Faulty Interpet T5 Bulbs?

[betta fish]

Hi all just wanted to know if anyone else is having an issue with these bulbs? http/www.portonaquapet.co.uk/Blue_Moonlight_T5_Pc_36_Watt-M42304 I am on my second one after the first flickered on and off intermittently when on, thinking it was perhaps a loose connection or my light unit I swapped bulbs around and made sure they were in securely but no the issue still persists with this blue bulb and the second replacement bulb that I received yesterday is doing exactly the same thing 

just wanted to know if there is a faulty batch doing the rounds, I have messaged the seller and am now waiting for a reply not quite sure whether I should just call it a day with these bulbs but I have the daylight reef running alongside it fine so just want one that works!

 

[bodge99]

Hello,
 
I've seen similar problems with another make of tube.. however the fault wasn't with the tubes.. I eventually traced it to the ballast. The existing ballast would work perfectly O.K. with most makes of tube and the "faulty" tubes were perfectly O.K. in a different hood.
 
It would appear that the specific combination of tube and ballast was somewhat "marginal"... I ended up changing the ballast as the tank owner wanted to use this specific make of tube. I ended up fitting his old ballast to one of my tanks where it still works perfectly today!
 
If you can, try your tubes in another hood or fitting.. If they work fine there then you may have a similar problem as above.
 
I would be very interested to hear what you discover.
 
Good luck!
 
Bodge99.

 

[betta fish]

Hi Bodge, many thanks for your help, unfortunately I do not have another 4 pin light fitting to accommodate the blue tube I have however, swapped the tube to the other light fitting next to it but on the same controller as I have two and the problem still exists, the daylight tube bought at the same time of the same specs does not have this problem so I do think it may be the tube, also this particular tube is not flashing on and off half as much as the first one I received so I may just end up keeping it, I haven't heard back from the seller yet.

 

[bodge99]

Hello,
 
It still could be a marginal combination even though you have swapped the tubes..
This assumes that you have a single electronic ballast which supports 2 tubes (probably the most common type).
 
A failing traditional magnetic ballast could also give similar symptoms...
 
Bodge99