Really hot MH ballasts?
 

I recently started using my 175watt MH lights. The ballasts get very hot, is this to be expected?

Oh definitely. I could probably cook eggs on mine :biggrin:

Thats good to know, thanks. I was a little worried they were about to meltdown.

mine get hot, but no that hot

I guess it depends on which type you have. Mine are bare ballasts in a box. The outside doesn't get quite as hot as the ballasts themselves but its still pretty hot.

when I had my PFO 150W hqi ballast, it was hot enough I didn't trust leaving it on the carpet. I set it on top of chunks of 4x4.

I always sit mine on some type of brick or something and most times, cool it with a small fan.