SkinnyPete
Aquarium Advice Freak
I bought a used (very used) 3x175 mh unit off a local reefer. Looks like this was a retro kit in a Hamilton canopy. So, the guy had one bulb only when I bought it and showed me that it worked in all 3 sockets. He was practically giving this thing away after trying to sell on the board for months without any interest.
Anyway, I got 3 new Hamilton bulbs from hellolights and eagerly fired them up just now. The first 2 burn nice and bright, but the 3rd is very, very dull. I switched around the bulbs and fired it up again - same results in the same socket with a different bulb. It seems as though the first two are burning just fine, but the 3rd socket just stays dull, even after leaving it on for 10 minutes.
I am a MH newbie, admittedly. Any ideas what could be going on here? Is this maybe a faulty socket (seems unlikely) or a ballast thing?
Any help would be appreciated. Although this unit was very cheap - I hope I didn't waste my money.
Thanks.
Anyway, I got 3 new Hamilton bulbs from hellolights and eagerly fired them up just now. The first 2 burn nice and bright, but the 3rd is very, very dull. I switched around the bulbs and fired it up again - same results in the same socket with a different bulb. It seems as though the first two are burning just fine, but the 3rd socket just stays dull, even after leaving it on for 10 minutes.
I am a MH newbie, admittedly. Any ideas what could be going on here? Is this maybe a faulty socket (seems unlikely) or a ballast thing?
Any help would be appreciated. Although this unit was very cheap - I hope I didn't waste my money.
Thanks.