# Confused again!!!!



## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

chazdo2 said:


> After info from this site and a little GE internet search I found this. My lights have a S 51 ballast. Each bulb in the 6 lights that work are a GE Multivapor MVR 400/U/ED28R and the bulb package has M 59 ballast on it. Do I assume these bulbs can work in these lights or somebody put the wrong bulbs in all of them? Some of the lights dont work and the bulbs look good.
> I resistance checked a few of the lights that dont work ballast taps. Some are multiple voltage fixtures. Each of the resistance checks goes from 1 to around 4 ohms. I assume the difference is the 480, 270, 220 or 120 volt hookups. I was hopeing for an open circuit in one of them. Am I to assume the ballast is good? Maybe the bulb is bad? The starter board? How would I check that? Oh and thanks for all the help so far. And no I am too cheap to put better lighting in. These lights suit my minimul usage just fine plus they were all free!!!


S51 is a High Pressure sodium ballast , Those are an orange/yellow in color when fully warmed up.

If you want white light then you'll need to change the ballast to match the lamps,------So M59 is a metal halide lamp 400 Watt.

S51 is a 400 watt High Pressure Sodium lamp.


M59 is the ANSI rating for the ballast and lamp,and they must always match, otherwise you will destroy the lamps and ballasts.

So the ANSI rating must always match.

If you are going to change the ballasts change the whole thing.


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## retiredsparktech (Mar 8, 2011)

HARRY304E said:


> S51 is a High Pressure sodium ballast , Those are an orange/yellow in color when fully warmed up.
> 
> If you want white light then you'll need to change the ballast to match the lamps,------So M59 is a metal halide lamp 400 Watt.
> 
> ...


Way back when, our fixtures failed, we just changed out the entire fixture.
It was cheaper than buying a replacement ballast pack and new lamp. 
They were real reasonably priced from Ruud lighting of Racine, Wi.
I don't think anyone liked HPS lighting, for plant lighting.
The next phase was metal halide. They were a little better.
Next, was back to fluorescent and now, LED.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

retiredsparktech said:


> Way back when, our fixtures failed, we just changed out the entire fixture.
> It was cheaper than buying a replacement ballast pack and new lamp.
> They were real reasonably priced from Ruud lighting of Racine, Wi.
> I don't think anyone liked HPS lighting, for plant lighting.
> ...


Let's hope those LEDs don't last too long...:whistling2::laughing:


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## Awg-Dawg (Jan 23, 2007)

Check this site out, It might have some info you could use.


http://www.kolmart.com/HID-ANSI-Code-Guide_b_3.html


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## btharmy (Jan 17, 2009)

You can stick metal halide lamps in those fixtures and they will work. If they burn out just pick up some more on craigslist. You can probably get as many as you want free from a local contractor doing lighting retrofits. I know you can get unlimited lamps. No one wants to dispose of those things.


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

chazdo2 said:


> After info from this site and a little GE internet search I found this. My lights have a S 51 ballast. Each bulb in the 6 lights that work are a GE Multivapor MVR 400/U/ED28R and the bulb package has M 59 ballast on it. Do I assume these bulbs can work in these lights or somebody put the wrong bulbs in all of them? Some of the lights dont work and the bulbs look good.
> I resistance checked a few of the lights that dont work ballast taps. Some are multiple voltage fixtures. Each of the resistance checks goes from 1 to around 4 ohms. I assume the difference is the 480, 270, 220 or 120 volt hookups. I was hopeing for an open circuit in one of them. Am I to assume the ballast is good? Maybe the bulb is bad? The starter board? How would I check that? Oh and thanks for all the help so far. And no I am too cheap to put better lighting in. These lights suit my minimul usage just fine plus they were all free!!!


Contact your supply house and give them the number of the fixture and they will tell you what you need. And to answer your question the present lamps could be different than the manufacturer suggests. Sometimes the lamps light for a while and sometimes they explode. Get the right information.


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