I wanted to show you all the cool video I worked hard on making of my ballast box. I was showing a demonstration with a Barbecue ignitor that was permanently installed in the ballast box and powering up 5 different lamps in 3 different types!

video is here

That's a great video man!!

Thanks bud!

How is the ignitor wired in exactly? Does this one have one electrode or two?

How is the ignitor wired in exactly? Does this one have one electrode or two?

I am not sure actually, I thought it had one...but the ignitor was more effective and worked better if I connected the 2nd wire to a nut that was screwed on the ignitor which also holds it in place...so I would assume 2

Quote from: Xytrell on February 20, 2010, 01:38:10 PM

How is the ignitor wired in exactly? Does this one have one electrode or two?

I am not sure actually, I thought it had one...but the ignitor was more effective and worked better if I connected the 2nd wire to a nut that was screwed on the ignitor which also holds it in place...so I would assume 2

It has two, the current from the HV kick need a path to return...
But for safety reason, i would not connect the nut directly to the shell (unless the ballast is isolated and the shell connected to PE), but connect it via the "Y" EMI suppression capacitor (~2.2nF/2.5kV, safety insulation rated - in PSU's connected between primary and secondary side). It will pass the current spike from the ignition pulse, but isolate the 120/230V 50/60Hz mains from the nut. Don't forget, then the neutral wire could have loose contact, so then the phase voltage passes trough the ballast to it...

So one lead is connected to the "+" lamp lead (the non-threaded nub at the bottom) and the other lead is grounded? Could you maybe throw up a diagram?

Ignitor is connected in parallel to the lamp: HV wire to the center contact, ignitor nut to the lamp shell.
My proposal was: HV wire to the lamp center contact, ignitor nut to one lead of the capacitor, second lead of the capacitor to the lamp shell.

Parallel to this is connected the ballast: Live ballast output to the center contact, Neutral to the lamp shell.

This ballast I have here doesn't have a capacitor though..

I meant the 2.2nF "Y" rated (for connection between primary and secondary side) safety EMC suppression capacitor (used in switch mode adapters for notebooks,...), what should be added here to provide safety insulation of the ignitor nut (accessible conductive object) from the lamp shell (could be potentially energized by dangerous voltage).
This capacitor will provide sufficient path for short time ignition current pulse, but would block the 60Hz mains current to reach unsafe value when somebody would touch the nut.
This capacitor is of course not part of the ballast, it should be added to the manual ignitor to make your setup safe, but still working...

So you mean, I should use a compactor....where should it get installed how is it wired? I have a  2 uF 500 volt rated at 90 degrees C.....

Should I use that or should I use a different kind of cap? Let me know...thanks

Medved, if the nut is connected to the lamp shell, and the lamp shell is neutral, and neutral is grounded, where's the danger?

Medved, if the nut is connected to the lamp shell, and the lamp shell is neutral, and neutral is grounded, where's the danger?

Loose connection in the neutral wiring path - full phase voltage would be on the ignitor nut...
Therefore i would use the capacitor, as in such failure mode it would limit the current to safe level.

Quote from: Xytrell on May 06, 2010, 12:39:41 PM

Medved, if the nut is connected to the lamp shell, and the lamp shell is neutral, and neutral is grounded, where's the danger?

Loose connection in the neutral wiring path - full phase voltage would be on the ignitor nut...
Therefore i would use the capacitor, as in such failure mode it would limit the current to safe level.

Would the cap I mentioned be a good one, or do i need one of those smaller ones found in PCB boards?

Quote from: Medved on May 06, 2010, 01:21:55 PM

Quote from: Xytrell on May 06, 2010, 12:39:41 PM

Medved, if the nut is connected to the lamp shell, and the lamp shell is neutral, and neutral is grounded, where's the danger?

Loose connection in the neutral wiring path - full phase voltage would be on the ignitor nut...
Therefore i would use the capacitor, as in such failure mode it would limit the current to safe level.

Would the cap I mentioned be a good one, or do i need one of those smaller ones found in PCB boards?

It has to be the "Y" rated safety capacitor. They are usually inside power supply (e.g. PC) connected between live input wires to chassis (one from phase, second from neutral to chassis). They are usually shiny coated ceramic disc, they have about 2.2nF and are rated for 250VAC with "Y" letter and/or 2kV without any suffix.

On this link is the page of our local component store (it is operating only locally here, so i assume it would not be treated as an ad). The capacitors i mean are those blue on the top of the picture. When you click onto the "Dokumentace" tab on the bottom, you get a link to the datasheet, there on the first page on bottom right is shown, how the marking should look like (the example is exactly the 2.2nF i was talking about before)