So I've got incoming mains splitting (forking) off into 3 light fittings. They are HID metal halide lamps. The middle one (thats not working) is 70W, and the other 2 are 150W. I've replaced the control gear and bulb. It still just flickers blue and doesnt actaully start. It also buzzes at the fitting. The other 2 lights work fine. What am I missing?
 
So I've got incoming mains splitting (forking) off into 3 light fittings. They are HID metal halide lamps. The middle one (thats not working) is 70W, and the other 2 are 150W. I've replaced the control gear and bulb. It still just flickers blue and doesnt actaully start. It also buzzes at the fitting. The other 2 lights work fine. What am I missing?
What if anything, led you to believe the conytol gear was faulty?
'
 
Only 3 items, lamp, ballast and ignitor. Make sure that they are all compatible, i.e. ballast and lamp are same wattage, if lamp has internal ignitor then you dont have an external one and if there is an external ignitor then the lamp must not have an internal ignitor.
Get it working on the ground first....
 
If the lamp is flashing blue and making an arcing sound, either there is a poor connection at the lampholder contacts, the lamp is not fitted correctly in the lampholder or the lamp is faulty and has air in it.
Had a few of these, when replacing the lamp, where the thread is very tight and had to be worked in and out several times before I was happy I'd screwed it fully home.
 
I've seen the wrong lamp fitted to the wrong switchgear a few times. You get Metal Halide, HMI, HQI, pulse start and various others, they all have the same screw cap fitting and they usually look similar but they're not always compatible with different control gear.
 
Well there you go. Wiring into the fitting (that came attached with the fitting). Should of probably checked it sooner, but now i know not to trust the manufacturers either i guess. Thanks for all the ideas i really appreciate it.
 

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Great quality terminations there. So the original gear was faulty and so was the replacement until you fixed it...

Thanks for reporting back that it"s solved!
 
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Metal Halide still not working after control gear replacement
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UK Electrical Forum
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Created
Nekonixx,
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Lucien Nunes,
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