VHO Lights stopped working!

[carlos]

My vho lights stopped working so I replaced the light bulbs thinking that one of them had gone bad. However, that was not the case! When I turn on the new lights, they look like they want to light up at one end but not at the other. I think the ballast has gone bad but I really don't have a semi intelligent way to prove it a this time. Do you have any idea? I need to get it fixed as soon as possible! Thanks...Carlos

 

[chocochipper]

How old is the ballast? Are the lamps you put in brand spanking new or used? And the right ones? Just checking. Usually when they look like the want to light it is a bad bulb, but I have seen it happen before with a bad ballast. I'd check all the connections first and go from there.

 

[blue marlin]

The lights are brand spanking new. I checked all connections and they seem to be fine. As far as the ballast goes, it is pretty old but I wouln't know how to check it. Maybe if I go to home depot, they will tell me how to troubleshoot it.

 

[chocochipper]

If it is really old I would say to get a new one. If you've got a VOM you could check the voltage coming out of the ballast. It should say what the output voltage is on the sticker. I don't know exactly what it is, but I think it's somewhere around 600V output for the VHO's. Don't quote me on that, but I thought I saw that number on one once. As far as Ballasts go there isn't much you can do with them aside from buying a new one. No servicable parts inside if you manage to pry it open. But you don't want to pry them open. Some of them have some pretty nasty stuff to leak out of them with time. So you can imagine what is in there.

 

[carlos]

chocochipper , thanks for the info. I need to buy one I guess. I was wondering if I can just buy a regular ballst at Home Depot. Maybe I can save a couple of pennies!
Take care,
Blue Marlin

 

[chocochipper]

Yeah just make sure it's the right ballast VHO not HO or NO. If they don't have a ballast with the same part # that you have maybe they can cross reference it for you or get the #'s off your lights and look for that on the new ballast sticker. And make sure you get a ballast that will run the number of lights you have. Some will run 1,2,3,4 lights.

 

[sonny]

I have not been able to find VHO ballasts at the HD. This would be a good time to upgrade to an Icecap ballast. They will make your VHO lamps burn cooler, brighter, and last longer. The electronic ballast will double the life of a bulb, from 6 months to a year. The Icecap 660 ballast can run up to 4 4 foot tubes also.
Sonny

 

[blue marlin]

Sonny, I think Ice Cap is the answer at this point. My ballast is shot so I am going to order an Ice Cap this weekend! Thanks.