problems with my lighting

[jessinator752]

i have the 250 w metal halide lighting. i had the 10 k bulbs but didn't like the coloring so i ordered 14 k off of ebay. one of my light fixtures for my tank doesn't work with the 14 k bulb but the 10 k works just fine. i switched the 14 k on the side where it does work to see if it's the bulb, but both 14 k bulbs work. any ideas why i can get the 10 k to work but not the 14 k? when i first ordered the bulbs i had both 14 k's up and going for a day. now it won't work in the one fixture. thanks, jessica

[caferacermike]

Are they the same ballasts? Different ballasts might not be able to start the same bulbs.

[DaBird47]

I agree with mike, sounds like a ballast issue..

[beareef19]

is the bulb screwed in all the way? maybe a loose wire, just suggestions

Barry

[reeferRob]

Are they the same ballasts? Different ballasts might not be able to start the same bulbs.

told ya so :P :D

[jessinator752]

i do believe they are the same. why would the 14 k work the day i got the bulbs in, and the next day not work? that's what i don't understand. i never touched the bulbs, i just turned them off over night and the next day the one didn't come back on.

[caferacermike]

With that in mind it sounds like one of the elements burned out. Maybe somehting was shaken loose in shipping? Are these cheap $20-30 Ebay lights? If so the guy paid about $3 for them and will generally replace them quickly. I'd contact them and tell them it never fired. Have you tried moving it from one socket to the other to make sure it's the bulb and not the ballast?

[jessinator752]

yeah, i put it in the other ballast and it works fine there. and i did contact the seller and let him know that i was having problems but he never replied to me.

[jessinator752]

ok, now i can't get either of my 14 k bulbs to work in either fixture. my 10 k in the right side (the side that the 14 k went out in first) came on when i turned on the lights, went out, then 10 min later came back on. i have no clue what anything is when it comes to light fixtures and the equipment to run it. i know something is getting ready to go out, but i'm not sure what. any ideas? i would hate to go out and buy all new equipment just to try to figure out what is getting ready to die on me, but on the other hand i don't want it to go out and loose things in my tank because of something simple.

[mathias]

let me guess the guy greatdel or whatever his nick on ebay?

I got 2 10k bulbs from him if anyone wants to pay me for them :)

[jessinator752]

i'm not sure what the screen name was, but i sent a payment to marie chen.

[erick]

let me guess the guy greatdel or whatever his nick on ebay?

I got 2 10k bulbs from him if anyone wants to pay me for them :)

i have 2 14k bulbs from him and they work great! Excellent price, good color, no problems....Even for Chinese bulbs!!

[reeferRob]

wierd stuff Jess! :blink