So I shouldn't get one of the other caps right? I couldn't anyway because my mother says NO to going to to the site again because she thinks I will go to JAIL for doing it.

Well you could use them, I'm just telling you to monitor them when they're running since old caps are sometimes unprotected and can short out when they blow, burning up the ballast.

I found a 500 volt 20 uF capacitor on Ebay, will that work? Even though these capacitors are rated for 550 I don't think 500 VAC will make much of a difference...

I would avoid doing that unless the ballast specs allow for a lower voltage.

What is the usual voltage for a 1000 watt MV ballast? Cause that is what would matter.

Well, my 1kW MH has a OCV of 430V and came with a 480V 24uF cap so I'm not quite sure why yours had a 550V cap.

They probably used that for a more safety measure. I will get that 20 uF capacitor, it's cheap and has free shipping so yeah.

And MV has a lower OCV than MH so I shouldn't have a problem.

HERE is the cap I am talking about.

MH and MV ballasts use capacitors of different values, its the norm.

Ian, I wouldn't do that if i were you... I'd get the correct capacitors for it to be safe.

Just to clarify a 20uF 550V capacitor will work instead of using 2 10uF 550V caps since the old caps were connected in parallel, what I don't recommend is using a 500V capacitor unless the ballast label allows it.

I am not sure it's the caps... I think I got this thing underpowered, I learned the parking lot was under 480 volts, so the ballast in this thing is probably 240x480 volts and I have it wired for 240 at the moment. So it probably is getting underpowered. Which is why it won't brighten up all the way.

Yeah from Mike's GE catalogue the 480V M-1000s only came in single tap or 240X480V dual tap. If you have a dryer outlet handy you should be able to run this.

But how would I Be sure that it is wired for 240 volts? I know the lamp ignites but it doesn't brighten all the way. But I don't want to take any risks.

If it does ignite, chances are you are already connected to the 240V tap. It is very unlikely that the lamp would ignite if it was on the 480V tap.

Do you have a dryer cord? You could try plugging it to the dryer outlet.

I think he does, I remember he ran a 240V M-250R1 once.

And to really confirm what voltage it's designed for I guess you could check the OCV or something like that.

I connected it to the dryer cord then plugged it in, it tripped the circuit breaker, so I don't think it is right...

Oh O.O You're sure you plugged it correctly? If it partly ignites on 120V, I don't see how it could litteraly trip the braker on 240V.

It's probably the third or fourth time I say it, buy you should get a multimeter XD It's gonna make things WAY easier.

I could try to get one but my parents would be against it.

Maybe this IS wired for 120 volts right now. Cause if it is wired for 120 and you plug it in 240 it should trip the breaker.

I am confused.. MIGHT it be a bad capacitor?

How could it be wired for 120 volts if it is a 240/480 volt ballast, or am I missing something? Also to clear things up a bit the way this would be connected on 240 volt there would be no neutral correct?

Niall: Yup, no neutral. In Canada ballasts working on phase-to-phase voltages (mainly 208V, 240V and 600V) must have a secondary that is electrically isolated, to avoid having the socket shell live. 120V wouldn't be too bad but 347V

As of the 1000W ballast, since you use a 1000W metal halide, it might need a slightly different voltage/current. Technically it should work, but the ballast was probably made even before metal halides came out, so it may have unpredictable performances with them. The best would be to get a 1000W mercury lamp. Those are cool anyway so there's no reason not to get one XD.