Since there aren't any pics of these outside of a projector box, I thought I'd give some stats on these things for those who are planning / building their first projector.
First, some vital stats:
UHI-S400DD USHIO 400W Bulb
Found at:
http://www.atlantalightbulbs.com/ecart/10Expand.asp?ProductCode=UHI-S400DDUSHIO
- Metal Halide Bulb designed to work with a HPS (high pressure sodium) ballast.
- The bulb is 245mm long overall
- The base (threaded part) is 39mm in diameter; 41mm tall
- The bulb (glass part) is 47mm in diameter
- 400W
- 5200K
The ballast (transformer, Ignitor, and Capacitor) is a Venture Lighting 400W HPS QUAD CWA Core and Coil.
Found at:
http://www.goodmart.com/products/243289.htm
- 400W HPS system
- Supports 120V / 208V / 240V / 277V electrical systems
- HEAVY. I didn't have a scale to measure, but the shipping weight was 16lbs.
- Transformer size: 110mm x 107mm x 121mm
- Ignitor size: 35mm Diameter; 57mm tall
- Capacitor size: 45mm diameter; 117mm tall
- Capacitor is 55uF, 300VAC, 0.49MegaOhms (490k Ohms), Max operating temp of 100C
Ok, here are some pics of these beasts:
The bulb with a ruler for size reference.
A zoom in of the inner workings. The arc on this thing is 27mm.
The only label on the bulb.
The transformer, ignitor, and capacitor.
The label on top of the transformer.
The ignitor (black) and capacitor (beige) next to each other.
I wasn't expecting the ballast to be so heavy, but... this projector is going to have a floor base. Those who are mounting to the ceiling, might want to check out electronic ballasts or make SURE you have a sturdy mounting situation for your projector.
The ballast didn't come with a socket or a power cord. Not a biggie as you can pick these up at local hardware stores, but it would've been nice.
First, some vital stats:
UHI-S400DD USHIO 400W Bulb
Found at:
http://www.atlantalightbulbs.com/ecart/10Expand.asp?ProductCode=UHI-S400DDUSHIO
- Metal Halide Bulb designed to work with a HPS (high pressure sodium) ballast.
- The bulb is 245mm long overall
- The base (threaded part) is 39mm in diameter; 41mm tall
- The bulb (glass part) is 47mm in diameter
- 400W
- 5200K
The ballast (transformer, Ignitor, and Capacitor) is a Venture Lighting 400W HPS QUAD CWA Core and Coil.
Found at:
http://www.goodmart.com/products/243289.htm
- 400W HPS system
- Supports 120V / 208V / 240V / 277V electrical systems
- HEAVY. I didn't have a scale to measure, but the shipping weight was 16lbs.
- Transformer size: 110mm x 107mm x 121mm
- Ignitor size: 35mm Diameter; 57mm tall
- Capacitor size: 45mm diameter; 117mm tall
- Capacitor is 55uF, 300VAC, 0.49MegaOhms (490k Ohms), Max operating temp of 100C
Ok, here are some pics of these beasts:
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
The bulb with a ruler for size reference.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
A zoom in of the inner workings. The arc on this thing is 27mm.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
The only label on the bulb.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
The transformer, ignitor, and capacitor.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
The label on top of the transformer.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
The ignitor (black) and capacitor (beige) next to each other.
I wasn't expecting the ballast to be so heavy, but... this projector is going to have a floor base. Those who are mounting to the ceiling, might want to check out electronic ballasts or make SURE you have a sturdy mounting situation for your projector.
The ballast didn't come with a socket or a power cord. Not a biggie as you can pick these up at local hardware stores, but it would've been nice.
useful safety tip
If you use one of these quad-voltage ballasts, you connect one of the input taps to the hot side of your AC linecord (probably through a switch). The white common lead connects directly to the white (neutral) wire of your line cord. Then you are done, right?
Wrong! When you apply the 120 VAC or 240 VAC power to the ballast, the unused voltage taps will be at their rated input voltage: ie. the 277 volt tap will be at 277 volts above ground, etc. This thing works as a transformer, and those unused voltage taps can kill you. You must put a seperate insulated wire nut on each of them. Do NOT connect them together, or you will blow a fuse or start a fire.
