I have a "new" 150w HQI MH fixture that I got on ebay for $250 delivered. Looks like a decent fixture with the 150w 15000k MH, two 96w PC Actinic bulbs, 8 blue LEDs and a built in fan. Separate cords and switches for each light.
The MH bulb that came with it stopped working after about 10 days. It would light up for about 20min to two hours then shut off. The seller said it was a bad bulb and would send me a new one (still waiting three weeks later...). I went out and bought a made in japan Phoenix 14000k 150w DE MH bulb off Amazon for $45 and installed it. Worked fine for 10 days... today it will not light up. When I hit the switch on the ballast, about 3 seconds later the inner bulb glows for about 2 seconds and then goes out. I also tried the original bulb that came with it with the same results. WTF? Is this bulb bad too? Is the ballast making the bulbs go bad? Is the ballast bad (which is what I am thinking)?
Anyone with MH light experience that can give me advise?
Another issue is that two days ago one of the PC actinic bulbs stopped working after exactly 1 month of running the fixture. I had noticed that it was dimmer, but thought they might be a 420 and a 460 actinic. Nope, just crap bulbs. I switched the bulbs around so I know it isn't the ballast... Again the guy promised to send me a new bulb, but after the MH not working again today I think I am going to return the fixture... I only have until Aug 22 to file an ebay case and told him I had to have the new bulbs by this Saturday. But now I don't think just bulbs will fix it.
It's a shame as it was a nice fixture for the price. But if I have to add a MH bulb($45), two PC bulbs ($64) and a new MH ballast ($150) I probably could have got a "name brand" fixture for the same $500...
So should I keep it or send it back and buy something else?
The MH bulb that came with it stopped working after about 10 days. It would light up for about 20min to two hours then shut off. The seller said it was a bad bulb and would send me a new one (still waiting three weeks later...). I went out and bought a made in japan Phoenix 14000k 150w DE MH bulb off Amazon for $45 and installed it. Worked fine for 10 days... today it will not light up. When I hit the switch on the ballast, about 3 seconds later the inner bulb glows for about 2 seconds and then goes out. I also tried the original bulb that came with it with the same results. WTF? Is this bulb bad too? Is the ballast making the bulbs go bad? Is the ballast bad (which is what I am thinking)?
Anyone with MH light experience that can give me advise?
Another issue is that two days ago one of the PC actinic bulbs stopped working after exactly 1 month of running the fixture. I had noticed that it was dimmer, but thought they might be a 420 and a 460 actinic. Nope, just crap bulbs. I switched the bulbs around so I know it isn't the ballast... Again the guy promised to send me a new bulb, but after the MH not working again today I think I am going to return the fixture... I only have until Aug 22 to file an ebay case and told him I had to have the new bulbs by this Saturday. But now I don't think just bulbs will fix it.
It's a shame as it was a nice fixture for the price. But if I have to add a MH bulb($45), two PC bulbs ($64) and a new MH ballast ($150) I probably could have got a "name brand" fixture for the same $500...
So should I keep it or send it back and buy something else?