Cooltouch Lighting

[xabo]

Anyone use this product? I set mine up today, and there's a foul odor coming from the ballast. Anyone else experience this?

[pumpdogs]

I just fired up my dual 250 watt halides.Great product for only $180 bucks.

[xabo]

could you let me know if you experience a odor? Thanks.

[jgleach]

The odor will subside in two or three days. It is not that uncommon for coil and core ballasts. I wouldn't worry too much....you just need more ventilation till it's gone.

[xabo]

Thanks jgleach, it has the pulse start ballast. Is that the same as the coil and core? Please forgive my ignorance.

[jgleach]

I could be wrong, but I don't think Cooltouch Lighting sells pulse start ballasts. His auctions state nothing about the ballast being pulse start....just that the sockets are "Premium porcelain construction, Mogal Base 4KV, 600 volt, 1500 Watt Pulse UL and CSA Approved." The ballasts themselves are simply multitap transformers as indicated by "These ballasts are manufactured by Advance Transformer, the leader in Ballast Technology. 295 input watts For 250Watt Metal Halide lamp Circuit type:CWA 120/347 Volt input. Looking at the spec. sheet for Advance Transformer:

http://www.advancetransformer.com/ecatalog/hid_lookup.asp

They only have one ballast kit that matches the specs he listed in his auction and it is a M58 ballast. I hope this helps.

[jrsydevi1]

I've been using one of his 250w MH ballasts for about 2 months now.. no probs at all.. never noticed any odor..


Runs real hot though... cool-touch my azz..
:lol:

-Devil

[xabo]

When I ordered I stated that I wanted the Pulse starts. They said "No Problem". Is there a special tool needed to open box so I can check?

[jgleach]

xabo

I haven't looked at mine that close....and I'm not home to check now, but I would think you should be able to open it up with normal household tools.....hopefully, you did get a pulse start ballast but that's not something that he normally sells on ebay....if you get it open, let me know what you find.

[jperry8]

Hey I just fired up my dual 250 from them three days ago. I did get an odor but it has subsided. My ballast also its very hot (cooltouch). The odor does not seem to be there any more or I have adapted to it! I am using 2 20k radiums on mine, has anyone expeienced any problems with cooltouch?

[xabo]

The bolt head on the ballast has a square hole.I haven't found anything that will fit ..yet. I ordered mine from the website, e-mailed a couple of times about the availability of pulse start ballasts. He said he could do it (cost a couple of dollars more). There's a sticker on the mogul sockets that says pulse start. What should I look for, provided I can get into the box? I have the ballast here with me at work. Been powered up since 0700 Hrs. It's now1440 Hrs., and the odors gone, and it's a lot cooler to the touch than it was yesterday.

[xabo]

Managed to get it open. Numbers from ballast: 71A57A2 M138/M153 ML 157A200

[jgleach]

xabo....Your ballast is a pulse start. here is the page where you can find all the specs.

http://www.advancetransformer.com/ecatalog/hid_lookup.asp

just open the catalog number box and scroll down to 71A57A2. You can open the pdf file and get all the specs.

[prox2332]

I got mine from Cooltouch lighting and had the same thing, believe me the odor was foul and made my eyes water, but after a week or so it slowly went away. I guess it was the burining in process.

[SaltwaterNovice]

Has anyoneone tried the 250w triple ballast box?

It would be great to have all three ballasts in one box but I am concerned that they will over heat in one box.

Any one have any experience or advice?

Thanks,

Brian

[xabo]

That's the unit I have. Once it gets going, the box is warm to the touch.The only thing I don't like is the 3 separate power cords. Some have suggested this is good as you can use separate timers to simulate sunrise/sunset.