Lighting problem

[KathyC]

I need a little help figuring this out...yesterday morning one of the 2 bulbs in my Aquamedic fixture (2 x250w mh- 2 X 24w pc) wasn't on when I woke up..and then it was on the next time I looked. It was suggested that I see if the bulb goes on at start up & is then going off. ..forgot to do that when I did finally get home.

Again this morning the one bulb wasn't on. Looked at the timer and the MH's have been on for 2 hours already but the one bulb was still off.

It just came on..no noises coming from the fixture, it just lit up ike normal (just way late). The bulbs are about 5 months old.

What do I check? I have no idea if there are 1 or 2 ballasts in the fixture...Any thoughts on what is wrong?

Thx!

 

[tosiek]

Swap the bulbs out to newer ones or ones you know work and turn on the fixture (or check to see how and when they are shutting off like you posted). If they still don't work its the ballast or loose wiring or the timer is broken (dunno how its set up). Get it checked out soon though, faulty ballast can cause a short inside and spread to a fire, as can loose wiring and we don't want another fire victim on the boards this month.

Buy some beer and bribe someone to come over Kathy =0)

 

[KathyC]

Thanks Tony..I think I'll go turn it off now..and unplug it..hadn't thought of the possibility of fire due to loose wiring!

I'll try it with a different bulb (after it's totally cool - both bulb & ballast...)and if if does come on immediatley, then I should assume it's the bulb..and not have to worry about the wiring?? If it doesn't come on, I'll ask one of you guys to come check it out!

...was in a house fire as a teen-- you have scared the heck out of me (thx!)

 

[qy7400]

I'd start with the bypassing timers, plug the fixture in directly; the startup draw may be to much for it. If it doesn't fire right up the ballast is probably bad, all the bulbs (granted all SE not DE) I've used once they go they did not fire at all.

 

[FRY]

kathy
switch the two bulbs and see if the same thing happens to the same side , let me know what happens,

frank

 

[Bob 1000]

Had the same problem it was the coralife timer I aws using...

 

[KathyC]

I took Fry's suggestion (thx Fry!)..and switched the 2 bulbs...
The right side of the fixture isn't firing even with the 'good' bulb in it..so I imagine that proves it's the ballast. (?)

I saw the bulb on the right side attempt to light about 60 seconds after I turned the fixture on, but it went right back off.

Here's the big question..since this fixture has only 1 power cord that operates BOTH of the MH ballasts - can I use the fixture until I get that ballast replaced? Or might it be dangerous?

Where is the fastest and most reasonably priced place I can get a ballast for this fixture...AND should I replace BOTH ballasts...so they will match?
Icecap has been suggested, but I don't know what model?
Thx!!

 

[mantis32]

I have an aquamedic too. my halides don't always turn on when they should and I suspect it's the coralife timer, then again after it has been disturbed with off and on, it then really takes some time to turn back on. I don't hear anything, and then after a while later, it will act as if just turned on and slowly get brighter. Are you using a coralife timer?

 

[KathyC]

I do NOT use a Coralife timer (as I heard long ago they are awful).. I use Intermatic Heavy Duty timers and they do not appear to be part of the problem. I'd tested them earlier today and tonight while doing the test with the bulbs I plugged directly into the receptical and got the exact same result as with my timers. But thank you for the suggestion!

 

[FRY]

you can use the fixture its safe and you can just change the one ballast,are the ballast electronic or tranformer core type

 

[KathyC]

Thanks Fry

 

[FRY]

when you get the ballast do you know how to change it if not let me know

 

[KathyC]

Ok..I have the ballast and the light has been taken down & I removed the reflectors to expose the interior. Lots of pics here..hopefully you'll be able to tell me what wires to mess with to get the new Icecap ballast attached properly

Entire Fixture before I disassembled

With saftey glass, bulbs & reflectors removed

Close up of side power cords come out of..There are only 2, one controls the PC's (in the center of the fixture), so I have to assume the other power cord controls BOTH MH's. This is the good side of the fixture (the left side)

Here is a different angle of the same side (left side)

Up close of the wording on the current (not functioning?) ballast

Close up shot of the upper side of the right side (broken side) of the stuff inside the fixture.

Close up of the lower side of the right side of the fixture..there is lots of stuff in here...

Pic of the replacement ballast. It already has a cord attached to it to plug in..the yellow & blue wires are apparently the ones I need to hook up to something...:help:

To give you an idea of the difference in sizes between the 2 ballasts & overall layout of the right side of the fixture.

And finally a pic of what the inside end of the fixture looks like (left side)

Important stuff -- There are 2 pink wires coming out of the ballast.
In the pic directly above --one of the wires goes into the round shiny thing to the extreme left of the pic (the thing laying on it's side that is partially hidden). And the 2nd pink wire goes into the square-ish thing that is directly to the right of the round thing.


After looking inside of here, there are numerous other things that can be the issue aside from the ballast I suppose..
I like to learn new things but this looks awfully complicated..any suggestions? Thanks!!

...and no, I am not looking to buy a new fixture at this time...

 

[PalmTree]

I'm somewhat reluctant to give advice on this because I am no expert but I have changed them out in the past. It looks like both ballast in your fixture share common wires. I'd really have to look at it close up and move things around to really understand the schematics but I know it can be done. Where are u located? If no one is available to help you let me know. I could stop by and take a look.

 

[FRY]

that is a core ballast ,just follow the 2 blue wires from the socket and disconnect them from the igniter and ballast remove ballast and igniter and from what i can see round white cap are for both lamp just remove one that is bad ,the silver round on the left does it have 3 wires to it ,then thats the igniter i have igniter if you want to try just that, i whould install the new ballast on top of fixture and bring wires into fixture connect yellow and blue wires from ballast to 2 blue wires from fixture,if you want bing fixture with you and i can meet you half way and change the ballast for you

frank

 

[FRY]

just check the spec from vossloh and its a little complicated the ballast is rated for 220 volt and your useing 120 volt to it,so you have to be careful that you dont mess up the other ballast

 

[KathyC]

My light and I are going to meet Fry this morning...

 

[KathyC]

Wow Fry - you are something else!!
In the back of his minivan in a Home Depot parking lot... Fry (Frank) works magic on lighting fixtures!!
Yes, the light does now light up
Although I am currently half blind from looking at it..both of the lights are on. Yippee!!
Now to wait for enough people to get home to rehang this bad boy.

A HUGE Thank You to Frank for coming to my rescue!!:cheekkiss
Nothing beats the great people I've met in this hobby!!

Frank - feel free to jump in and explain what happened with the light, might come in handy for reference for anyone with the same or similar fixture

 

[FRY]

Kathy glad everything work out,when a MH lamp try to lite then go off its the igniter is not given enough voltage to ark the lamp it would just keep cycle on and off , this just for core ballast you can just replace the igniter,with electronic ballast you have to change the ballast

 

[PalmTree]

Wow nice job Fry! Great to see people helping each other out right here on this board!