BC Northern Lights Bloom Box Help Needed!

DocMicro

New Member
Hello Fellow Growers! Need some assistance in figuring out if the timer is bad and/or lights are ok in a used Bloom Box. can some one tell me how to test this? When I plug it in and turn it on it comes up with fans running we made sure pumps were not plugged in so they did not get burnt out. Buying the machine used from a friend. Need more info on how it works. Any help greatly appreciated!
 
Hello Fellow Growers! Need some assistance in figuring out if the timer is bad and/or lights are ok in a used Bloom Box. can some one tell me how to test this? When I plug it in and turn it on it comes up with fans running we made sure pumps were not plugged in so they did not get burnt out. Buying the machine used from a friend. Need more info on how it works. Any help greatly appreciated!

I might be your guy, Doc. Do you have a picture of the computer/timer set-up? I have a similar unit from BC Northern lights and have gotten pretty good at the computer/timer setup on mine. BUT, they're not all the same. Can you either describe it thoroughly, or take a picture and post?

Edit: Also, if you search youtube you'll find that BC Northern lights actually has some pretty good tutorials on their products and even how to service them - here's a good link:


:goodluck: X
 
I appreciate all the input so far. I will try to post a pic with this reply to show the timer. I have had no luck at all getting the lights on no matter wht I do. When I attempt to set the time on the timer and I press ok it goes right back to zeros. It says a program is running and I can stop it and start it but still nothing. I gave $600 for the box and so far I think I bought a big metal garage can with fans. It has done nothing if I turn the switches on the pump will come on but no lights at all.
Again I appreciate the help.
-Doc :peacetwo:
 
Well I cannot post pics but I can tell you it has blue buttons and the box was purchased new in 2006. When I contact BC they tell me I need to upgrade the timer hru them for $370 bucks! Am I am not even sure it is bad. Cannot figure out how to get the lights on just to see if they work and so I can get started. I ned all the help I can get.

Thanks,
-Doc
 
The timer in the videos you sent on you tube is the one I have but it still seems I cannot get the lights to turn on at all. So either the timer is screwed up OR both of the bulbs are blown (unlikely). Either way it is not going to be cheap to fix. Any suggestions on how to bypass the timer to see if the bulbs are ok? The replacement timer is $370 and the bulbs are close to $100 so it would be nice to make sure they were ok before spending the money to replace them.

-Doc
 
The timer in the videos you sent on you tube is the one I have but it still seems I cannot get the lights to turn on at all. So either the timer is screwed up OR both of the bulbs are blown (unlikely). Either way it is not going to be cheap to fix. Any suggestions on how to bypass the timer to see if the bulbs are ok? The replacement timer is $370 and the bulbs are close to $100 so it would be nice to make sure they were ok before spending the money to replace them.

-Doc

Okay, I'm assuming that you are confident by now that you have the computer programmed correctly so that it SHOULD turn on the bulb. If that's the case, since you've tried 2 bulbs already, I'm guessing your issue is a bad ballast, or a bad connection between the ballast, computer/controller, and the bulb. Have you opened the compartment that contains the ballast? If so, what kind of ballast do you have in there (Lumatek, I'm assuming?).

Once you open the front-most compartment (like the one with the bulb kinda), check out whether the ballast has a "reset" button that needs to be pushed (like a breaker). It's possible that the breaker tripped somehow. If it's not that, check to see that your wiring is connected correctly between the ballast, computer, and bulb. BC Northern lights has a video on youtube, I believe, that shows how the wiring should be connected, too. Otherwise check their website it should be one of those places.

I believe you said that you have pumps/fans running, correct? If so it seems to me a ballast or connection issue more than the timer/computer/controller.

Hang in there, we may be able to get this figured out. Let me know what you find with the ballast, and I'll try to keep checking this thread to help if I can.

:goodluck:
 
Hello again Xlr8!

Sorry for the delay in response I was out of town on a mini vacation. I have removed both lids and checked for a ballast and a reset switch and I have not found either as of yet. And as far as being sure I have the timer programmed properly, I am not so sure. I have the original instruction manual from 2006 and I have followed the instructions to the letter and when I am done setting the date and time and I hit the ok key it resets all of it to zero?? The problem is I do not know if that is the expected outcome from the timer or what? What I do know is that nothing I have tried so far has had any outcome as far as the lights are concerned. Not even a twinkle. Seems as though the timer may be the culprit but to be sure it isn't the cheaper of the items I am taking the bulbs down the local hydro store here in town and going to test them. If they work at the store I will have narrowed it down a little more and may have my answer. If you have any other suggestions I would appreciate the help and thanks again for everything so far it has been nice to have someone help walk me thru this $600 nightmare. As a result of this nightmare my babies all passed away due to not being to get the lights to work (I was stupid and did not test them ahead of time). So once I get this figured out I get to start all over again from scratch! Maybe if you dont mind you can give me a hand making sure I get it right the first time once I get the equipment malfunction resolved. So far my first time hydro experience has been a nightmare lol. I just keep telling myself this is my "learning curve" and it will all be better once I get it figured out and up and running correctly.