If you use one of these quad-voltage ballasts, you connect one of the input taps to the hot side of your AC linecord (probably through a switch). The white common lead connects directly to the white (neutral) wire of your line cord. Then you are done, right?
Wrong! When you apply the 120 VAC or 240 VAC power to the ballast, the unused voltage taps will be at their rated input voltage: ie. the 277 volt tap will be at 277 volts above ground, etc. This thing works as a transformer, and those unused voltage taps can kill you. You must put a seperate insulated wire nut on each of them. Do NOT connect them together, or you will blow a fuse or start a fire.
Oh, but I love the smell of burning transformers in the morning. What's even better is burning / blown capacitors (electrolytics are the best) in the morning. Mmmmmm...
But yes, don't connect those wires together. You'll get a nice 240V toaster sitting on your table.
I just got my bulb and ballast today (same bulb, similar ballast). I was also hoping it came with a socket and power cord.... since it didn't can you take picture of how you wired those in once you've done that. Thanks
wiring diagram
Didn't you notice the wiring diagram, four posts ago? You follow the wiring diagram that comes with your ballast. Then you connect the white wire to the white wire in your line cord. Then you connect the 120 VAC power wire from the ballast to a switch. The black wire in your line cord goes to the other side of the switch. Put individual wire nuts on the other three power wires, and you are finished.
You need an E39 Mogul socket for that lamp. You can get one at a local electrical contracter's supply warehouse. (Maybe at Home Depot, maybe not.) Around $6-$9 each.
For my line cord, I got a $7 12 foot heavy duty orange extension cord from Home Depot and cut off the outlet end. I also got a standard wall switch there for less than one dollar. The other part(s) you need to wire up would be a fan or two, to keep it all cool. I used one 120 VAC fan from Radio Shack, so I did not need to include a 12 VDC power supply. like people who use computer fans.
Didn't you notice the wiring diagram, four posts ago? You follow the wiring diagram that comes with your ballast. Then you connect the white wire to the white wire in your line cord. Then you connect the 120 VAC power wire from the ballast to a switch. The black wire in your line cord goes to the other side of the switch. Put individual wire nuts on the other three power wires, and you are finished.
You need an E39 Mogul socket for that lamp. You can get one at a local electrical contracter's supply warehouse. (Maybe at Home Depot, maybe not.) Around $6-$9 each.
For my line cord, I got a $7 12 foot heavy duty orange extension cord from Home Depot and cut off the outlet end. I also got a standard wall switch there for less than one dollar. The other part(s) you need to wire up would be a fan or two, to keep it all cool. I used one 120 VAC fan from Radio Shack, so I did not need to include a 12 VDC power supply. like people who use computer fans.
You do want to hook up your ballast according to the wiring diagram that came with the package. Generally, in the world of transformers and house wiring, the BLACK wire is hot (a.k.a. live, power, positive, etc). This is contrary to most DC wiring. The WHITE wire is neutral (or return). It's not ground. Ground is that BARE wire that you see in your house. It's ultimately connected to the metal case of the fuse box or the pipe in the basement or the pole in the ground. This bare wire is the wire you would connect to a metal case for grounding purposes.
Generally, the wires you'll use on a transformer are the black and white wires (when talking about 110V/120V configurations). If your house is wired properly, on the outlets (and the plug of the extension cord you need to hook up to the transformer), the wider lead is neutral (white) and the shorter lead is hot (black). The round lead is ground. See the pic for a visual.
To power the bulb, it needs a HOT wire and a RETURN wire (generally the black and white wires) that come from the ignitor (as Guy pointed out).
Be careful. If you have more questions, search then ask. The internet has LOADS of info on wiring up these types of things.
Generally, the wires you'll use on a transformer are the black and white wires (when talking about 110V/120V configurations). If your house is wired properly, on the outlets (and the plug of the extension cord you need to hook up to the transformer), the wider lead is neutral (white) and the shorter lead is hot (black). The round lead is ground. See the pic for a visual.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
To power the bulb, it needs a HOT wire and a RETURN wire (generally the black and white wires) that come from the ignitor (as Guy pointed out).
