CMH Bulb Flickering?

T.C. Bosby

T.C. Bosby

Well-Known Member
Newb question. Got my tent going yesterday. Noticed that the light flickers, is this normal with a CMH bulb?
 
Mount

Mount

Well-Known Member
Odd... no bulbs should flicker, maybe a bit on startup but not once running... could be a few things, like fluctuating voltage, maybe a mismatch on the ballast, loose wiring.... but lets hope it is something very simple like a loose bulb? Did you make sure the bulb is snug?... have you checked the voltage to the outlet and see it is pulling 115 to 120 constant? Is it a new outlet that was put in? Got my fingers crossed for you that the bulb is loose, but without many more details, hard to help..but the answer is no, it is not normal for CMH or any bulb
 
T.C. Bosby

T.C. Bosby

Well-Known Member
Thank you for the detailed answer. I'll definitely check out some of the usual suspects and hope for the best. I'll try plugging it directly into the wall as opposed to a power strip.
 
Mount

Mount

Well-Known Member
T.C. Bosby said:
Thank you for the detailed answer. I'll definitely check out some of the usual suspects and hope for the best. I'll try plugging it directly into the wall as opposed to a power strip.
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Great idea, part of the process of elimination... the strip may have a limit on it, usually they say the rating in amps or watts and depending on what is plugged into it besides the lamp that may be part of it...
 
hyroot

hyroot

Well-Known Member
Check your timer too. I have had timers go bad and do the exact same thing on other lights. The whole time I thought it was the light or my breaker. Every time it's either been the timer or the surge suppressor.
 
T.C. Bosby

T.C. Bosby

Well-Known Member
Well, found the answer. It's a combination of I'm an idiot and the bulb was loose. So thankfully I'm good on that front. Unfortunately now I am having horrible heat issues in my tent. Fixed one problem, now onto the next one.
 
hyroot

hyroot

Well-Known Member
T.C. Bosby said:
Well, found the answer. It's a combination of I'm an idiot and the bulb was loose. So thankfully I'm good on that front. Unfortunately now I am having horrible heat issues in my tent. Fixed one problem, now onto the next one.
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Exhaust fan. And eventually add a/c. It's getting hot outside. It's in the 90's outside in my hood.
 
T.C. Bosby

T.C. Bosby

Well-Known Member
hyroot said:
Exhaust fan. And eventually add a/c. It's getting hot outside. It's in the 90's outside in my hood.
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I have an intake fan and exhaust fan going. But the bare bulb on this is just kicking too much heat. Looks like I'll have to invest in an A/C unit. Was trying to keep the electrical bill in check, but it is what it is.
 
dbkick

dbkick

Well-Known Member
T.C. Bosby said:
Yes.
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Good luck with that, those things should be recalled, its a totally random thing and you haven't seen the last of it.
I bought one phantom cmh ballast and a friend bought two entire phantom and fixtures, every one of them had an intermittent flicker,
Return if you can and have a look at SunPlix or Sun Systems lec.
 
Mount

Mount

Well-Known Member
Are you in a tent or closet or spare bedroom? I run CMH in open hoods and dont have much of an issue. One of mine is in 4x4 tent.. have a tower oscillating fan, a 440cfm 6" exhaust and a small 8 inch vornado pushing fresh air in. I keep the light about 13 to 15 inches from the tops and temps say right around 75 with 44%..which gives it a heat index around 77/78.. My exhaust is also out of the room, exhausting into the same room raises my temps. I keep the room the tent is in at 73/74, but that is basically the temp of my house in general.
 
T.C. Bosby

T.C. Bosby

Well-Known Member
Mount said:
Are you in a tent or closet or spare bedroom? I run CMH in open hoods and dont have much of an issue. One of mine is in 4x4 tent.. have a tower oscillating fan, a 440cfm 6" exhaust and a small 8 inch vornado pushing fresh air in. I keep the light about 13 to 15 inches from the tops and temps say right around 75 with 44%..which gives it a heat index around 77/78.. My exhaust is also out of the room, exhausting into the same room raises my temps. I keep the room the tent is in at 73/74, but that is basically the temp of my house in general.
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Tent in my bedroom. My tent is a 3' x 3'. I have a 6 inch intake and 6 inch exhaust fan. Ambient temperature in my room ranges from 70 to 75. The coolest I've gotten my tent is 86 degrees with the light on, and that's about 24 inches above the canopy. Clearly there is some user error on my part. Looks like I have some more work to do. At least I have time now since my clones are all but toast. Ah, to be a newb. Learning!
 
T.C. Bosby

T.C. Bosby

Well-Known Member
Mount said:
Are you in a tent or closet or spare bedroom? I run CMH in open hoods and dont have much of an issue. One of mine is in 4x4 tent.. have a tower oscillating fan, a 440cfm 6" exhaust and a small 8 inch vornado pushing fresh air in. I keep the light about 13 to 15 inches from the tops and temps say right around 75 with 44%..which gives it a heat index around 77/78.. My exhaust is also out of the room, exhausting into the same room raises my temps. I keep the room the tent is in at 73/74, but that is basically the temp of my house in general.
Click to expand...
What size is your tower fan? I may give that a try here and see if it helps.
 
Evil-Mobo

Evil-Mobo

Well-Known Member
Have you tried not running the intake fan but leaving the port where it is open for a passive intake and leaving the exhaust alone?
 
Mount

Mount

Well-Known Member
dbkick said:
Phantom cmh ballasts run really hot and I hate to say it but they're junk. Write off what I say but I'm speaking from personal experience.
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dbkick may have a point... my ballast is outside the tent, is yours? Not running phantom stuff here, mine came from HTG and the others are sun systems, but the Suns are in an open room, only the HTG is used in the tent because it is a remote ballast..
 
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