Anyone know much about ballasts?

[Atticus]

I have an electronic ARO ballast. It worked perfectly when I unplugged it 8 months ago. Now it will not fire the lights. I switched the end caps around to check bulbs and all bulbs work. The ballast will fire a single bulb, but no more than that.

 

[glaspie69]

just curious.....is it wired right? I remember something different about that ballast but i'd have to crawl under my tank to look.

 

[Atticus]

It ran for years before we moved. Right now it will just allow all the bulbs to ignite then they go out. So, it just looks like a quick flash. Almost like the ballast lost power or I have a short...

 

[psulion]

The same thing happened with an Icecap ballast I had sveral years ago. Make sure that the bulbs are seated well in the sockets. I did eventually have to send it back to icecap to be retuned.

 

[Atticus]

Do you know what icecap did to repair yours? I heard Icecaps tend to pop fuses inside. I am tempted to open my ballast up and see if that is a possibility. I would think I wouldn't get anything though if the fuse is blown.

 

[Atticus]

Jason,

Do you have the 4L or the 4LX? 4LX is the newer model which has different wiring than mine. I might try direct wiring the bulbs to the ballast without end caps to see if that helps. It just seems like a short and we have all seen the pics and videos of what happens when these short out...

 

[glaspie69]

i have the older one i think, it's the diy one that runs 220 watts

 

[psulion]

I'm not sure what they did to it. It would blow the fuses . That's why I sent it back.

 

[Atticus]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13179745#post13179745 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by glaspie69
i have the older one i think, it's the diy one that runs 220 watts

Hey, is your quick connect easily accessable? I would like to try my ballast on someone elses lights before I cut the endcaps off...

 

[Atticus]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13179762#post13179762 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by psulion
I'm not sure what they did to it. It would blow the fuses . That's why I sent it back.

Where they pretty good about fixing it under warranty and how long did they keep it?

 

[psulion]

They sent a replacement while mine was being fixed. Turnaround was about 10 days. Very good company to deal with.

 

[glaspie69]

mine doesnt have clips, its the self wire one.