Lights not working, need help!
- Thread starter trigger8570
- Start date
trigger8570
New Member
trigger8570
New Member
trigger8570
New Member
trigger8570
New Member
trigger8570
New Member
trigger8570
New Member
scsinet
Active Member
A couple things... first, I assume there are exactly TWO of these lamps in your system. The Icecap 430 cannot drive more than (2) 60" VHO lamps. While it may be possible to ignite new lamps with an improper setup, the lamps will likely stop working quickly as they age because it becomes too difficult for the ballast to kick them up.
The turn on and immediate shutdown rules out power input as being the issue as Shawn said. The immediate shutdown is what happens when Icecaps detect a fault in the wiring. Therefore, you can rule out switches, power cords, fuses, timers, yada yada.
Have you inspected your endcaps carefully for oxidation or salt creep?
Do you have access to a multimeter?
If so, you can do some tests. The first thing you need to do is get your hands on the two lamp wiring diagram for the ballasts. I don't have this handy, but you should be able to find it in no time by looking around.
Set your multimeter to the (200) ohm setting (or just ohms/resistance if it is an autoranging meter).
Remove both lamps, and on each lamp end, place your probes across the two pins on each end of each lamp. You should read a small resistance value across the pins at each end of the each lamp. If not, if the reading does not change when the probes are places against the two pins on any end of any lamp, the lamp needs to be replaced. The meter will NOT read anything from the pins on one side of the lamp to pins on the other side of it. Do not bother testing that.
Second, disconnect the multipin molex connector from the ballast (of course unplugging the system first). With your wiring diagram handy, use the meter to test continuity from each end cap connection back to the ballast connector. You should be able to slide a meter probe into the back of the connector on the ballast end (again, with the ballast DISCONNECTED).
Endcap 1: Continuity from each pin to each red wire on the ballast connector.
Endcap 2: Continuity from each pin to each blue wire on the ballast connector.
Endcap 3 and Endcap 4: One pin from each of these should read continuity between them. The remaining pin from each of them should read continuity to each yellow wire to the ballast connector.
If you can do those tests, you can likely trace out the issue.
The turn on and immediate shutdown rules out power input as being the issue as Shawn said. The immediate shutdown is what happens when Icecaps detect a fault in the wiring. Therefore, you can rule out switches, power cords, fuses, timers, yada yada.
Have you inspected your endcaps carefully for oxidation or salt creep?
Do you have access to a multimeter?
If so, you can do some tests. The first thing you need to do is get your hands on the two lamp wiring diagram for the ballasts. I don't have this handy, but you should be able to find it in no time by looking around.
Set your multimeter to the (200) ohm setting (or just ohms/resistance if it is an autoranging meter).
Remove both lamps, and on each lamp end, place your probes across the two pins on each end of each lamp. You should read a small resistance value across the pins at each end of the each lamp. If not, if the reading does not change when the probes are places against the two pins on any end of any lamp, the lamp needs to be replaced. The meter will NOT read anything from the pins on one side of the lamp to pins on the other side of it. Do not bother testing that.
Second, disconnect the multipin molex connector from the ballast (of course unplugging the system first). With your wiring diagram handy, use the meter to test continuity from each end cap connection back to the ballast connector. You should be able to slide a meter probe into the back of the connector on the ballast end (again, with the ballast DISCONNECTED).
Endcap 1: Continuity from each pin to each red wire on the ballast connector.
Endcap 2: Continuity from each pin to each blue wire on the ballast connector.
Endcap 3 and Endcap 4: One pin from each of these should read continuity between them. The remaining pin from each of them should read continuity to each yellow wire to the ballast connector.
If you can do those tests, you can likely trace out the issue.