Capacitor for a 175w MH

[bombbudpuffa]

Will a 10 mfd, 370 volt capacitor be sufficient for a 175w metal halide? Thanks in advance.

 

[leafminer]

Replace the old one with the same specification.

 

[clanchattan]

yessir. thats what i replace bad caps in the 175's at work with........
and i bill for a new ballast...............

 

[bombbudpuffa]

The one on my MH is a 10 mfd, 400v. I wasn't sure if the 30v difference was important or not.

 

[clanchattan]

the 30 v difference will give you a minimal (and i mean minimal) lumen decrease.
you shouldn't be able to tell by looking at it.

we use them (the 370v) caps to promote slightly longer lamp life.

 

[bombbudpuffa]

Cool. I'll be willing to trade a lil lumen output for longer bulb life. Especially at a quarter of the price of the 400v.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

yessir. thats what i replace bad caps in the 175's at work with........
and i bill for a new ballast...............

You only replace a capacitor but you charge them for replacing an entire ballast when you didn't????????

 

[bombbudpuffa]

You only replace a capacitor but you charge them for replacing an entire ballast when you didn't????????

You will find a lot of businesses that do something similar. Thats why anytime anyone does work for me I stand over them and supervise and ask all kinds of questions. Usually the snakes will get mad/irritated but the honest people will answer all of your questions happily.

 

[Growdude]

the 30 v difference will give you a minimal (and i mean minimal) lumen decrease.
you shouldn't be able to tell by looking at it.

we use them (the 370v) caps to promote slightly longer lamp life.

The capacitor is used to correct the power factor of the ballast or reduces its inductive load.

From Wiki
An inductor is very common in line-frequency ballasts to provide the proper starting and operating electrical condition to power a fluorescent lamp, neon lamp, or high intensity discharge (HID) lamp. (Because of the use of the inductor, such ballasts are usually called magnetic ballasts.) The inductor has two benefits:

1. Its reactance limits the power available to the lamp with only minimal power losses in the inductor
2. The voltage spike produced when current through the inductor is rapidly interrupted is used in some circuits to first strike the arc in the lamp.

A disadvantage of the inductor is that current is shifted out of phase with the voltage, producing a poor power factor. In more expensive ballasts, a capacitor is often paired with the inductor to correct the power factor.

 

[bombbudpuffa]

The capacitor is used to correct the power factor of the ballast or reduces its inductive load.

Are you saying this will or won't work?

 

[leafminer]

Look ... I don't want to get all technical, but what Growdude quoted is the straight dope, man. The cap has no effect at all on how many lumens you get. The current passing through the tube is what decides the lumens and that depends on the inductor.
The voltage rating of the cap? The higher the better. Without knowing the circuit of ur lamp I can't say, but it *should* be good enough.

 

[Growdude]

Are you saying this will or won't work?

It will be fine, the Mfd of the cap is whats important.
The voltage of the cap is its max working voltage.

 

[bombbudpuffa]

Thanks for all the help everyone. Take care.

 

[bombbudpuffa]

Works like a charm. I'll post pics later.

 

[clanchattan]

You only replace a capacitor but you charge them for replacing an entire ballast when you didn't????????

we charge $35 for a 175w capacitor, and $46 for a ballast.

we only work on commercial properties, and the $11 dollar mark up is actually less than the 30% standard for most materials that contractors charge.

 

[eastla_kushsmoka]

You will find a lot of businesses that do something similar. Thats why anytime anyone does work for me I stand over them and supervise and ask all kinds of questions. Usually the snakes will get mad/irritated but the honest people will answer all of your questions happily.

LOL I KNOW UR KIND AND JUST WANNA SAY F YOU GUY NAH IM JUST PLAYING BUT YEA WORKING CONSTRUCTION I GET THAT ALOT HATE IT CANT LET ME DO MY JOB IN PEACE ... STOP WATCHING ME!! HAHA IM BLOWN OFF SOME ISO OIL AND LEANING ON MY DAILY CUP OF TEXAS TEA