I need help with my lights

2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Monsinour http:///forum/thread/380961/i-need-help-with-my-lights#post_3316634
Care to explain the difference to me so I have a better understanding?
It's been a long day at work, and I'm tired, but I'll try. One is pulse start...and one is probe start. The main difference is simply the type of transformer used. If you want more info than that then I'd sugguest trying to look them up.
What I'm more currious about is whether they gave her the right ballast or not, since these types of ballasts don't fire up the bulb in the same way.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2Quills http:///forum/thread/380961/i-need-help-with-my-lights/20#post_3316651
It's been a long day at work, and I'm tired, but I'll try. One is pulse start...and one is probe start. The main difference is simply the type of transformer used. If you want more info than that then I'd sugguest trying to look them up.
What I'm more currious about is whether they gave her the right ballast or not, since these types of ballasts don't typically have capacitors like alot of the DIY set ups do.

It is a heavy black box...it has three vents both sides. An on and off toggle switch...a heavy cord to plug into the wall and a three pronged female outlet on the other side that my light plugs into.
the ballasts came with the unit, in the same box...it says Aqualight by Coralife on the box.
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///forum/thread/380961/i-need-help-with-my-lights/20#post_3316660

It is a heavy black box...it has three vents both sides. An on and off toggle switch...a heavy cord to plug into the wall and a three pronged female outlet on the other side that my light plugs into.
the ballasts came with the unit, in the same box...it says Aqualight by Coralife on the box.
Right on, I was just wondering if the replacement they sent you was the same kind or not. If they don't ever end up figuring it out for you I'd maybe PM SCSInet. That guy is an evil genius when it comes to the lighting equipment. At least maybe he or someone else could tell us what it turns out to be.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2Quills http:///forum/thread/380961/i-need-help-with-my-lights/20#post_3316668
Right on, I was just wondering if the replacement they sent you was the same kind or not. If they don't ever end up figuring it out for you I'd maybe PM SCSInet. That guy is an evil genius when it comes to the lighting equipment. At least maybe he or someone else could tell us what it turns out to be.

I posted earlier, you may of missed it..yes they are the same.
You know...he hasn't been around lately...I hope all is well.
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
So Flower....the old ballast they replaced for you. Was it doing the same thing the new ballast is doing?
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Are you sure it's possibly not defective in the socket or a short in that area??? I'm familiar with their Pro series, retro and they had funky plugs on the connections, but something with that unit, went bad, and that was the only and last time I've ever used a retro prebuilt setup. To hard to trouble shoot than an actual DIY setup.....
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member

I lost this thread and had to go looking for it…
Is the ballast doing the same thing??? No, the plug does not wiggle in the socket, and it doesn’t make the buzzing noise when connected to the left side.
This morning I turned on both ballasts..the left side fired immediately off of the new ballast. The right side (problem side) was plugged into the old trouble free ballast…it did not start right away because it won’t fire from a cold ballast…however as soon as the ballast got warmed it fired up. So at the moment both lamps are on. The new ballast is hot to the touch, much warmer than the old one no matter which lamp it is connected to.
I’m a little afraid to report both ballasts are working now to the tech support people. I don’t want them to think all is well and leave me hanging in limbo until the warranty wears off. Since I reported a problem BEFORE the end date they have to deal with me. I shouldn’t have to play with the lights like it has a personality to sooth before it will work.
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
Just a quick thought Flower and forgive me if you already mentioned it but when was the last time u replaced the bulbs?
Thinking problems with the bad ballast miss firing the bulb creating it to start going bad. Slow warm up times and bulb kicking off and on are all signs that the bulb is coming to the end of its lifespan.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member

It was a new light system purchased on 3/ 15/2010 and I received it on the 18[sup]th …I upgraded the 10K bulbs it came with to 14K a weeks or so after that. This is October 7[sup]th[/sup] 2010…so these bulbs are 7 months old on the 18th[/sup] not counting the upgrade of a week or so.
I was told MH bulbs last one year. At $70.00 each they better last at least that long. I don’t have a hair algae problem or anything like that to indicate the bulbs output has changed.
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
Yeah I don't remember the excact numbers but metal halides lose like 30 percent of thier output in the first month or something like that and within a year it drops to something like 70. Its not quite visible to our eyes but that creates a shift in the color spectrum. I believe that's why alot of reefers replace bulbs twice a year and one of the main reasons personally chose to go LED.
But yeah I was just thinking the two previous bad ballasts could have adversly effected the life of that particular bulb.
 
monsinour

monsinour

Active Member
Flower, if its getting hot and not working exactly like the other one, it's still broke in my mind and I would still expect a warranty replacement or repair. Due to the fact that you have animals that rely on this device to keep them alive, you cannot and will not send it in to them for them to send you another one after they get yours. They will either send one to you first OR provide you with a location that you can take the ballast to for them to fix in less than 48 hours.
If you need help getting all of this over the phone, I am available, for a nominal fee, to masqueade as your husband and make that phone call for you.
LOL
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Monsinour http:///forum/thread/380961/i-need-help-with-my-lights/20#post_3316945
Flower, if its getting hot and not working exactly like the other one, it's still broke in my mind and I would still expect a warranty replacement or repair. Due to the fact that you have animals that rely on this device to keep them alive, you cannot and will not send it in to them for them to send you another one after they get yours. They will either send one to you first OR provide you with a location that you can take the ballast to for them to fix in less than 48 hours.
If you need help getting all of this over the phone, I am available, for a nominal fee, to masqueade as your husband and make that phone call for you.
LOL

