Troubleshooting Help Needed

[SkiFletch]

Grrrr, these lights are really starting to try my patience. My flipping brand new 20k Actinic bulb wont fire up anymore . I've only had the bulbs for a couple weeks and now this . So here's teh low down. They're 96 watt fixtures (2 of them) Working off an unknown ballast (probably a double though since there's only one power switch). The Actinic bulb will not fire in either socket, either by itself or in conjunction with the other daylight 10k bulb. It flares blue, but never stays on.

I measured the voltage at the various pins with an averaging voltmeter and found that the working light recieves a full 120VAC (standard US) both when running and when starting on either socket. The actinic bulb only reads a maximum of 80VAC at start when it flashes, and it comes down to like 5VAC after the fixture has been on for a minutee. I dont have a scope on me at home, but could borrow one from work if the readership here thinks that I could learn anything with it...

So, in troubleshooting the problem I'm almoast certain that the ballast is not the malfunctioning item here. The bulb never did snap on fully illuminated since I first got it, It used to snap on and slowly fill itself with luminescence if you know what I mean. Kind of like an old heat up starting flourescent tube. Should I try replacing the tube, or investigate further before I go through the trouble? Thanks in advance for the info

 

[Aquascaper]

If it was me i'd get a new tube and test it that way. If it's not the tube then you have a spare for when that one finally gives out later on down the line so you haven't lost anything.
If it solves the problem then you've saved yourself a night of looking at a 'scope waving up and down

 

[RipSlider]

I know I'm going to spund like a luddite here, but have you tried giving it a good smack with your fist. The balast that is, not the bulb!!

My ballast wouldn't work when I first got it, and the started to do what yours does. Now it works fine.

Another mistake I made was plumbing the leads in the wrong way around. If you have a double lead set, try swapping which end goes on which bulb.

Steve

 

[Matthew5664]

Take the ballest to the LFS and test on a new bulb to eliminate that. Then change the starter try that. And as RipSlider said Hit it hard (work for my VCR)

 

[SkiFletch]

Take the ballest to the LFS and test on a new bulb to eliminate that. Then change the starter try that. And as RipSlider said Hit it hard (work for my VCR)

Would be a great idea if any LFS carried straight pin bulbs around me... Ive looked

 

[Matthew5664]

you may have a problem there

 

[SkiFletch]

you may have a problem there

Amen to that

 

[crazyelece]

Do you have another set of bulbs that you used before or is the entire light fixture new?

 

[SkiFletch]

Brand spanking new (2 weeks old)

 

[Aquascaper]

Told you., you should have gone to Bavaria-aquarist

 

[SkiFletch]

Told you., you should have gone to Bavaria-aquarist

Lol, lets not and say we didd at least the ebay seller I worked with is very cooperative

 

[crazyelece]

I was going to say see if you can return it for credit or another unit if new. Sounds like it may be a bulb issue, but if there are two sockets and neither is lighting it could easily be a balast as well.

 

[SkiFletch]

I was going to say see if you can return it for credit or another unit if new. Sounds like it may be a bulb issue, but if there are two sockets and neither is lighting it could easily be a balast as well.

Well, its 2 sockets and either socket lights the 10k, but neither socket lights the 20k, either together or alone. I've asked around some others and pretty much everyone agrees that its likely a bulb. Gonna have one ordered for me and go from there.

 

[crazyelece]

Ok, you are correct, if both sockets light a bulb. Then any bulb not being able to be lit is bad.

 

[pleder]

I'd hit the ebay seller up for a new bulb, ship him back that one. That is not fair that it is your loss for an inferior product.

Sorry that happended , that sux.