Replacment ballast?

karsseboom · 03/28/2011, 11:41 PM

The time has come and my hamilton ballast is needing to be replaced. I have a thought that rather then buying the whole ballast casing with wires i could just buy the guts, open the casing and rewire the ballast inside. hamilton sells the ballast itself or the whole ballast and casing with wires, but would it be safe to try to DIY it myself? I was also thinking of buying 250 watt ballast to replace my 175 then buy new bulbs and use the original sockets. Has anyone done this or do most people just buy the whole ballast?

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alton · 03/29/2011, 05:16 AM

If hamilton are magnetic/probe start ballast then go for it. Remember you have to match your ballast to your lamps. Example Radium, Reeflux, and several others are pulse start and require a pulse start or electronic ballast. XM and a few others are probe start and match up well with magnetic/probe start ballast. Also electronic ballast either work or don't, magnetic ballast start losing there efficiency the day you plug them in. Remember heat is wasted energy.

karsseboom · 03/29/2011, 02:30 PM

Well I just called hamilton and they said it would not be wise to try and rewire the ballast my self unless I was a electrician? That I may cause a fire? What do you think about this?

03/28/2011, 11:41 PM	#1
karsseboom Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 2,183	Replacment ballast? The time has come and my hamilton ballast is needing to be replaced. I have a thought that rather then buying the whole ballast casing with wires i could just buy the guts, open the casing and rewire the ballast inside. hamilton sells the ballast itself or the whole ballast and casing with wires, but would it be safe to try to DIY it myself? I was also thinking of buying 250 watt ballast to replace my 175 then buy new bulbs and use the original sockets. Has anyone done this or do most people just buy the whole ballast? this? or this?

03/29/2011, 05:16 AM	#2
alton Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Zuehl, Texas Posts: 4,460	If hamilton are magnetic/probe start ballast then go for it. Remember you have to match your ballast to your lamps. Example Radium, Reeflux, and several others are pulse start and require a pulse start or electronic ballast. XM and a few others are probe start and match up well with magnetic/probe start ballast. Also electronic ballast either work or don't, magnetic ballast start losing there efficiency the day you plug them in. Remember heat is wasted energy.

03/29/2011, 02:30 PM	#3
karsseboom Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 2,183	Well I just called hamilton and they said it would not be wise to try and rewire the ballast my self unless I was a electrician? That I may cause a fire? What do you think about this?