light bulb problem for my aquarium...

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proverbs

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Oct 30, 2005
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s.caLi
i have a pair of lights that are 55W/10000K each. it just went out yesterday so i went to the fish store and they only hadd one bulb left - so i just bought one. well, before i plugged in the new one i tried turning the old ones on, and it worked - but only for about 2 minutes. then it would turn off again. if i waited a few minutes and turned it on, the light would stay on for a few minutes. so i put the new bulb in testing both of the old bulbs with it, and got the same results. anyone know what could be wrong? do i just need to buy another new bulb?
 
If the bulbs light fully, I would say that it has to be the ballast not the bulbs. check the ballast ot see if it is having any problems. It may be overheating or have some other fault. Be carefule, you do not want to start a fire!
 
I agree with MMM, The ballast, depending on what type, could have a bad capacitor. If it can't hold the juice for supplying the load to the bulbs, it will shut off.. There is no easy way to determine this, and it can be very dangerous. If you know an electrician, you could have them look at it. Otherwise, you might have to purchase a new one.. You may even have it covered under warranty with the manufacturer.
 
the bulbs do light fully, so i guess it is the ballast. but one problem - i have no idea what a ballast is.
can you guys describe what i have to look for?
 
follow the wires from where the bulbs connect to a box....check the connections on this box. The box would be the ballast.
 
ugh.. is it the Jebo in your profile?
they seem to have ballast problems :(
if you did buy it recently try to get with the retailer for a repair or replacement..
I still havnt seen someone double check the wiring to the ballast to see if that's the problem these things have or if there just shipping the units with low quality ballasts..
HTH
 
greenmaji said:
ugh.. is it the Jebo in your profile?
they seem to have ballast problems :(
if you did buy it recently try to get with the retailer for a repair or replacement..
I still havnt seen someone double check the wiring to the ballast to see if that's the problem these things have or if there just shipping the units with low quality ballasts..
HTH

if you can tell me what to look for and how i can fix it, i can double check the the wiring to the ballast to see if theres a problem or if its just really low quality.
i asked the LFS that i it bought and he said that he would replace it for me but it will take about 2-3 weeks to receive from the manufacturer.
 
if he is going to replace it then DO NOT take it apart. If they see it was messed with Im sure any warranty will be void.
And if you don't know where the ballast is I dought you will know how to fix it. Try and borrow a light from a firend while you wait.
 
i brought it back to the LFS that i got it from last week. he said that it will be a couple weeks, since he has to give it back to his supplier and the supplier has to send it to the manfucaturer, or something like that. anyways, i called him yesterday and he told me the guy didn't even pick it up yet. :x :evil:

is it really hard to fix/replace the ballast, or should i just wait it out? i really hate that LFS. the owner is greedy as hell and tries to pick every penny of mine and then gives me bad advice. i can't wait until this whole ordeal with the light is over so i never have to see him again.
 
8O I would wait it out.. Do you have a light at all?? 8O
what would the LFS owner have done if you had corals? (symbiotic algae coarls of course)
did he not have any units for sale?
ie return for the same product? I suppose not...
WOW.. definatly stop dealing with him ASAP..

He could have at least offered a resonable solution to the problem..
:evil: :evil:

fixing the ballast would not be in my relm of knolege.. (I'm not a electrical engenering technition)
and I wouldnt try fixing the unit personaly untill the retailer refused to take it back (in my case thats usually after at least 5 years of good use of a product so warrtees would be expired with electrionics)
and most people just replace equipment that I repair (filters, pumps, impellers right about eveything but the motor in the housing) I was young and lets say had a lack of funds when I got into the hobby..
so.. long story short.. I sometimes say things that I probibly should keep to myself.. such as cracking open a fixture that could be returned (without thinking about its age becase most all of my stuff is too old to return) now that I think about it, all of my equipment is old :wink:
in other words.. I appoligize for my remarks earlier.. my curriousity about the Jebo units should involve me purchasing one and dismantiling it myself to see how messed up they really are if I really want to know whats wrong with them.. (If the MH units were cheaper, yea Im that cheap..lol, I would have actually done this by now most likely)

I really hope you can get this resolved swifty.. :D
 
well, still wating it out. hopefully i can get it by the end of this week but knowing this guy, i won't get it for another 2 weeks. i really don't know what he would have done if i had corals but i can guarantee he would say, "why don't you just buy another tank?" that's how the guy is. i just found a small lamp i can use temporarily. its pretty small and doesn't work very well with the tank, but its the only option i have.
i bought everything from him about 3 months ago and already had a many issues with everything he sold me.
 
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