scsinet
Active Member
A "Poof" is usually indicative of a flashover arc, which is what would be expected with saltwater hitting electrics. I would expect you'd see some blackening, or some other visual evidence of destruction inside the ballast enclosure.
If it's a magnetic ballast, those are pretty much bulletproof (except the ignitor which you'd have in a DE system). Electronic ballasts are almost always potted in pitch so anything internal, making the ballasts themselves fairly impervious to water... though anything is possible. I'd say the #1 possibility is a blown fuse somewhere.
Open that ballast up, snap some pictures, and post them!
If it's a magnetic ballast, those are pretty much bulletproof (except the ignitor which you'd have in a DE system). Electronic ballasts are almost always potted in pitch so anything internal, making the ballasts themselves fairly impervious to water... though anything is possible. I'd say the #1 possibility is a blown fuse somewhere.
Open that ballast up, snap some pictures, and post them!