Lighting help needed

[vol_reefer]

Why does my tank only break when I'm out of town? I'm in Tunis, Tunisia, tonight, on my way back from field work in the Sahara. Sarah called to tell me one of the lights in my tank is out. I talked her through some troubleshooting on the phone, and we narrowed it down to one side of my dual ballast not working.

I get home Tuesday night. Between now and then, she's going to switch which fixture is plugged into the good side of the ballast at mid-day every day, so the two sides of the tank will at least get half day cycles. But that solution won't work for long, obviously.

Does anyone happen to have an M135 ballast (that's the magnetic, pulse start, 400W ballast) I can buy or borrow until I get this problem fixed? I'm using Radium 400Ws on each side of the tank. I just did a quick search of the places I usually shop online and didn't see the M135. It will probably be the end of the week, at least, before I can find one and have it delivered. If anyone has any ideas on how to trouble-shoot the one that went bad, please advise.

Thanks.

Jeff (vol_reefer)

 

[EvilMel]

Hey Jeff.

Matt pointed me towards your thread. I had those kinds of ballasts on my 135g and then transferred them over to my 240g. Matt recently gave them back to me. I haven't gotten my tank set up yet so you can use my ballast for a little bit if you want to. I have two magnetic 400W ballasts.

I can bring them up to UT or you guys can run by the house. Tuesday I might even be able to run them by your house (I may be out west but I'm not 100% sure).

Since I'm gonna use them I can't sell them to you but I'll definitely let you borrow it until you work something out.

 

[vol_reefer]

Mel -

YGPM.

Many thanks,
Jeff

 

[cee]

You'd be fine for a week, esp. if you're switching every other 1/2 day.

 

[vol_reefer]

You'd be fine for a week, esp. if you're switching every other 1/2 day.

I think you're right Dave, but then I'd probably need to go through some careful re-adaptation when I got the problem fixed. Those 400W-ers are pretty bright.

Do you (or anyone else) know what I would need to do if I just wanted to replace the "guts" of my dual ballast for the side that went out? Is there somewhere I can order a "bare" M135 ballast? Are the two sides of the dual box I have sufficiently independent that I could just swap out the dead ballast for another one?

I have to say, this has been one of the best examples of the net (and our club) changing everything - who would have thought that with one post asking for help, I could get a good temporary solution figured out in 2 hours from a hotel room in Africa. Many thanks again Mel, and also to Matt for pointing Mel to my post!

Jeff

 

[cee]

Hello Lights carries them but the shipping is a killer. Advanced Transformer makes them and you might be able to order them through Roden. It's probably just the capacitor and/or igniter so it might be possible to just order those if you can isolate it to one or the other.

 

[vol_reefer]

Any tips on how to test the capacitor or ignitor? It's been a long time since I took my electronics lab course...

Hello Lights carries them but the shipping is a killer. Advanced Transformer makes them and you might be able to order them through Roden. It's probably just the capacitor and/or igniter so it might be possible to just order those if you can isolate it to one or the other.

 

[cee]

Ignitor is tuff unless you have a US bulb. Cap is easy; just have Sarah bring it to me at work and I'll measure an hipot it for you.

Dave

 

[goreefer]

I think that Commercial Lighting just off Middlebrook may carry that ballast. No shipping charges involved.
I know that they carry the Fulham ballasts and many others needed in factory and commercial applications.
I'm just thinking that a M135 ballast is not that uncommon in the lighting world.

 

[vol_reefer]

I think that Commercial Lighting just off Middlebrook may carry that ballast. No shipping charges involved.
I know that they carry the Fulham ballasts and many others needed in factory and commercial applications.
I'm just thinking that a M135 ballast is not that uncommon in the lighting world.

That's a good tip - I'll try calling them tomorrow. It turns out the ballast Mel loaned me has a different socket on the bulb side - mine have three blade-shaped prongs, and hers is a rectangular connector that is subdivided into two rows of little squares... Which means I need to find another solution ASAP.

Most of the usual online vendors are saying the PFO pulse-start 400W ballasts have been discontinued now... What are people using to drive their Radiums instead now? Time for some RC searching....

Thanks,
Jeff