Thanks again,
Doc
 
Doc, there should be a ballast in there somewhere. It's needed to power the bulb. Without it, it won't work. You can buy a replacement ballast if you still need it - it would probably run around $150 depending on the brand, etc.

Check this video out - it is an overview of replacing the ballast. Should help you figure out what you've got and don't got.

YouTube - ‪Bloombox Grow Box Ballast‬‏

You have a really good machine, and you got a good price. Even if you have to replace something like this, the price was right, so to speak. Hope that link helps.

Here is a link to a bunch of their other videos. Hope you can get this figured out. :goodluck:

YouTube - ‫
 
Have you called BC Northern Lights yet (sorry can't remember if you had)? They have a pretty good customer service department, and I'm sure they could help you diagnose this better.
 
Hello Again!
Well I watched the video and being new at all of this I did not know that there was something missing but that seems to be the issue I do not seem to have a ballast! I suppose this is what I get for buying a used machine with half of the stuff missing.
And yes I did contact tech support at BCNL but they wont help me unless I pay a $250 tech support charge or buy something from them at that price or higher which the timer is $370 from them. Not sure yet what the ballast will cost.
Thanks again for all your help and I will let you know what happens next in the BCNL Bloombox comeback saga...

To be continued.

Doc
 
Hello Again!
Well I watched the video and being new at all of this I did not know that there was something missing but that seems to be the issue I do not seem to have a ballast! I suppose this is what I get for buying a used machine with half of the stuff missing.
And yes I did contact tech support at BCNL but they wont help me unless I pay a $250 tech support charge or buy something from them at that price or higher which the timer is $370 from them. Not sure yet what the ballast will cost.
Thanks again for all your help and I will let you know what happens next in the BCNL Bloombox comeback saga...

To be continued.

Doc

As far as the ballast, what you need is a "400 watt digital ballast". There are several brands that would work. I've personally tried 2 that worked fine in my BCNL box. The two I've tried are Lumatek 400w digital, and Quantum 400w digital. Galaxy has a good 400w ballast that would work fine in there, too. They run about $125-$150. Pretty simple to install. I believe the one that came with your machine was a Lumatek. BC Northern lights has switched to Quantum, now, but I'm not sure there is much difference. Quantums have little fans in them, which is nice, but also one more thing to potentially go wrong - perhaps?
 
Well after taking digital photos and emailing them to BCNL they finally explained that the big brown thing in the middle that I thought was a transformer is in fact the old style ballast. So the replacment of the timer and a new bulb and I should be just about ready to get growing (I hope). So that brings me to my next set of questions if you are still willing to help me out. Do nutrients expire? This guy still had the original unopened nutrients in the black jugs do I dare attempt to use these or spend another chunk of change replacing them all? And last but not least the bulbs, the Veg chamber has the 125 watt CFL and the flowering chamber has a 430 watt MH. I have read that the bulb in the flowering chamber should be a 400 watt HPS for better results. What is your experience with the different bulbs? What do you recommend?
Thanks again for your help.

-Doc
 
wow sounds like you got some problems :roorrip: yes nutes expire what are they, have you checked there site for advice?, the light watts is a-ok . The nutes for a small grow can be cheap. I get lost of free samples of hydro nutes at the grow stores just ask.
 
Well after taking digital photos and emailing them to BCNL they finally explained that the big brown thing in the middle that I thought was a transformer is in fact the old style ballast. So the replacment of the timer and a new bulb and I should be just about ready to get growing (I hope). So that brings me to my next set of questions if you are still willing to help me out. Do nutrients expire? This guy still had the original unopened nutrients in the black jugs do I dare attempt to use these or spend another chunk of change replacing them all? And last but not least the bulbs, the Veg chamber has the 125 watt CFL and the flowering chamber has a 430 watt MH. I have read that the bulb in the flowering chamber should be a 400 watt HPS for better results. What is your experience with the different bulbs? What do you recommend?
Thanks again for your help.

-Doc

Hi Doc - Great news!

I'm glad you got the ballast/bulb/timer thing figured out. Hopefully you'll get it all running good soon. Nutes do go bad, but I'm not sure they have a specific date. You may be able to pull it off with those nutes, but you might have BETTER results with new nutrients, if that makes sense. I wouldn't use anything with chunks in it or lots of particulate matter, or if it smells particularly "rotten" myself. IF those issues aren't there, I'd be tempted to give them a try while you're getting things broken in. If you start having problems you can always go buy new nutrients afterwards. X
 
If you want to try some good nutes, try Nectar For The Gods-I got some samples from some friends, and have had great results-I will try to send pic's of my 3 Purple Urkel Girls-Looks to me like the nutes work good 31 day's into bloom. GREAT BUY on the BC Cab- Good luck with it you LUCKY F*^*K
"One Man Gathers What Another Man Spills"
 
Hey doc I have a bloom box I have checked everything timers etc are the lights in the veg side (right side) supposed to be on all the time I have the 18/6 switch on and it seems that the lights never turn off can you help me thanks
 
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