Radiums wont fire??

[h2offshore]

I just purchased three new Radium 250w 20k bulbs. The only way I can get them to fire is if I unscrew the bulb while the ballast is on and twist it back in. I was thinking, maybe sand the contact of the bulb, is there any type of protective coating on there? This is really starting to get to me having to lift a 125lb canopy off everyday to get to the bulbs (they are under lumen bright reflectors).

 

[scsinet]

The Radium lamps are pulse start, requiring a pulse start or HQI ballast.
The behavior you are describing is characteristic of trying to operate a pulse start lamp in a probe start fixture.
Who makes your fixture? What type of lamps did you have previously?

 

[h2offshore]

The are in the lumen bright mini reflectors which came with the socket, not sure who makes my ballast. I bought the whole light as a retrofit fixture and it came with the ballasts, bulbs, etc. Could you recommend a good bulb that will work for me?

 

[almostclueless]

Based on what SCSI said, any bulb would be fine as long as its listed as probe start.

 

[h2offshore]

Are the XM's a probe start type of bulb? If so, are they a good bulb, I was looking to get them in 15k.

 

[snakeblitz33]

I'de go more with 10k if you are doing sps corals. sps corals aren't deepwater. If you are doing any softies, some of them are deepwater like leather corals. Good luck!

 

[digitydash]

14k and 20k bulbs give the corals better color but are blue compaired to 10k.10k will make them grow faster though it all in what you want.

 

[h2offshore]

Originally Posted by digitydash
http:///forum/post/2497890
14k and 20k bulbs give the corals better color but are blue compaired to 10k.10k will make them grow faster though it all in what you want.
I am looking for a happy medium between color and growth, thats why I think the 15k will be good for me. Where in palm beach are you located, Im located in Royal Palm Beach.

 

[scsinet]

Yes, the XM lamps are probe start.
Radium, Ushio, Sunburst (the last one I'm not 100% sure on) are pulse start lamps. Hamilton, XM are probe start.
IF that ballast is probe start, that's going to be your problem. The only ways of finding that out for sure are to A) look up the manufacturer info, B) take apart the ballast unit itself, and look on the ballast itself to find the ANSI code (Mxx usually) or C) find out what brand of lamps were used previously, and use either the same brand or one of the same type of lamp technology as you had before.

 

[digitydash]

Originally Posted by H2offshore
http:///forum/post/2498129
I am looking for a happy medium between color and growth, thats why I think the 15k will be good for me. Where in palm beach are you located, Im located in Royal Palm Beach.
Same as you im off belvedere rd.

 

[acrylic51]

Yeah sounds like wrong ballast for the Radiums.....The Hamiltons, XM's and Sunburst will fire on a standard magnetic ballast 100%. I have (4) of each sitting in the fishroom that fire 100% of the time on a magnetic ballast. Reefflux 12k might be a good fit for a medium blue spectrum for most....