t5 lighting issue help

[hobogato]

i have two ballasts, each one runs two bulbs. one runs a pair of actinics and the other runs a pair of 12K bulbs. yesterday, the white bulbs on the advanced ballast quit working. i took all bulbs out, cleaned up salt creep, etc, and put everything back together. i did switch the bulbs to the opposite ballast tho. everything worked fine for the rest of the day.

this morning, the same ballast (now with actinic bulbs) was not working. it will come on for a few seconds and then just quit. i even switched the bulbs around and it did the same thing with the 12K bulbs.

i am guessing the ballast is bad, unless anyone else has an idea?

the reason i ask is that it will come on, just wont stay on - i have never had a ballast do that before.

[allan]

Ace,

My ballast will only work if both lights are good. If one is out the ballast will come on for a minute (more like five seconds) and then quit.

If both of your lights are on and the ballast is cutting out after a few and you've tried the other bulbs to the same effect then I would have to say your ballast is going out. Something internal is sensing a skewed value and shuts off. Maybe a thermal fuse?

[hobogato]

yep, it does it no matter which two of the four bulbs i have are hooked up. hopefully i can find a ballast locally.

[RayAllen]

Ace its always strange to me when you ask for help, lol. Why? Because you never do. A rare moment when you are puzzeled.

That is strange id also assume it was the ballast. Ive been checking out www.hellolights.com (http://www.hellolights.com) for my future lighting. If you cant find local they have some good stuff.

[jrsatx20]

U can borrow my ballast. Don't know if it will work it runs t12 actinic but not using it right now. Runs 2 6ft bulbs

[txav8r]

Last time I was in Lowe's they had several t5 ballasts in stock. Not sure what size they were.

[hobogato]

which lowes?

[txav8r]

1604 and blanco.

[allan]

Wait a minute, we can use the T5 ballasts from Lowes to power the t5s for the tanks? I thought those were HO or something.

[jrsatx20]

Think they all have loose ballast think the one one Callaghan n i10 has them also. Know they have halide ballast also.

[hobogato]

cool!

if i need one, that is where i will start then. just plugged it in, and it is working right now...

[allan]

So we can use those ballasts???

[hobogato]

i think there may be a difference in how they start up the bulbs, alton would be the best person to answer that question...

[Ed]

Ace,

If you do need a new ballast, I have had better luck with Workhorse ballasts. I have had several Advance ballasts and they do not last well for me. Been using Workhorse for 3+ years and have never had to replace one (knock on wood). HTH.

-Ed

[hobogato]

thanks ed, i agree, the workhorse ballasts i have used in the past never gave me issues. this one is only 8 months or so old...

[ongmat]

[QUOTE=txav8r;766247]Last time I was in Lowe's they had several t5 ballasts in stock. Not sure what size they were.[/QUOTE
they could only burn t5 39w or lower...that would not do any w/ HO t5 though....

[FireWater]

Ace, I had an issue similar to your's when I ran my previous DIY set up. The ballast would fire on and then quit working - sometimes 30 minutes later and sometimes up to 4 hrs later. I replaced the ballast and did not have the same problems after that. What I came up with after the fact was that it was building up heat and shutting down. I do not know why - possibly inferior circuitry or a bad connection on that particular ballast.

[FireWater]

Also, that particular ballast would burn lights out fairly quickly as well.

[alton]

Some ballast have thermal over loads built in to keep from over heating. Most Instant Start Ballast run one or two lamps. I have a WH-5 you can borrow if need be?

[hobogato]

thanks alton. well, this morning no worky again and i broke a 6 month old bulb trying to get it to work :angry:

since the sun is nice and bright, i am not in a hurry to get all four bulbs going again, so if i cant find a new ballast and a new bulb locally, i will just order one.

[FireWater]

What size Ace? I will look and see if I have any ballasts at the house. You can have whatever bulbs in the fixture I have. It's not like I am using them right now anyway.

[hobogato]

well, it worked all day yesterday and quit again this morning. i found some workhorse 5 ballasts at Blond lighting and electrical at the corner of josephine and dewey for $30 each. i went ahead and got two to replace both of these ballasts that i have.