Lighting problems...PLEASE help

[flower]

One of my MH bulbs won’t fire. It did this once before and I putzed around with the plug for the ballast and it lit. Now it is doing it again and this time I can’t get it to fire. I am assuming I have a bad ballast.
I have a Hamilton retrofit 2 X 175w MH unit with 2 X 96w actinic. Each set of lights have their own ballast. Everything lights but the right side. I looked on line and I found a ballast that is for 400w???? I have never dealt with ballasts…When I went on line to where I purchased the light, I found a ballast that looks like mine but it says 400w. Do I need one that says 175w or is the 400w the norm and is that the one I need???
Is there a way to fix a bad ballast?

 

[teresaq]

Is it one ballast for the MH and one for the pcs, or two for the mh. Picture might help
You will need one that is for 175 wtts.
T

 

[teresaq]

is this what it looks like
Replacement metal halide ballast assembly for 1-175 watt metal halide fixture complete with US style magnetic ballast core (ANSI: M57 - probe start ballast), black metal enclosure, lamp-cord with quick disconnect, powercord and on-off switch.
Description Our Price Qty
Metal Halide Ballast: 1-175W $89.00

 

[flower]

Wow, Thanks for the quick reply! While I went on a google search, you answered. I thought maybe I needed a 175w but knew nothing about them so I asked, when I did a search… a frame came up with a 400w and so I was confused. I don’t know why when I asked about a 175w the place offered me a 400w??? I love this site and the people on it.
Anyway…It turns out it isn’t the ballast, it’s a short right where the bulb is screwed in. I wiggled it and it fired up. Now I’m worried about a short because that just sounds dangerous over water. It’s a retrofit to start with, and I don’t have a glass plate separating it from the tank. It does sit 10 inches above the water.
I just got new MH bulbs and my new actinic bulbs are ordered and will be here next week. I found a new unit with housing, so not retrofit, with a glass plate, on sale for $450.00 that uses the same bulbs all around. I think I am just going to replace the unit altogether.
What do you think?

 

[teresaq]

is your retro in a canopy?? I dont think those full units are good in a canopy.
T

 

[flower]

Originally Posted by TeresaQ
http:///forum/post/3245146
is your retro in a canopy?? I dont think those full units are good in a canopy.
T

It is in a canopy, I like the finished look. I also have the tank right in my living room and in a sit down position the MH bulbs hurt my eyes. So I don't want them open and exposed.
However I am concerned with a short that I am just asking for disaster, so I was considering a new encosed unit. I can always change the top and just have lights on top like others on here. Better to be safe.
My idea:
I removed the top lid of the canopy, I wonder if I can set up the lights to set above the hood and not down in it. (that is the way I set the retrofit lights) I do have two ice cap fans kitty cornered in the canopy hood blowing just over the water surface. The new unit also has built in fans…so with all that air circulation do you think it is doable?
That way the bulbs will not be exposed, but yet lifted up off the water with extra fans blowing...