I've got an older Hamilton Belize Sun fixture, with M80 ballasts that I've used for a number of years.
Today I started installing my new Apex, and upon plugging in my mh lights, had quite a surprise. The power draw on one was just over 600 watt/7.7a, and the other was over 500w/6.5a. This is not startup, the lights have been running for hours.
I'm guessing that the ballasts are just bad, but it's been in continuous use for years, with no problems firing bulbs. The bulbs themselves are year old 14k pheonix bulbs that despite the power draw have no visible burn spots on the inner bulb. Tried another set of bulbs with no change.
The one ballast did trip the breaker on my old Reefkeeper outlet, but after I moved it, all seemed well. So the problem has probably been going for a while
Any thoughts? The ballasts shot? Any good eballasts that will drive hqi bulbs?
Today I started installing my new Apex, and upon plugging in my mh lights, had quite a surprise. The power draw on one was just over 600 watt/7.7a, and the other was over 500w/6.5a. This is not startup, the lights have been running for hours.
I'm guessing that the ballasts are just bad, but it's been in continuous use for years, with no problems firing bulbs. The bulbs themselves are year old 14k pheonix bulbs that despite the power draw have no visible burn spots on the inner bulb. Tried another set of bulbs with no change.
The one ballast did trip the breaker on my old Reefkeeper outlet, but after I moved it, all seemed well. So the problem has probably been going for a while
Any thoughts? The ballasts shot? Any good eballasts that will drive hqi bulbs?