I'm not totally sure, but I think a pulse start magnetic ballast won't fire up the Iwasaki, you would need a probe start, or electronic or HQI ballast. You won't get quite the peformance on the probe start at you would on an electronic ballast, but it is still a good bulb. Expensive though...just over $100. J&L has them.

The Iwasaki will work with a probe start 175w ballast (M57). I've never heard of an HQI 175W ballast. I probably will NOT work with a pulse 175w ballast.


http://www.manhattanreefs.com/lighti...-lamp-data.php

How does one tell if it's a Probe or Pulse start? You know, all my years as an electrician, I just put the darn things up, and change the light bulbs. I have never paied attn to what style they are. Just MH or HPS, and what wattage needed.

Is it just me, but nothing comes up when I click your Link Fkshiu. Just a black spreadsheet

No in the case of 175w I've never heard of an HQI either! :lol:

I just checked J&L, and their website says: "Note: This bulb requires a probe start (standard) or electronic ballast to operate effectively." So you're right...I had it backwards. I knew one of them would possibly not work.

His link won't work because that website doesn't allow you to link to the "results" page. Try this link and fill out either "Ballast" or "Ballast and Lamp": http://www.manhattanreefs.com/lighting

Open up the box and look for the ANSI code. If it's probe then it will say "M57" somewhere. If it's pulse then it will have another code which I don't have handy now. Another way to tell is the number of components you see. If you see a capacitor and coil only then it is a probe ("cap 'n coil") but if you also see a third component inside - the ignitor - then it's a pulse start.

this link has the ANSI codes with description.

ok a few things to clear up, no such thing as a 175 watt HQI, only 80watt, 150 watt and 250 watt. thats it for HQI.

a pulse start ballast will run any bulb, it is a probe start ballast that will not light a pulse start bulb. think of ballast in two groups

unaversal bulb group includes (HQi, Electronic and Pulse ballasts)
and
specific bulb, ie. Probe start ballast can only start a probe start bulb.

the only thing a pulse start ballast does to a probe start bulb is extend the life ot the bulb.

Steve

I'm currently running the Iwasaki 175w bulb on a pulse start pfo ballast without problems. Does anyone here have direct experience running this bulb with an electronic ballast AND with a magnetic ballast? Or is everyone going off of the Sanjay test numbers?