250 MH HQI ballast replace w/ Icecap

[Moe_K]

My old magnetic ballast is not firing one of my MH lights right now. It's a 25o watt MH HQI set up with lamp above tank and ballast under tank.
I replaced the bulb, no remedy.

I have an Icecap 250 watt MH ballast sitting around, never been used.

How easy will it be to replace the old magnetic ballst w/ the Icecap ballst?
I see that I'll have to do some re-wiring. The old set up had a fancy plug arrangement that I'll need to snip and tie in the Icecap.
Any problems to watch out for as I go?

 

[JohnK]

It should be very easy. 3 wires, splice them together.

The problem will be that the older ice cap won't drive the bulb the same as the existing magnetic ballast so you'll end up with one blulb looking brighter (and possibly the color looking different as well).

If it were me, I'd try opening up the magnetic ballast to see if either the igniter or capacitor are obviously fried. If either is, you can look up part numbers and order a replacement.

 

[Moe_K]

Odd situation here. My magnetic ballast obviously powers up, but it doesn't light the lamp.
I checked the connections, all are good.
Any advice? Igniter replacement?

 

[JohnK]

How do you know it powers up? Humm?

If either the capacitor or igniter (if it has one, it should if it's an "HQI" ballast) is bad the coil can/will still seem to power up but the lamp won't fire. Usually if either is bad it will be pretty obvious from looking at it (swollen, cracked or melted). If there is nothing obviously wrong then all that's left is to double check the connections and contacts in the socket. If the light hadn't been in use for a while I would take a real good look at the contacts in the socket, sometimes you need to bend the little tab up closer to the bulb to get a good contact.

If none of that helps, then you're probably stuck replacing it. FWIW last I looked hellolights had mechanical HQI 250w ballasts for well under $100.

 

[Moe_K]

I know the ballst powers up because the power indicator light goes on, and more importantly, I can hear it.

Ballast isn't swollen or cracked or anything. Looks good.

 

[JohnK]

Have you opened the metal enclosure up so you can see the cap and ignitor?

See post #8 for the internal components
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1772583

 

[Moe_K]

I'm retro-fitting the Ice Cap now.

Three wires go into the Ice Cap ballast, all standard. Black, white, and green. Matching wires on the ballast's input side. So far, so good.

Output side has two powder blue wires only. I'm thinking I can pick one to match to black in the cord to the lamp, and one to match with white. Does it matter which? Must not or they would have colored them differently, right?

And the green ground from the lamp looks like it gets attached to the ballast housing.

Will this work?
Am I going to fry the DE 250 lamp?

Checking before I complete the wiring and fire it up.

 

[JohnK]

Sounds right to me

 

[dz6t]

The two-wire output from the ballast can be connected to either black or white wire of the socket, it doesn't matter which.

 

[Moe_K]

OK, here goes.

 

[Moe_K]

And we have light!!
Thanks guys!
Now I have to clean up.

 

[dz6t]

Did I just see a mushroom cloud arising from Hudson?

 

[Moe_K]

That's it, Dong. You just made my list.