Now with the ballast ban in effect, does anyone know a site or store where merc ballasts can still be found?

I think the only option would be looking for MH ballast with similar charactertistcics and in case of Pulse start disabling the ignitor...

eBay. Or in the case of 175-1000w lamps, you can use a probe start MH ballast.

eBay. Or in the case of 175-1000w lamps, you can use a probe start MH ballast.

Probe start MH ballasts are getting banned too.
But 100W MV run OK on 70W pulse-start MH (~0.95A), 175W MV on 150W MH (~1.75A), 40W MV on 35W MH (~0.5A), etc (look for lamp current)... And of course (again), the ignitor has to be disabled.

I am getting a 100w Metal Halide fixture soon that's ignitor died. What kind of Merc lamps can it run?

I am getting a 100w Metal Halide fixture soon that's ignitor died. What kind of Merc lamps can it run?

It should deliver 1.15A, so 125W mercury vapor...

Fixtures with probe start MH ballasts have already been banned in the USA but replacement ballasts won't be banned, because of UL safety issues in converting existing fixtures to pulse start MH ballasts.

Quote from: Silverliner on October 04, 2009, 03:49:31 AM

eBay. Or in the case of 175-1000w lamps, you can use a probe start MH ballast.

Probe start MH ballasts are getting banned too.
But 100W MV run OK on 70W pulse-start MH (~0.95A), 175W MV on 150W MH (~1.75A), 40W MV on 35W MH (~0.5A), etc (look for lamp current)... And of course (again), the ignitor has to be disabled.

Fixtures with probe start MH ballasts have already been banned in the USA but replacement ballasts won't be banned, because of UL safety issues in converting existing fixtures to pulse start MH ballasts.

Knowing reasoning of these legislators and mainly the lobbying around, they would ban it soon anyway, with the argument saying "so replace the fixture"... But this is a bit out of topic... :-)

eBay. I got one there. Cheap!

Quote from: lightman64 on October 04, 2009, 09:33:58 AM

I am getting a 100w Metal Halide fixture soon that's ignitor died. What kind of Merc lamps can it run?

It should deliver 1.15A, so 125W mercury vapor...

I have found that a 100w MV will run on either 100w MH ballast or 70w MH ballast. The 70w will under-run a little (.75a) and the 100w will over-run a little (1.15a). I have run the 100w MH ballast into 100w MV lamp for over two years and still working perfect.

I have found that a 100w MV will run on either 100w MH ballast or 70w MH ballast. The 70w will under-run a little (.75a) and the 100w will over-run a little (1.15a). I have run the 100w MH ballast into 100w MV lamp for over two years and still working perfect.

Where you come to the number 0.75A for MH70W, what OCV had the ballast? As far as i know 70W pulse start (C)MH are 0.98..1A, the number vary, as the exact current depend slightly on actual lamp voltage and wattage (even if all are rated as "70W", some are actually 75W) and . Taking this dependence into account (230V serial reactor or 120V HX autotransformer), you end up on ~0.9..0.95A (or 100W delivered) to ~115V arc.

Quote from: don93s on December 27, 2009, 09:29:59 AM

Where you come to the number 0.75A for MH70W, what OCV had the ballast? As far as i know 70W pulse start (C)MH are 0.98..1A, the number vary, as the exact current depend slightly on actual lamp voltage and wattage (even if all are rated as "70W", some are actually 75W) and . Taking this dependence into account (230V serial reactor or 120V HX autotransformer), you end up on ~0.9..0.95A (or 100W delivered) to ~115V arc.

Some of the 100w MV lamps I have actually run up to over 130v (one goes up to 135v) while others as low as 115v, so I should say it varies between .75a and .80a. I just tested a lamp and the reading was 122v @ ,80a. The 70w ballast OCV is about 250v. I measure current with my Fluke 79 III True RMS. Now I realize that even a true RMS won't be perfect accuracy with HID lamp currents, but I have found over time with many tests and comparisons, etc, that it is reasonably close.

Interesting to add, with these same tests, I have found some HX-NPF 100w MV ballasts to run 100w MV lamps as high as 1.15a....same as the 100w MH ballasts! Another 100w MV ballast I just received runs lamps at .85a, so quite a variation.

If you want a new, true merc ballast search the net. Some sites still have stock of them but you have to really look and they can be pricey. I found a couple of sites that still have 50, 75, and 100 watt merc ballasts. One of the sites is selling them for $121! Besides that, do as suggested. Currently, I think someone on eBay is selling an H38 ballast for cheap and it's slightly used. But hey, if it works and it's cheap then go for it. What would happen if you tried to 'import' one would that be smuggling?

I've seen MV ballasts pop up from time to time on ebay in both NOS and used condition. I also think some electrical supply stores should still have some MV ballasts in stock. Or you could try and find a MV fixture from hardware stores which may still have MV fixtures stocked before the ban  and pull the ballast from that. If don't mind used ballasts you could check used building material stores for old MV fixtures. For those not afraid of getting caught smuggling you could drive up to Canada and buy one here since they're not banned up here. 

See what this stupid ban caused... now people are going to smuggle them in from Canada. Way to go stupid government, while you are at it, why don't you stick your head up farther!