UV Sterilizer is dead?

[Kristy]

So when it rains it pours... While dealing with the MH ballast issue we noticed that the pump that feeds the UV Sterilizer and the carbon reactors has died. I am not sure what is wrong with the pump, but when I took it apart, I broke the impeller shaft, so that is another issue. We have another pump to replace it, so the UV unit is the problem. The pump was not pushing water to it, so I think the UV unit itself was on with out any water left in it.

We only noticed it because we were replacing the UV bulb. The UV unit does not appear to work any longer, as we tried it with both the new and old bulb and neither work.

If it was running dry, would it just burn out the bulb or would it burn up the whole unit? Anyone have any experience with this?

Thanks, Mike

[allan]

Try plugging the unit up to an outlet and check the vo9ltage at the point where the lamp should be. You should see a potential voltage of about 110 to 115... actually, I don't know that at all. It should be a direct current since there's a transformer/ballast in line on my model. But you should see a potential voltage there using a volt meter.

If there's no voltage (dc or ac) then your problem is to the left, if you do have a potential then your problem lies to the right, but if neither your new bulb nor your old bulb work... sorry, I don't have an answer to that save perhaps your new bulb isn't working.

I bought a 48" T5 bulb over the weekend, and when I got it home I noticed it was broken in two. Of course it contacted with my ceiling fan...

[alton]

Did you receive some serious lightning strikes last week?

[Kristy]

No, no lightning strikes that we are aware of, but good thought!

We could borrow one of those voltage meters from my dad and see if the unit is getting power at all.

Any thoughts on whether the unit running without water going through it to cool it would cause further damage than the bulb burning out?
-Kristy

[ErikH]

I doubt it would burn the bulb out because the bulbs always stay dry. Since there are no real moving parts on the interior, that too would steer me away from the thought of being run dry.
PITA replacing expensive items!

[Bill S]

Instead of borrowing a voltage meter, go buy one. I can't live without one. It just makes troubleshooting so easy. BTW, don't buy a cheap one from Radio Shack. Get one that won't fry every time you do something stupid, like test continuity with voltage on.

[allan]

Get one that won't fry every time you do something stupid, like test continuity with voltage on.

Words to live by. Try soldering a live wire... apparently the iron is just a positive potential just waiting to reach out. Was blind for a full minute or two.

I got a real cheapo voltage meter awhile back, if I had to do it over again I would have gotten me a nice fluke DVM. Worth their weight in gold if you're gonna be working on electrical parts.

BTW, what does PITA mean? I thought it was slang for pity or something. Oldman-itus I guess...

[Gseclipse02]

BTW, what does PITA mean? I thought it was slang for pity or something. Oldman-itus I guess...

pain in the *****

[vman181]

From the Urban Dictionary....


(Pronounced:Pee-Tuh)

1) Pain in the a!@. Used to define the ones who annoy us most and get on our last nerves.

2) Flat bread of Mediterranean origin, eaten as is or filled with small pieces of roasted meat, veggies, condiments, etc.

I thought you would have thought of the second one because of your back round/Job :-)