Is my new bulb bad?

[salisbury a d]

I just got my new VHO actinics and metal halide bulb in today. The actinics work fine but the metal halide wont work. The balast pulses and the light and the fan turn on. Then after a minute the balast pulses again and the light goes off never getting brighter than an led moon light. Im pretty sure its the same bulb that i had before, Hamilton technologies german made 175w 1000k. Is the bulb bad or do new ones usually take a while before they actually turn on
Please help
Adam

 

[salisbury a d]

Come on someone here has to know the answer...I know it hasnt been that long but I seem to be ignored an aweful lot nd Im starting to question why I even came back to this message board. Probably because I was losing interest in the hobby which i dont want to do. my old bulb still works fine so its not the ballast.
I'll just return the friggin thing and try again, then I'll know if it was a bad bulb or for some reason it was not compatible.
Anyway
If you have a hunch as to whats wrong, whether its the balast or the bulb ill be here
Adam

 

[bigb]

Originally Posted by Salisbury A D
Come on someone here has to know the answer...I know it hasnt been that long but I seem to be ignored an aweful lot nd Im starting to question why I even came back to this message board. Probably because I was losing interest in the hobby which i dont want to do. my old bulb still works fine so its not the ballast.
I'll just return the friggin thing and try again, then I'll know if it was a bad bulb or for some reason it was not compatible.
Anyway
If you have a hunch as to whats wrong, whether its the balast or the bulb ill be here
Adam
I'm not familiar with the bulb/lighting you have so I can't help, sorry. But don't give up on this board. You are asking a Q over a holiday weekend and maybe those that know aren't glued to their comps?

 

[salisbury a d]

The bulb that I am replacing is a Hamilton Ushio label bulb 175w 10000k. The bulb i bought is the Hamilton 175w true 10000k.
The hood i purchased, not sure if i can say the name i will but if it is a violation please sharks delete the name, from Marine Depot. I believe it is also made by Hamilton seeing how it looks exactly like their hoods with the trapezoid shape, black exterior, white reflector. They were very vague on description and seeing how i am a student was juts happy to finally get metal halide. Just said it has a remote ventilated ballast. It makes a pulsing sound when it starts up.
Thanks
Adam
ps when i clean my tank ill post some pictures but currently im re-aquascaping, adding more sand etc. its a mess

 

[acrylic51]

I had a problem back a year ago with some bulbs I got from Hamilton and they did the exact same thing......They did replace the bulbs though...I'd say it's the bulb....Do you have another bulb or can you get your hands on a bulb you know is working just to double check against????

 

[salisbury a d]

I still have my old bulb and it works just fine. I have the new bulb packed up and waiting to be sent back tomorrow. It was kind of weird, nothing looked brocken but when you handled it the bulb made a jingling sound when moved. Some of the components were touching the inside of bulb.
Adam

 

[salisbury a d]

I just found this on another site.
The metal halide lamp fires and then either burns dull or the arc extinguishes?
Usually the ballast and lamp are not receiving enough power. Metal halides pull a high current. Usually the
problem is either there is too great a load on the circuit or the extension cords are of a small wire size and
can`t handle the power needed by the ballast. Use only heavy duty extension cords and try running a ballast
off a circuit from another part of the house.
If this is true then why does my old bulb work, is it cuz it is worn out and requires less juice? I tried just running the MH from the plug and it still didnt have an effect.
Ah whatever...i know this for the next bulb...that one is all wrapped up and i can get another for a cheaper price somewhere else.
Adam

 

[acrylic51]

I don't think it's your ballast or not having enough juice to fire the bulb....Like I had mentioned earlier in the post I went through the same thing as you had just described....Nothing appeared to be broken and bulb did jingle a bit.....It took them forever to get me another bulb, and when they did replace the bulbs the others were fine. I kinda thought the same thing at first, and had old bulbs to try again.
How many bulbs did you purchase from them???? If you got 2 bulbs from them try swapping the bulbs between ballasts or sockets....This will definitely illiminate your ballast or power source this way, if the other new bulb lights on the socket that wouldn't light originally.