Anyone using these lights?
- Thread starter Itsmebro
- Start date
Shadowramy
In Memoriam
Has anyone been able to put the MH on one timer and the moon lights on another? I so please advise how you did this.
EmergencyDpt
New member
I bought the 48 inch 2x175MH with 4x21T5 system. Today the ballast box started smoking like crazy. Horrible smell of frying insulation... Thank god I was standing right beside the thing as it was shooting lots of smoke and to my eyes looked like it was going to catch fire at any second. I quickly unpluged it and the entire box was hot to the touch. It usually stays warm but not hot. I took it outside on the porch and opened it up. In the above picture of the white cylindrical thing that says "Safe Light Capacitor" That thing was partially melted and had some kind of stuff dripping out of it and it looks like some of it had sprayed out onto the magnet thing. Sorry I'm not an electrician. The damage doesn't look nearly as bad as the acrid smoke smelt. However it gave me quite a scare. This is the second fixture that nearly burst into flames from this company. Thank god both times I smelt the smoke in time to unplug the unit. Damn I was just about to put the light up for sale too!
s3aL
New member
When I first got my MH fixture from them my T5 end caps smoked and popped and blew out. Scared me abit. This happen the first time I plugged it in to test everything. Took about 2 mins to happen. Returned it for another fixture. Second one worked fine till this day. But im upgraded anyways. Waiting for my new fixture in the mail! I wont buy ANYTHING from them again. Cheap = danger.
leeweber85
New member
moonlight wiring
moonlight wiring
OK, here is my attempt to explain how I added a second power cord to control moonlights separate. Be advised that this is the way I have done it (with success) and I am not an electrician. Also, as stated on the ballast box: "Do not modify electrical components or any parts of unit."
Unplug unit and take out the 8 screws holding the box cover. Slide off the cover.
Make sure both switches are turned off and know which switch is which. (moonlight and halides)
Now you need to find out which 2 wires coming from the quick-disconnects are the moon lights. Mine were the green ones each coming through separate quick-disconnects. I figured this out judging by the wiring then testing it out.
^To test if the wire is the moonlight wire.... unplug it from the wire wraps. ^
Being careful that the wires don't touch anything, plug in the power cord and flip the moonlight switch. If the moonlights won't turn on then you have found the correct wire. Do this for each quick-disconnect until you find both wires.(again mine were the green ones with yellow stripes)
^Once you have found the 2 moonlight wires, all you need to do is find a way to supply power to them (the 12volt transformer is in the fixture with the actual LED's).^
Unplug the power cord and follow the wires. One of them went to the moonlight switch and then to the fuse. I cut this off at the fuse and added it to one of the "New power cord" wires using wire nuts.
The other moonlight wire ran to the white power cord wire with other ballast wires branching from it. I cut it from that and added it to the second "new power cord" wire. The wire I had cut it off from I capped off with a wire nut so it wouldn't be left exposed(very important).
After that make sure both switches are turned off and plug in the "New moonlight power cord" praying that you did it correctly. Flip the switch and voila!
Also, I ran the new power cord through the center hole and tied a knot.
If wiring it using the switch is too complicated you could directly wire the "new power cord" to the moonlight wires (capping off the exposed wires)..... But then the switch would not work.
moonlight wiring
OK, here is my attempt to explain how I added a second power cord to control moonlights separate. Be advised that this is the way I have done it (with success) and I am not an electrician. Also, as stated on the ballast box: "Do not modify electrical components or any parts of unit."
Unplug unit and take out the 8 screws holding the box cover. Slide off the cover.
Make sure both switches are turned off and know which switch is which. (moonlight and halides)
Now you need to find out which 2 wires coming from the quick-disconnects are the moon lights. Mine were the green ones each coming through separate quick-disconnects. I figured this out judging by the wiring then testing it out.
^To test if the wire is the moonlight wire.... unplug it from the wire wraps. ^
Being careful that the wires don't touch anything, plug in the power cord and flip the moonlight switch. If the moonlights won't turn on then you have found the correct wire. Do this for each quick-disconnect until you find both wires.(again mine were the green ones with yellow stripes)
^Once you have found the 2 moonlight wires, all you need to do is find a way to supply power to them (the 12volt transformer is in the fixture with the actual LED's).^
Unplug the power cord and follow the wires. One of them went to the moonlight switch and then to the fuse. I cut this off at the fuse and added it to one of the "New power cord" wires using wire nuts.
The other moonlight wire ran to the white power cord wire with other ballast wires branching from it. I cut it from that and added it to the second "new power cord" wire. The wire I had cut it off from I capped off with a wire nut so it wouldn't be left exposed(very important).
After that make sure both switches are turned off and plug in the "New moonlight power cord" praying that you did it correctly. Flip the switch and voila!
Also, I ran the new power cord through the center hole and tied a knot.
If wiring it using the switch is too complicated you could directly wire the "new power cord" to the moonlight wires (capping off the exposed wires)..... But then the switch would not work.
Thanks, Lee. I just rewired the fixture, and it works like a swiss watch. My LED wires were the same color(green/yellow), although one of the wires went into a solder joint(guess they ran out of bullet connectors). You didn't mention it, but I did hookup the new cord ground wire.