Be careful. If you have more questions, search then ask. The internet has LOADS of info on wiring up these types of things.
So the ground wire isn't something that should be coming out of the ballast right? It should just be a wire from my power (or power switch) to my case right?
There will probably not be a ground wire from your transformer. PROBABLY. I have used transformers with ground wires before. It should say ground. Sometimes if the transformer has a metal frame (not the iron core) for mounting, it'll have a ground wire. Pretty much, worry about the one coming from your wall. If you make a metal case for your projector, you can ground that.
Since most people make their projectors out of wood and most of the parts are ceramic, glass, and plastic, there is nothing to ground to.
Since most people make their projectors out of wood and most of the parts are ceramic, glass, and plastic, there is nothing to ground to.
caution for amateur electricians
The drawing that superdaveumo gave us is correct IN THE US, but only if your outlets are wired correctly. I have seen a few outlets that were wired backwards! When you wire your ballast circuit, it should not really matter much if you plug your line cord into such an outlet. (Just don't try to connect neutral to ground, and a reversed outlet won't make a short.)
But as soon as you step outside the US, the outlets may be different, and the hot/neutral "polarity" may be different. (Not to mention 240 VAC at 50 or 60 Hz.) NEVER trust a particular outlet pin to be safe! You need to turn off the circuit breaker or remove the fuse, and then measure with a volt meter, before you start poking around inside of an outlet box. Same goes for wiring your projector. ALWAYS UNPLUG IT, before you touch even the "neutral" wire. It could be hot, and then the switch would not protect you.
If you don't understand the ballast wiring diagram, and how to add switches, fans, etc., then you should take it all to a local electrician. With the diagram, he (or she) should be able to wire it safely for you in just a few minutes.
BTW: Inside line cords, the ground wire is usually covered in green insulation rather than bare.
The drawing that superdaveumo gave us is correct IN THE US, but only if your outlets are wired correctly. I have seen a few outlets that were wired backwards! When you wire your ballast circuit, it should not really matter much if you plug your line cord into such an outlet. (Just don't try to connect neutral to ground, and a reversed outlet won't make a short.)
But as soon as you step outside the US, the outlets may be different, and the hot/neutral "polarity" may be different. (Not to mention 240 VAC at 50 or 60 Hz.) NEVER trust a particular outlet pin to be safe! You need to turn off the circuit breaker or remove the fuse, and then measure with a volt meter, before you start poking around inside of an outlet box. Same goes for wiring your projector. ALWAYS UNPLUG IT, before you touch even the "neutral" wire. It could be hot, and then the switch would not protect you.
If you don't understand the ballast wiring diagram, and how to add switches, fans, etc., then you should take it all to a local electrician. With the diagram, he (or she) should be able to wire it safely for you in just a few minutes.
BTW: Inside line cords, the ground wire is usually covered in green insulation rather than bare.
So I fired this thing up last night (pictures to come with US 120V wiring). Boy is this thing BRIGHT. One bulb lit my entire apartment! I had to used UV protected / polarized sun glasses to work with it. And even then, I couldn't look right at it.
The light that came from the bulb looked a little blue to me. Nothing harsh, but I could see it. I am in high altitude though (supposedly that changes coloring). Will have to see how it looks in the box. Should be getting the rest of my parts this week!
Oh, does anyone know if this bulb is horizotal or vertical mount?
The light that came from the bulb looked a little blue to me. Nothing harsh, but I could see it. I am in high altitude though (supposedly that changes coloring). Will have to see how it looks in the box. Should be getting the rest of my parts this week!
Oh, does anyone know if this bulb is horizotal or vertical mount?
mounting position
Ushio retrofit lamps are universal position, which means any position you like.
Ushio retrofit lamps are universal position, which means any position you like.
Ok, so a couple days ago I twisted the wires and fired this baby up. The photos haven't been touched up (as far as coloring is concerned). I wanted to preserve the coloring.
This is it turned on for a good 10 or 15 minutes. It's REALLY bright (had to wear sunglasses to work with it). The blue wasn't QUITE that bad, but it definitely had a blueish glow to it.
