The only way I know how to tester one is with a device called a Flicker tester. I know Mitchell Instruments sells them for under $100.
No you cannot!!
You would have to replace the transformer.
See related link below.
No. A mercury vapor lamp will work on a metal halide ballast, but not the other way around.
Yes assuming the ballast is also for a metal halide lamp.
Between Metal Halide and Mercury Vapor the higher output is emitted from the Metal Halide lamp.
No. The bulb has to match the ballast wattage exactly. And you can't interchange different lamps (like metal halide) either. The ballast is specific to that wattage and lamp type. The bulb will either burn out quickly or just not work properly at all
I actually have a 400w hps ballast and I can also use my 400w metal halide bulb in it with no problem. So what your saying is they do, but they dont? the answer is, they dont. You can get universal bulbs hps to plug into a mh ballast they have a miniturized igniter inside the bulb. As I understand it, a 400W metal halide bulb can be used with a 400W hps ballast, but not the converse. A MH bulb has the igniter in the bulb, and the HPS has it in the ballast--which pretty much goes along with your comment above. Apparently the double presence of the igniter in the HPS setup is OK.you can run metal halide in same wattage's but not hps in metal halide systems.you can run such as (same wattage's)250 watt metal halide-400 watt halide ect in hps systems but not hps bulbs in halide systems. they make conversion bulbs to run halide in hps as well and vice versa.
No, the ballast has to be matched to the lamp. 250 watt ballast, 250 watt lamp. Also be sure to match the lamp type to the proper ballast even though the wattage is the same. HPS ballast to HPS lamp, Metal halide ballast to metal halide lamp and mercury vapour lamp to mercury vapour ballast.
No. A mercury vapor lamp will work on a metal halide ballast, but not the other way around.
No. The lamp has to match the ballast. The lamp will not ignite if the wrong ballast is used.
Yes assuming the ballast is also for a metal halide lamp.
No you can't. You can use a metal halide lamp of the exact wattage of the original mercury lamp. You cannot vary on wattage at all.
Between Metal Halide and Mercury Vapor the higher output is emitted from the Metal Halide lamp.
Yes the ballast and starter are the same you can run halide in hps, but not hps in halide.
If you have one or more of each type working, it is easy to tell the difference, a metal halide lamp produces a wide spectrum very white light, the high pressure sodium is a narrow spectrum light that is very yellow. If you just have the light fixture, and need to know what kind of lamp it is made for, the lamp type is often mentioned on the ballast nameplate or a small sticker near the lamp socket. If that does not work, a metal halide ballast will usually be two pieces, a transformer with a heavy laminated metal core, and a capacitor in a silver can. The sodium lamp ballast will have these also, but in addition it will have a lamp striker in a second silver can, or a plastic module. In other words Metal Halide ballast: 2 pieces, HPSodium ballast: 3 components.
No. The bulb has to match the ballast wattage exactly. And you can't interchange different lamps (like metal halide) either. The ballast is specific to that wattage and lamp type. The bulb will either burn out quickly or just not work properly at all
I actually have a 400w hps ballast and I can also use my 400w metal halide bulb in it with no problem. So what your saying is they do, but they dont? the answer is, they dont. You can get universal bulbs hps to plug into a mh ballast they have a miniturized igniter inside the bulb. As I understand it, a 400W metal halide bulb can be used with a 400W hps ballast, but not the converse. A MH bulb has the igniter in the bulb, and the HPS has it in the ballast--which pretty much goes along with your comment above. Apparently the double presence of the igniter in the HPS setup is OK.you can run metal halide in same wattage's but not hps in metal halide systems.you can run such as (same wattage's)250 watt metal halide-400 watt halide ect in hps systems but not hps bulbs in halide systems. they make conversion bulbs to run halide in hps as well and vice versa.
Yes, the ballast is an intricate part of the fixture that the lamp screws into regardless of what size wattage the lamp is.
The light bulb needs to match the ballast in the fixture.