I have a feeling that it is a probe start and you need to stick to US or Europe bulbs...the german namly USHIO, have to be on pulse start ballast, meaning the bulb does not fire up itself and firing one off a probe start, or normal ballast WILL shorten the life of the bulb.

Since you have a dual ballast, there will be 2 coils and 2 capactors for probe or 2 coils, 2 capactors and 2 starters for pulse..

check out this thread about ballasts, may help some..long read though.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...hreadid=201570

HOPE I COULD HELP SOME

[Craig Manoukian]

Thanks, you da man on this one Iceman30!