health help... what went wrong?

morro · Dec 20, 2016

I'm not sure if this is the right place for this topic, if it's not please redirect me where to post it.
My indoor setup has been running smooth for 2 months until this morning, when I've found only one light running. Found also some plastic burn smell...
The setup is 2x600w HPS linked to the same fan (125cm, 280m3/h) extracting air from inside the tent. Temperatures inside the grow area were stable at around 25 C. The tent has its doors partially opened. Extracted air is warm but not hot.

This is what happened to the left cool tube (which also gets hot air from the right one):

Can you tell me pretty urgent what do you think that went wrong here? I'm hoping to have a decision till tomorrow to order the needed parts. Atm plants are getting no light because I haven't connected the tubing to the remaining light.
Could it be because the intake is inside the tent? Or the extractor too low?
I'm thinking to get another extractor and to replace the bad cool tube so that I have each light with its own extractor. Would that be enough? Or is it mandatory to get the air from outside the tent? I cannot take from outside the home, but outside the tent temps are ~18C.

JUR-Z-Devil · Dec 20, 2016

that looks like a short... like the wires in that specific location touched somehow...

id say get them their own exhausts... it looks like the heat from the one melted the wire while passing by just enough to let the two wires short circuit...

the exhaust should be pulling away from the wires, you have the heat of 2 bulbs going over the 1st tubes hook up...

was it the first tube next to the exhaust that melted or the one farthest from the exhaust? If its the one closest to the exhaust i say 2 lights heat was too much going over it, if its the farthest id say exhaust was not strong enough to keep it kool

hogleg · Dec 20, 2016

First thing I would do is get those cords off the top of the reflectors. Second I wouldn't hang the ballast right above the lights, they already run hot enuff. Personally I wouldn't bother pulling air thru the lights, just pull air from the highest point right above the lights. Sorry if I seem critical but your set up looks downright dangerous to me.

JUR-Z-Devil · Dec 20, 2016

hogleg said:
First thing I would do is get those cords off the top of the reflectors. Second I wouldn't hang the ballast right above the lights, they already run hot enuff. Personally I wouldn't bother pulling air thru the lights, just pull air from the highest point right above the lights. Sorry if I seem critical but your set up looks downright dangerous to me.

excellent points...i missed all the stuff hanging over the tops of the lights...

morro · Dec 20, 2016

JUR-Z-Devil said:
that looks like a short... like the wires in that specific location touched somehow...

id say get them their own exhausts... it looks like the heat from the one melted the wire while passing by just enough to let the two wires short circuit...

the exhaust should be pulling away from the wires, you have the heat of 2 bulbs going over the 1st tubes hook up...

was it the first tube next to the exhaust that melted or the one farthest from the exhaust? If its the one closest to the exhaust i say 2 lights heat was too much going over it, if its the farthest id say exhaust was not strong enough to keep it kool

Yes, a short caused by melting of the insulation due to excessive heat maybe?
It was the cool tube from the left, the one closest to the fan, that was getting also the heat from the other tube.

morro · Dec 20, 2016

hogleg said:
First thing I would do is get those cords off the top of the reflectors. Second I wouldn't hang the ballast right above the lights, they already run hot enuff. Personally I wouldn't bother pulling air thru the lights, just pull air from the highest point right above the lights. Sorry if I seem critical but your set up looks downright dangerous to me.

Cords off and ballast placement far away from the bulbs seems both good.
We Romanians always try to make it work somehow, even that means "safety second"

But joking aside, I'm glad that this didn't start a fire.
No worry, I accept any critics, that's the purpose of this topic.

JUR-Z-Devil · Dec 20, 2016

morro said:
Yes, a short caused by melting of the insulation due to excessive heat maybe?
It was the cool tube from the left, the one closest to the fan, that was getting also the heat from the other tube.

yeah that would be my take... the exhaust should be pulling away from the wires...

morro · Dec 20, 2016

Just today I've read that the fan should push air into the tubes. Sucking hot air, as it is now, will damage it.

JUR-Z-Devil · Dec 20, 2016

morro said:
Just today I've read that the fan should push air into the tubes. Sucking hot air, as it is now, will damage it.

That sound good as long as its blowing out of the tent from the other side... i dont think an exhaust not connected directly to light willbe able to keep the tent kool if your blowing the heat into the tent

willard3 · Dec 21, 2016

Physically, positive and negative pressure have the same effect on air movement.

JUR-Z-Devil · Dec 25, 2016

willard3 said:
Physically, positive and negative pressure have the same effect on air movement.

i think they might mean blowing cool air in from outside instead of sucking warm air in from the tent... if thats not what they mean, then i agree, i dont see the difference

Voodoo 6 · Dec 26, 2016

Who manufactured the ballast and hoods? Would contact the manufacture of the hood is the ballast is working correctly.

Voodoo 6 · Dec 26, 2016

The other forum I frequent is eevblog, Its an electronic engineers forum. They would be happy to run down this problem, and check the schematics of the hood in question.