coralife strip problem

[xander]

I have a Coralife Freshwater Aqualight 48 inch Single Linear Strip Compact Fluorescent Fixture that hold two 65W bulbs. The bulb on the left will not light up. I thought the bulb was out at first so I got new bulbs. Turns out the original bulb is fine and it still wont light. I believe that this unit uses a single ballast for both bulbs so that should not be an issue. I'm not sure if it has a starter for each one but I haven't found any. What could be the problem? Do I need a new fixture or can I fix it.

 

[xander]

I also found online that these lights should not be used under a canopy. Is that a heat thing? Could that have caused the problem I'm having?

 

[jsoong]

Depending on how handy you are around electricity, you can attempt a fix. If only one light is firing & you have only 1 ballast, it is likely a connection problem, may be corrosion of a connection. I don't think heat is the problem - for one thing heat will fry the ballast & both lights would be out. <Unless there is actually 2 ballasts inside. BTW - the new lights use electronic ballasts so would not have starters at all.> More likely, it is moisture buildup under the canopy that caused problems.

First, make sure that the end cap (the bulb plugs in thing) is not corroded or loose. Also, if you have individual switches for each light, make sure those are not corroded open. Next, I would take the thing apart & seeing if there is anything obvious. If the wiring & both endcaps are fine (maybe swap the good endcap to the bad side & see if that work), then you can try swaping out the ballast <depending on the condition of the light, that might or might not be economical.>

Disclaimer: Working with electrical stuff requires some experience & a good dose of common sense .... Proceed at your own risk!!

 

[xander]

That seems likely as the bulbs were tough to pull out of the connectors due to corrosion. I will try to clean them up and see what happens. Thanks.