Ok, how to wire this thing.... There are 4 major wires you have to be concerned with. 1) The white common wire from the transformer 2) The hot wire (120V, 240V, etc) from the transformer 3) The common wire from the ignitor (white in the picture) 4) The hot wire from the ignitor (yellow).
So which is which? Well, on this transformer, all of the wires have labels. Very handy. For the US, the red wire from the transformer is 120V. That needs to be hooked up to the black (hot) wire from the outlet. The white wire from the transformer is connected to the white (common) wire from the outlet.
The wires from the ignitor (there are three, but only two aren't hooked to something) are hooked to the bulb. The common wire (white) is connected to the common wire in your socket. On your socket, this is the wire that is connected to the threads. The hot wire (yellow) is connected to the hot wire from the socket. On the socket, the hot wire is the one connected to the little tab at the bottom. Incidently, for this socket, the black wire is hot and the white wire is common.
Make sure there are no exposed wires (the wires from the transformer you didn't use). I cut my ends off and will wire cap them.
The heat from this thing wasn't as bad as I was expecting. I didn't touch it (of course) but I could hold my hand a few inches from it and be ok. I could feel the heat radiating from the bulb about 3 feet (1 meter) away. I also had a little issue getting the bulb screwed in. It's a TIGHT fit. Correct parts, just tight.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
This is it turned on for a good 10 or 15 minutes. It's REALLY bright (had to wear sunglasses to work with it). The blue wasn't QUITE that bad, but it definitely had a blueish glow to it.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Ok, how to wire this thing.... There are 4 major wires you have to be concerned with. 1) The white common wire from the transformer 2) The hot wire (120V, 240V, etc) from the transformer 3) The common wire from the ignitor (white in the picture) 4) The hot wire from the ignitor (yellow).
So which is which? Well, on this transformer, all of the wires have labels. Very handy. For the US, the red wire from the transformer is 120V. That needs to be hooked up to the black (hot) wire from the outlet. The white wire from the transformer is connected to the white (common) wire from the outlet.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
The wires from the ignitor (there are three, but only two aren't hooked to something) are hooked to the bulb. The common wire (white) is connected to the common wire in your socket. On your socket, this is the wire that is connected to the threads. The hot wire (yellow) is connected to the hot wire from the socket. On the socket, the hot wire is the one connected to the little tab at the bottom. Incidently, for this socket, the black wire is hot and the white wire is common.
Make sure there are no exposed wires (the wires from the transformer you didn't use). I cut my ends off and will wire cap them.
The heat from this thing wasn't as bad as I was expecting. I didn't touch it (of course) but I could hold my hand a few inches from it and be ok. I could feel the heat radiating from the bulb about 3 feet (1 meter) away. I also had a little issue getting the bulb screwed in. It's a TIGHT fit. Correct parts, just tight.
Ok, the 100w electronic ballast took like 2 minutes. This 400w one is kinda worrying me. Only for one thing though. The ignitor has 3 lines coming off. But according to the info it seems two, blue and red go to the actual positive side of the light, and 1 goes to the com. I believe that is the white one. Well, the two that go to the positive side, the blue says goes to the capacitor. Do I put that on the opposite side from the wire going to the lamp? so for instance, wire from ballast to cap, and ignitor, then other side of cap, cap to red wire from ignitor and then to the lamp?
wiring info
I don't like to see concise wiring explanations on this forum, because each ballast manufacturer may have a different one! We should not mislead people into thinking that every single ballast kit gets wired the same way. Manufacturers may have multiple common wires coming out, or an internal connection to a single common wire, etc. Their wires have different colors, so you can't go by that either. It gets even trickier when you consider that different countries have different voltages, different power plugs, and different color-coding of line cord wires.
What you MUST have, is the wiring diagram from the ballast manufacturer. If you have a ballast (and hopefully the other parts that go with it, ie. condensor and ignitor) and you do not have the wiring diagram, then you need to get it from the manufacturer or vendor. There is no reason for them to keep it a secret! They want electricians to understand exactly how to wire it up. (Little problem called Liability Lawsuit!)
