I do

Is that a clear BT25 back there?

I sure do, have many on display shelves

My parents would hate me to decorate a place with lamps. xD

Where did you get those sockets? I do have lots of spare sockets. xD I mean I have maaaany.

Thanks, and that is a clear BT25 back there, it's this one. And Ian I got the socket with the price tag on it from a Home Hardware store (which dosen't stock them anymore ) and the other was from a pile of junk at a surplus store.

For awhile I had several HID lamps on display (Yoplait yogurt cups are great for displaying mogul base lamps) but then I put them away so I could do some remodeling work in my room...now you guys finally motivated me to re-display them!

Ah cool, I prefer to use mogul sockets to hold them since they're heavy enough that I don't have to worry about larger 400w lamps tipping over.

Yeah, that worries me too...but I really don't have to worry about them being broken in an earthquake or something since my house is on waterfront property and I'd be running from a tsunami at that point...
But with mogul sockets you could fire them up on display too!

I spy Windows XP in Classic setting

Nope, it's the much loved Windows Vista in classic setting.

Surprisingly that MV ballast is still on my desk mainly because I haven't found a place for it yet.

What's the wattage? I'm assuming it's CWA?
Maybe if it's 100w or 400w you could wire it to power one of those lamps if you installed the wiring on the underside of your desk? Are the lamps still like that?

It's 175w CWA but the cap is bad so it tends to underdrive lamps. I guess I could install the ballast in my desk but it wouldn't be code complaint.

The lamps are still like that although I finally tested that 400w Bonusline this June.

@Joe: I should have known

I have Windows Vista desktop setting to Classic with original first time install color setting scheme at my work

On a 400w ballast finally or on that 250w ballast?
Could you wire an external cap to that ballast or something? Admittedly I have no idea how a CWA ballast is wired up...

CWA ballasts are pretty easy. But with any potted ballast, it's not really worth melting out all the tar to repair them.

But could you bypass the cap somehow (I don't know the wiring schematic for CWA MV ballasts) and install an external one?

@Andy, it was only a 250w MH ballast, I've yet to find a 400w MH ballast locally for a good price.

@Mike and Andy, I actually bought a new cap for it but to use it I have to open up the ballast (because it's potted) to either bypass or to replace the cap. CWA MV ballasts have the cap in series to the lamp output so finding the correct wire should be pretty easy though.

You should try that! If you do I'd love to see pics...

Funny i have a few 400W ballasts and none in 250W

Dunno why but to me 250w just seems less common to me