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InfernoST

Aquarium Advice Addict
Joined
May 14, 2009
Messages
1,866
Location
New York
Hi All
As you all know I have couple of running threads about mt 120 FOWLR build along with a bunch of DIY Projects. I received 1 of three ballasts I ordered (T5HO) from Ballast wise (the people over there are completely useless) the MH250's are MIA. Anyhow I installed it and powered up my T5's only to find one bulb not lit, quadruple checked everything including changing the bulb that refused to light and found the problrm to still exist. I called ballast wise and their first response was are you a certified electrician which I replied yes, this seemed to get him upset, then his response was to go online to obtain an RMA, didn't even attempt to help with any troubleshooting and just wanted to get off the phone, so I let him. I went back to investigate further and eventually tore the ballast apart powered it and traced out the circuiting with a scope and drew out what the output circuiting should be. Guess what, it didn't match the wiring diagram on the ballast, I rewired the output wiring, put the bulbs in and VIOLA everything lit up. Here comes the messed up part, I went to the web site and downloaded the PDF and reviwed it and found the wiring discrepancy right in front of my face (should of done this first it would of saved me 2hrs of my time). By the way the ballast is model #DXE4HO5U 4 lamp T5HO 232watt output. Trying to do the right thing and called Ballast wise back to inform them of my findings (the wiring diagram depicted on the ballast is incorrect), the only response I got from them was we never got a call like this and that they would email the boss. You cant make this stuff up.:gangsta:
Anyway here is the link to the online PDF, see if you can spot the discrepancy. Good luck. If you get stuck I will give you a couple of clues.
http://ballastwise.com/images/upload/Documents/DXE4HO5U.pdf
 
Ok, it looks like the 2 orange and the 2 blue/ white are reversed. The 2 ornage should go to one end of bulb and the blue white to the end of 2 bulbs. Making the schematic on the ballas wrong. Did I get it?
 
Yes you did, If you wire it according to the wiring diagram on the Ballast you will only get three lamps to work, if you follow the diagram on the spec sheet it will work, swapping the orange with the blue/white at the ballast corrects the problem. Good job
BTW, welcome to AA Doc. Do you have any tanks?
 
Have 2 tanks at the moment, 1- 50 gal long w/ angels and yellow gouramis. My avatar is one of my angels. 1- 50 gal hexi w/ neons, guppys and mollies. Waiting to hear back from a friend who has a 200 gal I'm ready to buy. May make that one a discus tank.
I am a heating and air conditioning tech, doing mostly electrical, so figuring out the diagram was a snap for me. See that kinda stuff all the ime in my biz.
 
Have 2 tanks at the moment, 1- 50 gal long w/ angels and yellow gouramis. My avatar is one of my angels. 1- 50 gal hexi w/ neons, guppys and mollies. Waiting to hear back from a friend who has a 200 gal I'm ready to buy. May make that one a discus tank.
I am a heating and air conditioning tech, doing mostly electrical, so figuring out the diagram was a snap for me. See that kinda stuff all the ime in my biz.
I figured as much,Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning DOC. I work for IBEW Local Union #3 New York (Fire Alarm Electronics division). I see it also day in and day out, the problem was the ballast was shipped without the cut sheet so i took the long road, I'm the type of person that needs to find the problem which I like to do anyway. I was surprised that a newbie answered it 1st shot, until i looked at who replied.
Anyhow, Your avatar is sweet, really nice looking angel. That's awesome you have the chance at a 200 Gal and you're going to stock it with my favorite freshwater cichlid. I just started up a 120 SW FOWLR 3 weeks ago and it just completed cycling today so I'm proceeding to the next step (Extremely slowly) and also have a 44 gal pentagon with mixed africans that my now 5 year old daughter picked out.
Welcome to AA, it's a great place with very knowledgeable and nice members. If you have a chance it would help answer any questions you need answered if you fill out the my tanks section in the User CP section, it will keep you from having to repeatedly describe what size tanks and equipment you're running.
BTW god luck with that 200 gal, going to want to see some pics.
 
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