Even if you can't get it from your vendor, look for another vendor's website that sells the same ballast. Most of them have ballast diagrams online. Use the diagram for your exact model.
I don't like to see concise wiring explanations on this forum, because each ballast manufacturer may have a different one! We should not mislead people into thinking that every single ballast kit gets wired the same way. Manufacturers may have multiple common wires coming out, or an internal connection to a single common wire, etc. Their wires have different colors, so you can't go by that either. It gets even trickier when you consider that different countries have different voltages, different power plugs, and different color-coding of line cord wires.
What you MUST have, is the wiring diagram from the ballast manufacturer. If you have a ballast (and hopefully the other parts that go with it, ie. condensor and ignitor) and you do not have the wiring diagram, then you need to get it from the manufacturer or vendor. There is no reason for them to keep it a secret! They want electricians to understand exactly how to wire it up. (Little problem called Liability Lawsuit!)
Even if you can't get it from your vendor, look for another vendor's website that sells the same ballast. Most of them have ballast diagrams online. Use the diagram for your exact model.
Yeah, mine has the label on the actual ballast, but I just don't understand what some of the wiggly lines mean. Anyways, I will take it to a electric shop and have them put it together for me. Thanks
post a good picture
If you have access to a good digital camera or even better, a flat bed scanner, then you should post the diagram. I have no problem with explaining the diagram! I just don't want to tell somebody to hook it up the wrong way, and have them get hurt or burn down their house.
But of course, if you are not comfortable with high voltage high power wiring, then taking it to an electrician or electronics tech is a fine way to go.
I like to include a switch in the circuit so I can turn it on and off without pulling the wall plug. I also have another switch to control the fan circuit, so I can leave the fan running for a few minutes after I shut off the lamp. I used standard wall switches ($0.99 at Home Depot), but you can use any switch rated for 120 VAC 6 Amps or higher. (250 VAC 3 Amps if you use 240 VAC power.)
If you have access to a good digital camera or even better, a flat bed scanner, then you should post the diagram. I have no problem with explaining the diagram! I just don't want to tell somebody to hook it up the wrong way, and have them get hurt or burn down their house.
But of course, if you are not comfortable with high voltage high power wiring, then taking it to an electrician or electronics tech is a fine way to go.
I like to include a switch in the circuit so I can turn it on and off without pulling the wall plug. I also have another switch to control the fan circuit, so I can leave the fan running for a few minutes after I shut off the lamp. I used standard wall switches ($0.99 at Home Depot), but you can use any switch rated for 120 VAC 6 Amps or higher. (250 VAC 3 Amps if you use 240 VAC power.)
In referring to the burn position it doesn't really matter that much. It's rated at 15,000 hours in the horizontal position and 20,000 hours in the vertical position.
lumenlab light kit with ushio S400DD metal halide lamp
i was wondering if the lumenlab light kit electronic ballast will give an optinum performance https://secure.lumenlab.com/shop/group.php?id=4
is ushio S400DD has the same performance quality as osram HQI-TSD-400W double ended?
do i still nedd a reflector for ushio S400DD ? will it affect the projected image without reflector?
i was wondering if the lumenlab light kit electronic ballast will give an optinum performance https://secure.lumenlab.com/shop/group.php?id=4
is ushio S400DD has the same performance quality as osram HQI-TSD-400W double ended?
do i still nedd a reflector for ushio S400DD ? will it affect the projected image without reflector?
I think it is perfectly fine to post something like this. Of course you'll want to consult your wiring diagram. But I think you get a good example of one being hooked up (even if it isn't exact). If you want to get techinical (and I know you like to 🙂 ), the voltages might be different and the colors might be different, but they all hook up just about the same. Power comes in from the wall, is transformed to a new voltage, hits the capacitor and ignitor and goes to the bulb. No magic. If enough of these are posted, you'll hit all the different common ballasts and bulbs.
I do absolutely agree that if you have no clue about electricity, GET SOMEONE WHO KNOWS TO DO IT. 120V will kill you very easily. 240V even quicker. Takes only milli-amps to kill you. Just my opinion. We welcome yours.
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