LOL...I pretend to be my own husband, and if they say I don't sound like a man I act like I'm offended.
I learned that trick when my now X husband was at work and had to deal with th cable peole, they insisted they would only talk to who started the account..so I called back and said I was him. Lady said I didn't sound like a man, and I asked what she meant by that...after tipping on her tongue...she took care of my business.
However...I haven't heard back from her yet...the last she informed me of is that she does not have a ballast available and is trying to get one..So far today..nothing.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2Quills http:///forum/thread/380961/i-need-help-with-my-lights/20#post_3316920
Yeah I don't remember the excact numbers but metal halides lose like 30 percent of thier output in the first month or something like that and within a year it drops to something like 70. Its not quite visible to our eyes but that creates a shift in the color spectrum. I believe that's why alot of reefers replace bulbs twice a year and one of the main reasons personally chose to go LED.
But yeah I was just thinking the two previous bad ballasts could have adversly effected the life of that particular bulb.

I was just thinking the two previous bad ballasts could have adversly effected the life of that particular bulb.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2Quills http:///forum/thread/380961/i-need-help-with-my-lights/20#post_3316920
Yeah I don't remember the excact numbers but metal halides lose like 30 percent of thier output in the first month or something like that and within a year it drops to something like 70. Its not quite visible to our eyes but that creates a shift in the color spectrum. I believe that's why alot of reefers replace bulbs twice a year and one of the main reasons personally chose to go LED.
But yeah I was just thinking the two previous bad ballasts could have adversly effected the life of that particular bulb.

I just recieved an e-mail from tech support: I never mentioned the bulb, she must tink like you do. That or she hangs out on this site..
I have a ballast AND a replacement bulb on its way to you. It should be there by Monday.




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meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
FLOWER.....do you have to send the other ballasts back? I'm just wondering....cause if not, why not see if Shawn, Corey or Posiden....or anyone else....may want to tinker with it, HECK if they can get it to work, you'd have some spares
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by meowzer http:///forum/thread/380961/i-need-help-with-my-lights/20#post_3316992
FLOWER.....do you have to send the other ballasts back? I'm just wondering....cause if not, why not see if Shawn, Corey or Posiden....or anyone else....may want to tinker with it, HECK if they can get it to work, you'd have some spares


I don't know yet, I asked her. I doubt it because of the weight, but I better be sure. I have no problem letting the guys tinker with them if they want to play ..but somebody said you could die even if it isn't plugged in, that it might hold a charge (I'm too lazy to see who posted it, I think it was Monsinour but I'm not sure). I also asked a guy at work..remember I work on a railroad, if he could fix a ballast..he fixes train electric stuff and they have huge ballasts...he said no to toss it.
I do have two 175w ballasts in the garage..real nice heavy duty ones, but they have the wrong outlet for my lights to plug into. I was going to try and rewire them but everyone said to not try. That doesn't maen someone that knows electric couldn't rewire them with the right outlet to be useful.
Now I'm thnking..maybe if the guys want to help someone else on the site when they are done with me... I might be able to give a ballast for lights. I would love to give back to this little community we have on this site somehow. Our spare parts may come in handy to bless someone else.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member

I just recieved an e-mail back...she said she doesn't want the ballast back...She said the bulbs have a bulit in igniter, that it may be why I have had problems...so she wants me to swap the bulb and see if it fixes my problem. Well I guess I get a free bulb out of the deal...I could have checked that kind of problem with the bulb I had here.
I have no idea how a bulb could burn up a ballast..
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
Hey that's good news.
Well that makes sense, having the built in ignitor in the bulb then. I'll be curious to see that if this new one that they send you runs as hot as the other new one they just sent you. You mentioned the fact that they might have changed their name or sold out? If that's true then I suppose it could be quite plausible that they are running different components inside of the ballast box. If that's the case and this new ballast runs just as hot as the other new one they just sent you, then I'd run the two new ones and take out the old one that still is working and keep it for a spare.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2Quills http:///forum/thread/380961/i-need-help-with-my-lights/20#post_3317012
Hey that's good news.
Well that makes sense, having the built in ignitor in the bulb then. I'll be curious to see that if this new one that they send you runs as hot as the other new one they just sent you. You mentioned the fact that they might have changed their name or sold out? If that's true then I suppose it could be quite plausible that they are running different components inside of the ballast box. If that's the case and this new ballast runs just as hot as the other new one they just sent you, then I'd run the two new ones and take out the old one that still is working and keep it for a spare.

How ca a little igniter in a bulb blow a ballast?
The lady said they have had trouble with the 175s..she wants me to check the ground...any idea how I would do that?
 
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