Indoor Two HPS bulbs are not firing - can we run MH for flowering Auto's?

[JohnnyScience]

It's weird, we have a 2 bulb setup, the MH bulbs fire no problem.

Neither of the HPS bulbs are firing. If it were just 1 I wouldn't think much about it, but to have both HPS bulbs not firing is really weird.

The bulbs have only been used for a couple of months & should be firing with no issue as they have never been dropped.

I took a picture of the one bulb, they both have the black ring around the base, is that normal? Or is that why our bulbs aren't firing?

View attachment 130385

I know MH is for growing & HPS is for flowering usually, but Auto's are obviously a bit different.

Will we notice a huge reduction in yield if we just kept the MH bulbs in till the end instead of buying 2 new HPS bulbs (which we don't want to & are pissed our original bulbs aren't working but if it will affect yield greatly by not flowing with HPS then we will buy new bulbs)

 

[greenthumper]

I don't see it impacting your yield. Some prefer to run MH all the way through an auto grow

 

[Truu]

For both of your lights not to work at the same time it's probably not going to be a bulb. Even more so if they are fairly new bulbs. Might want to check out the electrical.

I've read mh works just as good for autos.

 

[JohnnyScience]

For both of your lights not to work at the same time it's probably not going to be a bulb. Even more so if they are fairly new bulbs. Might want to check out the electrical.

I've read mh works just as good for autos.

Yeah I think it's weird as hell that neither HPS are firing up, but we put the MH in the same fixtures & they fire up instantly with no problems?

Both bulbs have that black ring in the first pic so I'm wondering if they could have burnt out, but that doesn't make any sense since they were working perfectly before we put them away.

So no decrease in yield whatsoever in using just MH?

What about quality?

There must be a reason why people switch to HPS during flowering, but I know that auto's are weird.

 

[Truu]

Hps produces buds that are more dense, IMO anyways.

That's weird that 2 bulbs go out at the same time. Either way the seller should replace.

 

[Muddy]

Is your ballast capable of supporting both MH and HPS bulbs?

 

[JohnnyScience]

Yes it was a kit that came with both bulbs & fired both bulbs fine just 2 months ago.

Are some ballasts only capable of firing one or the other?

So it that dark ring around the base that's on both of them normal?

 

[emerica]

Hey man, two bulbs going out is pretty weird. How long are you letting the bulbs heat up for? Are you completely unplugging the ballast from the wall (not just from the light) before you try to turn on the HPS?

Try this:

1. Unplug everything (ballast from wall, ballast to light)
2. Reinstall HPS
3. Re-plug the ballast to the light,
4. Re-plug the ballast to the wall/timer.
5. Wait 5 mins.

I've noticed my light doing some weird things when I don't follow this routine. My roommate's light is the same way, and we both have kits.

 

[Truu]

Johnny the black ring around the base is normal. Both of mine have it, and if you notice when you purchase them they already have a black ring.

 

[JohnnyScience]

Hey man, two bulbs going out is pretty weird. How long are you letting the bulbs heat up for? Are you completely unplugging the ballast from the wall (not just from the light) before you try to turn on the HPS?

Try this:

1. Unplug everything (ballast from wall, ballast to light)
2. Reinstall HPS
3. Re-plug the ballast to the light,
4. Re-plug the ballast to the wall/timer.
5. Wait 5 mins.

I've noticed my light doing some weird things when I don't follow this routine. My roommate's light is the same way, and we both have kits.

We'll it's not the bulbs. I took them both up to the LGS today & they both fired right away.

So it must be with both ballasts, which is even weirder.

So the guy at the LGS said the HPS "channel" (that's what I'm calling it) is bad.

I asked him how the MH still fires no problem & he said the MH & HPS run on 2 different "channels/frequencies" (again my terminalogy)

He said I must have gotten 2 ballasts that were made back to back & it was a bad day at the warehouse that day in china when they were building them lol

I'm so pissed, they are barely 6 months old. They are a sunleaves ballast so I'm going to see if there is a warranty.

We unpluged the ballast from the socket & unscrewed the light bulb a dozen times. The only things we didn't unplug was the ballast to the power/timer because it is hard wired into the industrial timer (which is what also feeds it power)

I'm pissed to say the least!