Lordhelmet
Active member
I went to a fish store that used 2 48" mh fixtures over a cube tank. they looked ok except that the actinic lights ween't that bright. other then that a good cheep alternitive.
leeweber85
New member
s1rk1118 said:
Cool, the cord I used didnââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t have a ground so I didnââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t have that option. But Iââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢m glad you figured it out with all of my gibberish.
Lordhelmet. I thought that at first too. I actually hated the "blue" rather then the purple that normal actinics put off.... But after I got use to it, I think I like the blue better. The way they are angled on the fixture is also wasting light. If it were in a canopy I think it would be a little brighter. (Thatââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s my next project.)
Shadowramy
In Memoriam
OKay, I am trying this let me know if I am right.
1. Of the 4 wires coming from the green labeled connector (moon light qucik connect) I have a green/yellow stripe which goes to the moon light switch.
2. Of the remain three wire from the green quick connect I have blue, brown and black. Disconnecting the bullets from any of these 3 does NOT shut off the moon lights.
3. I am hoping it is the blue wire which bullets into a white wire then later branches off going to the white ballast.
4. On the green/yellow stripe wire, which goes to the switch then return to the fuse, do I cut it before the fuse?
5. I am still not seeing where the second wire is. Is it on the power cord coming in or is it one of the green quick connect wires?
1. Of the 4 wires coming from the green labeled connector (moon light qucik connect) I have a green/yellow stripe which goes to the moon light switch.
2. Of the remain three wire from the green quick connect I have blue, brown and black. Disconnecting the bullets from any of these 3 does NOT shut off the moon lights.
3. I am hoping it is the blue wire which bullets into a white wire then later branches off going to the white ballast.
4. On the green/yellow stripe wire, which goes to the switch then return to the fuse, do I cut it before the fuse?
5. I am still not seeing where the second wire is. Is it on the power cord coming in or is it one of the green quick connect wires?
Shadowramy
In Memoriam
Okay here is what I have after looking at the red quick connector.
Red connector - 4 wires; brown, black, blue, green/yellow.
Green connector - 4 wire; brown, black, blue, green/yellow.
power cord - 3 wire; green, black, white
from the power cord, the white wire is soldered in to the green/yellow connector going into the RED quick connect.
Do I simply wire the two end of the "new power cord", to the ends of the green/yellow wires.
So I would basically be connecting new cord wire 1 to green/yellow wire going into red connector? Do I split the white wire that is connected from the old power cord to the green/yellow wire?
New power cord wire 2 connect to the black wire that is a return from the moon switch, right be it goes into the fuse?
Thanks
Red connector - 4 wires; brown, black, blue, green/yellow.
Green connector - 4 wire; brown, black, blue, green/yellow.
power cord - 3 wire; green, black, white
from the power cord, the white wire is soldered in to the green/yellow connector going into the RED quick connect.
Do I simply wire the two end of the "new power cord", to the ends of the green/yellow wires.
So I would basically be connecting new cord wire 1 to green/yellow wire going into red connector? Do I split the white wire that is connected from the old power cord to the green/yellow wire?
New power cord wire 2 connect to the black wire that is a return from the moon switch, right be it goes into the fuse?
Thanks
Shadowramy
In Memoriam
Has anyone used a different MH 175W in these? If so, what should I be looking for as replacements?
Coral_Geek
New member
There is no 175W HQI bulb. They come in 150W or 250W. The importer in San Bruno, CA asked a lot of people what was the most popular size of Metal Halide bulb. Since he never specified HQI most people thought he was talking about mogul socket Metal Halide lamps. After everyone told him 175W he told the factory in China (Jebo now called Odyssey) to call the hoods and bulbs 175W. The factories in China that make the super cheap stuff will put anything you want on the label. I have seen "all natural ingredients" and other meaningless words on electronic items from these places. I would guess that your hood actually has a 150W HQI lamp but I cannot be sure. Who knows, maybe they actually started making 175W HQI lamps to fill his order. Then again, they may have just made a label that says that.
Shadowramy
In Memoriam
So then, can I just put 150 HQI bulbs in there? The ballast say 175W, but like you said, you can put anything on a label.
The Grim Reefer
Ready for some NOBALL!!!
There are 175 watt DE out there. Pretty hard to come by in this country. There was a good post maybe earlier in this thread about the specs on the 175's. The 150's will be underdriven in the 175 ballast according to the post.
leeweber85
New member
Under driven? It makes me mad because i wanted the 150w to start with and they sent me the 175 one.
I've also heard that they could be 150w ballast mislabled as 175w... who knows! Aquatraders did tell me though that they can be replaced with 150w.
I've also heard that they could be 150w ballast mislabled as 175w... who knows! Aquatraders did tell me though that they can be replaced with 150w.
93blackgt5.0
New member
So are the ballasts electronic now? I read in another post that the ballasts were electronic. I am actually writing a company from EBay. She assures me the ballasts are electronic. True or not?
Eric
Eric
Coral_Geek said:
Seems to me the 175HQI bulb debate has taken a turn!! Instead of bashing why not try looking to see if a 175 does exsist. If Im not mistaken this link will show you a 175...I know nothing of the quality but I do know you can get 175 HQI bulbs
http://cgi.ebay.com/Helios-Metal-Ha...ryZ46314QQssPageNameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
